Some of us suffer from diabetes. I am one of them with Type II diabetes. I guess Singaporeans and most Asians are fairly reserved with sharing among friends their sickness. Unfortunately, many sickness may not be cureable but we can still maintain good health with appropriate eating, exercise and medicine.
This Post encourages SHC diabetics to share their experiences, their diet, their exercise program and their medical treatment. If you are a diabetic, I encourage you to be open about the sickness and we can meet once in a while to exchange tips on maintaining our sugar levels, and stay sweet.
(Members with other sickness are encouraged to start a new group and a new Post). When talking about your medication, please use generic names and not brand names. I hope this Post will help diabetics stay healthy and live a good number of years.
Terence Seah
Let me start the discussion on the SHC diabetic group. I have been a Type II diabetic. I am aware diabetics is incurable, as the pancreas cannot make enough insulin to convert the sugar in the body into energy. Really, uncontrolled diabetics is a dreadful sickness, altho a person can still feel pretty well.
Currently, I take medication of Gliclazide 4x30mg once in the morning and Metformin 2x500mg. I also take 10 unit of Insulatard insulin before going to bed. With the above, I am able to keep my sugar within 5 and 9 mmol/L. My doctor tells me that if can exercise half an hour a day, I can significantly lower my sugar levels.
Diabetics, feel comfortable to share your experience.
Terence Seah
Hi Terence/others at #1 ,
…..My doctor tells me that if I can exercise half an hour a day, I can significantly lower my sugar levels.
Just to share, I am not a diabetic and has low blood pressure but I do not suffer from dizzy spells as experienced by those of high blood pressure.
Eversince becoming a Swim Fit member, my appetite was better,I could eat more and sleep more soundly.I am also more energetic.I swim almost 3-5 times per week nowadays at the pool and almost every week I cycle to either one of these places; West Coast Park,Jurong East, Chinese Garden,Boon Lay Shopping Centre, Holland Village and Botanical Gardens and occasionally join the SHC cycling kakis at ECP to cycle to Changi Village n back.
I am doing this to make up for time lost when I was too “married” to my work where I hardly find much time for my leisure activities in spite of the fact that the ECP facilities are just a stone’s throw from my former condo.
Terence, as you are lacking in insulin any excess sugar in your body remains there unless you exercise to “burn” of the extra calories.
During exercise sugar(sucrose,maltose) is rapidly converted to glucose which later metabolise to produce energy.The more you EXERCISE the faster will be the conversion and so there will no longer be excess sugar in your system.
Take good care, HEALTHY living is indispensble.
Steven Chan
Hi Terence,
How ‘sweet’ (pardon the pun) of you to open this post.
Ya, diabetes, heart disease and cancer have been the major
scourge that were the top killers for our modern generation
for the last 100years. Before that, these diseases were
virtually unheard of.
Yes, several doctors also told me this illness is uncurable
and I have to rely on their medicine for the rest of my life.
Although my glucose level is not extremely high, in the
region of 12-13mmol w/o medication, my fluctation is
rather wide.
However, recently I came across a very special report that
claims to be able to eliminate Type 2 diabetes tru’ natural
means, w/o the use of medicine (presuming that the patient
now only has diabetes and no other associated complication)
This is a very promising report and I just started the pgm
for the last 10 days and my reading dropped to 8-9 mmol
first thing in the morning when I just woke up.
In fact, the more I read the report, the more convinced I am
that diabetes is more a lifestyle disease than a hereditary
cause and it’s completely curable.
This report is just amazing in that no medication is
recommended and all it suggested are just diet, exercise
and some initial health supplements.
I will update as when I’ve more results.
james
More than five years ago I was diagnosed with diabetes and that affected my insurance premium. More than that I also have high cholesterol and high blood pressure. I refused to take the pills prescribed to me thinking that the health supplements that I consume by the ‘bucket’ would help me and that most drugs would have side effects.
I am wiser now and take two three pills including the zinc in the morning. One pill after lunch and dinner and four types of pills at night!
For exercise i am having badminton once a week which may not be enough. Dancing probably twice a week and swimming which I am good at but too lazy to do it. Perhaps starting a swimming session may encourage more member to exercise.
Sometimes in the morning I do feel fainting sensation but just ignored it and hoping that it will go away. I am now attending periodic checkup at a polyclinic nearby.
I have invested in an instrument to test my sugar level but hardly get to use it and the same go for the blood pressure measuring device, whatever the names for it!
Dan
Hi Terence,
so thoughtful of you to have started this post, and I can see alot of warmth encouragment is being put in from some kind SHCians. Yes excerise,healthy diet and of course some basis health supplements and most important is positive thinking and be happy.
As our age is catching up,there is bound to have some kind/form of sickness creeping up, even machinery,say a car after some years on the road it needs yearly mantainence right.
For the past year I hv recommended this natural remedy to alot of my friends who hv diabetes and the feedback from them was indeed very good, not only their sugar level have gone down it also helps those who have enzyma and I saw it with my own eyes.(the itch is gone within a few days)
I myself is taking it everyday even thought I don’t have diabetes, the result for me is also very good,like I don’t feel tired so easily, my enzyma have improved termendously.
It’s none other than the veg “Lady-Finger” we always hear people saying, eating lady-finger is good but what is good about it,now I know it’s the slim in this vegetable,it’s very simple, just slice the lady-finger put in a cup and fill it with drinking water (room temperature) and cover it don’t need to put in the fridge, the next morning,take out the cut veg and drink the water empty stomach.
Anyway, it’s no harm trying as it is a natural vegetable.
Healthy living folks,,
Eileen Thean
Terence, Dan
Sorry to hear that you are diabetics. My fasther was a diabetic and I learnt quite a lot about the disease.
Yes, James is quite right in # 3.
For a start, medication is needed to control the progress of the disease, but subsequently, a change in diet and control of carbohydrate (including sugar) intake as well as exercise, can keep it in check. This is provided that the pancrease is still able to produce some insulin.
In cases where the pancrease is unable to do so, then insulin injections or tablets are necessary.
Most important is acquiring knowledge about the various types of diabetes, diet and care. Ignorance about the disease can lead to blindness, amputation and death. So, people with diabetes should find out as much as they can from LEGITIMATE sources and not listen to old wives tales about remedies, of which there are many.
There are people with diabetes who have lived long and active lives, so here’s wishing you good health!
Mary, Dan and Eileen,
Over the years, I have learnt that with modern living, diet control alone with medication is not enough to lower and stabilise the sugar levels. Exercise is a MUST.
Dan, have you been able to maintain 4 – 8 mmol/L two hours after each meal, with your active lifestyle?
Terence Seah
Hi Eileen,
Yes, I heard of the lady fingers treatment. In fact I tried it for a few days but have out it on hold till the clinical trial is over. I will pick it up again.
Mary, thanks for spelling it all out. We will be careful with our diet, exercise and continue popping the pills! And we do appreciate your good wishes for us.
Terence, sorry I am not familiar with the term you use, see how ignorance I am.
Dan
Terence & all,
Cinnamon powder helps to regulate glucose & cholesterol levels but please do not overdose on it.
What I do is to have a daily cup of hot chocolate/milo with a pinch (1/4 teaspoon) of organic cinnamon powder in it before bedtime ;-)
Take care
Jonathan
Hi Jonathan #9,
Interesting to see that you have a daily cup of chocolate or milo. Does not this raise your sugar level substantially?
If it is ok for you, I might give it a go too and with cinnamon powder.
Terence Seah
Hi Terence,
I use only one teaspoon of the choc/milo dissolved with the cinnamon & drink it neat (without sugar or milk). It helps to disguise the taste of the bitter cinnamon. Also helps me sleep easier due to the warming effect of this bedtime drink.
Give it a try & monitor your insulin levels to see if it works!
Jonathan
Oh dear, oh dear oh dear!!
SHC has come of age…. comparing our different ailments whether gout or diabetes or what else. I really think that age is catching up on us; many of us have many different health conditions: aching bones and joints, stomach and digestive problems, high cholesterol and high blood, obesity and weight issues, etc.
Soon we’ll also be comparing our medical treatments and operations. Want to exchange notes on our recent gallbladder op, Terence?
Anyway, that’s what SHC is for… a platform for seniors to discuss, meet and share, whether is just for fun or just sharing the pain.
Keep smiling and keep laughing!
Jonathan #9
I believe Cinnamon does have some medicinal qualities.
It is something many people claim is good for problems ranging from arthritis, high cholesterol, bad breath, skin infections, pimples to longevity, cancer and poor immune system, although the last 3 are questionable.
It’s easy to take, especially with some honey (not for diabetics though) or in a drink. I use a lot of it in my kueh lapis actually and certain muffins.
Perhaps someone should make it in a capsule form for easier consumption? Any idea where one can get empty capsules?
Hi MaryC
You can buy empty capsules from a Chinese Medical shop at Hougang St 21 – the one opposite the bus terminal.
Mary Lee (Perth)
Hi Jonathan,
Thanks for tips re: cinnamon.
…..Cinnamon powder helps to regulate glucose & cholesterol levels.
One option is sprinkle some cinnamon powder on to the cappucino whenever I ordered from mac don.
Upon adding the organic sugar and milk, it will “mask” away the bitter taste of cinnamon and it still taste yummy. :)
Hi Terence,
Great that you had started a thread on this issue and we all diabetics can share our knowledge and form a support group.
About 2 years ago, I noted that something was not too right with me when I lost about 4kg in a week. Every time when I am in the bus or mrt, I would fall asleep the minute I shut my eyes. I usually drink very very little water but this time round I seem to be getting thirsty more often and strangely enough, I began to develop a high craving for sugars too. I can drink 2 bottles of very sweet juices and down more than 5 doughnuts at one go.
True enough, when I decided that I should go do a medical check up, the blood test showed my sugar level at 19.5mmol/L with a finger prick test and the final blood test came back at 20.5mmol/L. The doctor put me on Diebetim for a month and I went on a drastic cut on sugars and carbo. and a month later the level drop to 7+
Did a Glucose tolerence test and confirmed that I am a type II but I am not on medication now though my suger is hovering around 7+. Sometimes when I go out of control, like on hoilday when I throw caution to the wind it can go up to 12+
The doctor had warned me that if I let my sugar goes above 7.5 he will have to put me on medication and I am hoping that this would not happen.
Have tried the lady finger remedy but I could not keep up because the drink is soooooo slimmy. Other recommendation are drinkng water bolied with watemelon skin and drink tea make from african leave etc…so many and everyone claim that it work but I have yet to seriously try any yet.
I live to eat and even though I am more caucious on my diet, I am still a die-hard when food is concerned.
Right now I am drinking GlucosCare tea after my meal and Chromium Polyniotinate and doing finger prick test every other day, so hopefully on my next vist, I do not get scolded by my doctor hahahahaha.
I am too lazy to do any real excercise and I really need more than a push to get going, so it would be good to form a support group and we can encourage each other to excercise and control our diet and share our experience.
I will monitor the effect of chromium and keep the group posted my my progress….maybe I should try to go back to try the lady finger again provided I do not throw up again
A friend had given me some African Leave plant (don’t know what the scientific name is) but they are still not growing very well yet and not bearing lost of leaves so still cannot tell it’s effectiveness.
Sockie
Mary@13,
Glad you have other delicious ways to use cinnamon. Lots of other health benefits like you mentioned. As for the empty capsules, I believe you can get them from any Chinese Medical shops in Singapore.
Steven@15,
You’re welcome! Hmmmm, Cafe MacD with extra Cinnamon …very nice ;-) For therapeutic effects, it would be good to get a daily dose of it!
Hi All:
I am a Type II diabetic, presently on oral medication of gliclazide and metformin (minus insulated insulin).
I would like to encourage fellow diabetics (also non diabetics) to join as member of Diabetic Society of Singapore, which is non-profit organisation offering members check ups at subsidized rates.
The objectives of the DSS are as follows:
. provide service to the diabetic community and to individuals
.undertake activities that promote the general well-being of persons with diabetics
. strive to remove prejudice and ignorance concerning diabetics
Interested SH Cians can log their website for more in depth info—www.diabetics.org.sg or email:dss@diabetics.org.sg
I assured SH Cians that I had no vested interests in DSS but it greatly saddened me to see fellow diabetics with amputated limbs just due to complete ignorance or simply “not bothered” attitudes.
Diabetics is a “lifestyle disease” on life long medication but also chronic disease due to it leading to heart, kidney diseases if left uncontrolled and unmangeable
Wow…..first time I had written such a long post.
Hope to be informative just by giving my two cents worth to a subject that is closed at heart.
To those on medication persevere dont give up.
Life is still meaningful and worth living to the fullest.
Cheerio!
Mary Lee #14
Hahaha Mary, it takes someone in Perth to tell me that! Thank you for the info.
I shall try the chinese medical shop nearby and see if they have any. If not, then I will go and look for the one in Hougang.
Jonathan Ong
Just saw your #17
Thank you too for the info. I shall go today to get some.
I really believe in cinnamon.
Steven
That little sprinkle in cappucino won’t really do much good. That’s just done for taste. You need to put a half teaspoonful in it to get any medicinal value.
Then again, it’s not wise to go overboard on cinnamon as it can reduce one’s sugar level quite drastically.
Re: Cinnamon
My mum would put in a piece or two of cinnamon stick whenever she boiled pork bone soup. I wonder if that has any effect at all or just done for the taste?
I think ‘bak kut teh’ has quite a bit of cinnamon in it, so perhaps it’s good to drink that? (Without the oiliness of course).
I really hope that SHC diabetics can form a group. One thing which I firmly believe and share with diabetics is that maintaining sugar levels within 4 and 8 mmol/L is important. And, the way to make sure is to use a blood glucose meter. So, whatever you take, whether it is cinnamon stick, TCM receipes, tea, etc, it all boils down to the sugar in the body. I guess you know the outcome of not controlling the sugar levels.
So, hopefully, as a group, we can support one another to bring this lifelong sickness under control. I hope to remember to bring my glucose meter, and for those who are diabetic, get to read their sugar level. Do remember when was the most recent meal taken.
Terence Seah
So Terence, are you calling a meeting soon for all the
fellow sufferers?
Will we be able to get a medical practioner (not necessary
a doctor) or a dietician/nutritionist to conduct a short
talk on how we can improve our conditions?
(Note: I think this post has been obscured by other more
recent and visible posts from other members. Maybe a new
post can be started with a focus group as ‘members’.)
james
Hi Jonathan #11,
i think u’ve got the bitter type cinnamon , cos i’ve bought the sweet type and it taste okay. wld add to my coffee in the morning with my breakfast.
yes, intially when i don’t exercise and the result was not idea
despute of my very very little “1 tbsp” in take of rice.
so the doctor told me diet alone is not enough to control.
i’m into jogging whenever time permit, result seems improving.
would like to thanks everyone for sharing.
irene
Hi Irene #24,
I do agree with you that diet alone may not help with bringing down the sugar levels. Exercise is important. I would be keen to read about your feedback on jogging and its impact on sugar levels.
Terence Seah
Hi Madeline,
I went into the forum yesterday and reread what you wrote about Gymnema Sylvestre. Reports on the internet seem to sing praises of this plant.
When I was in Perth recently, two of our Singapore SHC members Agnes and Patrick gave me Gymnema Sylvestre, so that I can try to plant them in Singapore. They look very healthy. With their encouragement to try eating the leaves to lower the sugar levels, I intend to pot more plants. Problem is I dont have green figures. But I am going to give it a try. Any help to grow this, please let me know.
For those who are diabetic, I think you should buy a sugar meter, and read your fasting sugar every morning. If you can do so for at least a month, let me know, and I shall see how I can get you a plant. Then, you start to chew the leaves like a cow, and see if your sugar levels really drop. Let’s share our experiment results.
Madeline, Hou Chong, thanks for highlighting this plant. And, for other diabetics, if you like to try growing the plant, eat the leaves, be prepared to be a guinea pig and share your sugar results, simply put your name here. And, thank you Agnes and Patrick (Perth) for giving me the plants.
Terence Seah
Hi Terence,
Thank you for letting me have one of your Gymnema Sylvestre plant. I hope to be able to grow it and distribute young seedlings to our members in the near future.
HC
Hi Hou Chong #27
Could I reserve one of those young GS seedlings when the time comes?
Hope to be able to grow some too for personal consumption. Thanks alot. :)
Suzhang
Hi Suzhang,
The very precious GS baby has been potted and placed in a princely spot in my garden and receiving the most TLC presently. I will place on record to let you have its first offspring..do you feel the pressure to take good care of the GS seedling..haha
HC
Hi Hou Chong,
I will also be planting the same plant as yours in Thailand this weekend. Our two plants are Australian origin, so let’s work on it. Again, I encourage all diabetics to measure their sugar levels regularly. Let’s compare our sugar levels when we start chewing the leaves. This way, we will know the effectiveness of the GS plant.
Terence Seah
#29 Thanks Hou Chong. So nice of you to reserve one of the GS first offspring for me. Yeap, I really feel pressured becos those Chrysantemum seedlings from Steven that I have planted all withered & died. :(
So how much water & sunlight must I give them? Please enlighten me.
Thanks,
Suzhang
Terence, HC,
Can you reserve some seedling for me when it’s ready.
The Reverse Your Diabetes Report you got talked on the
medicinal effect of this plant.
Good luck in yr diabetes control.
james
Hi Diabetics,
I am NOT trying to throw a cold towel over Terence’s post ” Can you give moral support to SHCians who are trying to reach their ideal weight or or SCARE you guys or gals
What I am writing in this comment are TRUE facts from an ex-colleague of mine who is in a “V.HIGH” diabetic group.
I just visited him lately at NUH a day before his left big toe was CUT off the next day due to the onset of gangrene. His other small digits were not in too good a shape either. Its skin has turned a purplish brown and might have to go too. It is a matter of time.
And so Lisa Ong,Steven Ng, /others including myself EAT as much as we want BUT watch for your blood presure but most important of all EXERCISE cannot be compromised.
Now,I am making up for time loss when I was too busily working at the expense of my health.
Hi Steven
Diabetic patient have to be extremely careful with cuts and open wounds especially to their toes. A small wound from even a nail clipper can become gangrenous. This is due to lack of oxygen reaching the legs causing the need to amputate the affected toe. A most common approach by doctors to stop gangrene from spreading but it can be a vicious on set to further gangrenous wound because the wound caused by the amputation won’t heal and becomes gangrenous again. Further amputation is required further up the foot, and eventually the leg. It is common to see diabetic patients losing their limbs because of this.
One approach, to prevent amputation, is to employ hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) for diabetic patient. This type of treatment gets oxygen into the blood stream, healing the wound from inside out. There are enough evidence to show that HBOT eliminates the need for amputation. Both SGH & TTSH has hyperbaric centres. This treatment is costly but if it saves limbs, why not?
Hi Lily,
Thanks for sharing this. Did not know about HBOT.
Now I am wondering if oxygen treatment works, what about the fad a couple of years ago where oxygen bars were springing out all over the place?
I have never gone to an oxygen bar; can’t imagine breathing in flavored oxygen. Seems this trend has died a natural death……….no pun intended.
One thing I can vouch – in casinos, they periodically pump out pure oxygen to keep gamblers awake at the table instead of going back to their rooms.
Hi Geraldine
Oxygen bars, like many other fads, is nothing but just that. One can’t breath in oxygen and expect it to go into the blood stream or skin deep to improve health and looks as preached.
HBOT is used in many developed countries such as Australia, USA, Japan, to name a few…. even China has it. In Singapore, the only HBOT chamber (the size of a large room) is in the Naval Base in Sembawang. Due to security reason after the 9/11, it was closed to civilians. The HBOT centres at SGH and TTSH were set up after this closure, and have smaller chambers the shape of capsule (spacecraft-like) large enough only to seat 3 or 1 lying patient.
Deep sea divers will know about HBOT. It is the only treatment for decompression sickness. You don’t have to take my words for it. Just google it to find out more.
Hi Lily Willocq,
Thanks for your info re: HBOT. I will relay it to my friend should he needs it in future to prevent any further amputations.
I really wonder whether the specialist doctors in NUH did tell him of this latest treatment or that his wound has become too gangraneous and amputation of his big toe is the last resort?