Expert's Reply
A.
Diabetes expert
Dear Dot
According to SA guidelines, a fasting glucose at the laboratory (done in the morning after fasting overnight for 8 hours) is considered normal if it is less than 6.1, pre-diabetes if it is between 6.1 and 7, and diabetes if it is 7 or more. Another test we do is a glucose tolerance test, where after an overnight 8 hour fast a patient is given 75 grams of glucose in water and then their glucose level is tested after 2 hours. At 2 hours a normal glucose level should be less than 7.8, and we would consider a level 11.1 or higher to be in the diabetic range. A level in between 7.8 and 11.1 would fall into the pre-diabetic range. Some patients may be normal on one test and abnormal on the other. Normally we need at least 2 levels above the cut offs for diabetes to make the diagnosis, or one abnormal test and associated symptoms like tiredness, weight loss, blurred vision, drinking lots of water and passing lots of urine. We don’t normally use the finger prick test unless we don’t have a laboratory or the levels are a very high with symptoms
Re the manna you can take it, as it sometimes helps. Re weight loss, cutting calories is the best way
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