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Got tested twice this week. It is diabetes month here (S Africa) I dont know if it is the same globally.

Both times it was the kind of test where the nurse draws blood and then you are given a reading. The first time I got tested was mid afternoon about 2 and a half hours after lunch. It was 5.8

The second time I got tested was about 9am, before I had eaten anything at all that day, about two hours after I had done some brisk walking. The reading then was 5.1

So which is the more accurate reading?

I was told both times I was in the "safe" range but I was not told what range the reading would be in to be problematic. Type 2 diabetes has "owned" my family for a few decades now and I would be grateful for any feedback.

Thank you! By the way if you were wondering why I didnt hesitate to get it done the second time it was because it was free!

First, got to say I am not a doctor so this is not a "professional opinion"

First, the most important part. If you stick closely to Dr McDougall's diet recommendations you are virtually certain to never become diabetic unless you have a very rare autoimmune condition. A low fat, plant strong diet will eliminate existing insulin resistance and prevent its future development. And that is basically the cure/preventions of type 2 diabetes!

Both readings are likely fairly accurate but they tell you different things. The afternoon one, gives you a very rough idea of how you process the blood sugar from a meal. From what I have read, the best marker for that and the overall best indicator of risk of future diabetes is really your blood sugar level approximately 1 hour after you finish eating. That is, you are really looking for the highest level it goes to. I am in US and so am converting from my measure but the research I read says you want to be under 7.7 one hour after a meal. The morning one, before eating is called fasting blood sugar and medical opinions vary as to what is safe and what is ideal but probably 4.5 to 5 is what you really want. Also, the one hour after meal one should return to the fasting level pretty quickly after that, within another hour or two.

I think medical doctors in the US say your fasting should be under about 5.5

Thanks for taking the time to respond Geoffrey. It's good to know I am comfortably ensconced in the "safe" range.

Hi
both of your readings appear to be in mmol (millimoles) per litre. Both indicate no diabetes - it used to have to be over 10 mmol but I think they say pre-diabetes at 8mmol these days.

Just so you know - blood sugar levels rise and fall all through the day, in response to food and insulin. So you can have one reading and a totally different reading half an hour later.

Glad they seem OK for you - and if you keep eating McDougall wise it shouldn't become a problem for you ever.

Those readings are not mg/dl. Can you translate them? What are the units for those tests. I have only seen numbers like that for AiC's

Didi

8 mmol is about 143 mg/dl. 10mmol is 180 mg/dl.

In Australia all measurements (including glucometers) are in mmol (although most can do mg/dl as well) and all our tests are in mmol too.