arkie6

Your doctor is wrong in my opinion. People with a healthy glucose metabolism eating a diet consisting of whole natural foods would likely never exceed 120 mg/dl post meal. However, most people, if they eat too much sugary and starchy foods, both of which quickly convert to glucose in the digestive system, can overload the bodies capability to process the glucose and result in elevated glucose levels temporarily.

If you are hitting 180+ after a meal, then yes, that is way too high. Microvascular damage starts to occur at around 160 mg/dl. Not to mention the damage that all of that circulating insulin is causing to your vascular system.

Ideally you would want your bloodsugar levels to mimic someone that doesn't have problems processing glucose (this significantly reduces your chances of developing complications later on). For most Type II diabetics that still have a fully functional pancreas and follow a proper diet and get adequate exercise, this is achievable. Optimum fasting bloodsugar levels would be 70 to 90 mg/dl. The level after a meal is a little harder to pin down because there are so many variables (how much carbohydrate and what type ingested, how much protein, how much fat, how much time involved, how active you have been, etc.). If you are limiting your carbohydrate intake, then optimally you shouldn't see readings higher than 120 mg/dl after a meal. Keeping your bloodsugar level below 150 mg/dl post meal should be an initial target to set. You can likely achieve this easily by reducing the amount of carbohydrate you are consuming at that meal. And especially reducing your intake of high glycemic index carbs - sugars, white bread, potatoes, rice, and most highly processed and refined foods.

That is WAY too much carbohyhdrate in my opinion. Nobody NEEDS that much carbohydrate except possibly a world class athlete in training. I would recommend that you cut that amount of carbohydrate in half at least and work on cutting it even more. Increase your intake of protien (meat, fish, eggs, dairy, etc.) and natural fats. Be careful with your medications though. By reducing your carbohydrate intake, you will likely significantly reduce your need for medication. This is a good thing, but you need to monitor it closely. By reducing your bloodsugar level through diet, and consequently your circulating insulin levels since you are Type II (insulin resistant), you will greatly reduce your chances of developing diabetic complications that are so common in those that do not tightly control their bloodsugar and insulin levels.

I highly recommend the following book to answer most if not all of your questions: "Dr. Bernstein's Diabetes Solutiion".

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The tragedy of science is the slaying of a beautiful hypothesis by an ugly fact. T H Huxley