Passing and Failing the One-Hour After-Meal Blood Sugar

The blood-sugar level one hour after a meal (one-hour post-prandial blood sugar or 1PPS ) has been shown to predict future type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, and many other common conditions that can drain time and treasure in old age.

I wrote about them in Low One-Hour Post-Prandial Blood Sugar after One Cup of Rice.

The target should be less than 154.8 mg/dL or 8.6 mmol/L.

This article shares my experience of how I passed (below 154.8) and failed (above 154.8) my 1PPS. My objective is for the reader to understand what works and what does not.

I have prediabetes, and I’m trying hard not to start on any medications. Everybody’s physiology and genetics are different, so the exercise and meals described here could be considered a generality and may not apply to others.

The Apple Pie

Four days ago, I only had six hours of sleep. I did no morning exercise since I was still groggy. Typical vegetable, high protein, and low carb breakfast. No 1PPS done.

The article explains the high protein breakfast — A High-Protein Breakfast Can Lower Blood Sugar the Whole Day.

At lunchtime, the typical vegetable, protein, vinegar and 1/4 cup of previously refrigerated rice, and a one-eight slice of a regular-size home-baked apple pie with whipped cream (Reddi Whip) for dessert.

The macronutrient sequence that can lower after-meal blood sugar is Veggies Meat Carbohydrate Sequence Prevents After-Meal Sugar Spike

Ways to Lower After-Meal Blood Sugar when Eating White Bread

Vinegar can also help lower after-meal blood sugars, as described in The Blood Sugar Lowering and Metabolic Effects of Vinegar

I walked on the treadmill for 20 minutes after lunch, covered 1.605 miles, and spent 96.5 calories.

Walk After Meals to Prevent Sky High Blood Sugars

However, the 1PPS was stunningly high at 206 mg/dl or 11.4 mmol/L!

My only explanation is that the apple pie must have a lot of sugar, although my wife said she lowered the sugar content when she baked it.

The vinegar didn’t work since the sugars in the pie are simple and not as complex as in chickpeas or previously frozen or refrigerated rice. Or maybe the rice has not undergone enough retrogradation.

Retrogradation is when the carbohydrates in cooked starches like bread and rice become realigned and slower to digest after freezing and toasting. I explained it in Ways to Lower After-Meal Blood Sugar when Eating White Bread.

Hence, the ability of the vinegar to delay blood sugar absorption did not work. Anyway, my lesson is to be careful with that apple pie.

To lower the blood sugar immediately, I did some calisthenics (push-ups, body weight squats) and walked around the basement with a 60 lb kettlebell. The two-hour postprandial is 152 mg/dL.

Still above the 140 mg/dL or 7.8mmlm/L target for a two-hour post-prandial blood sugar but at least lower.

After-meal high blood sugar predicts Atherosclerosis better than Fasting blood sugar and HbA1c.

Lowering the Blood Sugar after Eating Thai food that is too sweet

My family invited me again to eat in a Thai restaurant the next night. However, the dishes were too sweet for Thai food. If you are in Buffalo, New York, it is the Thai House on Transit Road. I’ll never go back there again.

Being obsessed with my blood sugar, I was concerned about my 1PPS. So while watching Andrei Martyanov or smoothiex12 on YouTube, I did high knee walking in place, squatting with and without a 45 lb kettlebell, and swung the same kettlebell 20 times.

Kettlebell has many benefits — The effects of kettlebell exercises for women 65 and older and The kettlebell swing improves many pelvic conditions.

Anyway, the effort worked. 1PPS is 147 mg/dl.

The Stress of a Partially Torn Plantar Fascia

I have plantar fasciitis on the right foot. The day before Father’s Day, I felt a pop while training. Initially, my right foot felt better, so I thought a scar was released when I felt a pop in my right foot as I pushed with the same foot.

After reading about it, the pop and initial improvement of the plantar fasciitis pain are signs of a partial rupture of the plantar fascia. Plantar fasciitis is also a risk factor for a partial rupture of the plantar fascia.

Source: Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=112670252

No surgery is needed. However, the best treatment is no weight-bearing for nine to twelve weeks. That means crutches.

Good thing we have crutches. I had to educate myself on using crutches to go up and down the stairs, carrying coffee, and bringing objects from point A to point B. I hate to be dependent on anyone.

I figured out that to get a pitcher of water from the kitchen sink to a stove, transfer it from point A to point A.1 to point B.

Example: To bring a pitcher of water from the kitchen sink to a stove, go between the sink and the island counter to transfer the pitcher to the island, walk to the other side, and then transfer the pitcher to the stove to pour on the kettle.

I have a small thermos with a top handle to put my coffee and let it hand from one of my fingers as my hands hold the crutches.

On Father’s Day, after a breakfast of vegetables, protein, and, this time, a one-sixteenth slice of apple pie, no whipped cream.

But what should I do for exercise? Furthermore, one common complication of having an extremity injury is muscle atrophy, deconditioning, and, potentially, high blood sugar. So now what?

After that, I did pull-ups and Blood-Flow Restriction Training on the right leg with an 11 lb ankle weight on all ranges of motion (abduction, adduction, extension, and flexion). The uninjured leg exercised without weight.

I forgot to test the one hour so that two-hour blood sugar is high at 146 mg/dL, still above the target of 140.

Lunch was simple: boiled beef, cabbages, potatoes, natto, sweet potato, and one chocolate-covered macadamia nut.

Post-lunch physical activity was cleaning up and putting things away on the patio while using crutches.

One and a half hours after lunch, blood sugar was 159 mg/dL. It could be the potatoes and the chocolate, but I think the major contributor is the stress of the injury and using crutches.

Stress increases adrenaline and cortisol, and both increase blood sugar.

A good night’s sleep lowers sugar

After three nights of being sleep deprived, I was able to have a good restful sleep. Only at night does the body heal, including the plantar fascia tear.

The next day, the pain was much better, from a 6/10 to a 1-2/10. The vitamin C I took before going to bed helped the ligament heal.

Review article: Ascorbic Acid and Its Clinical Role in Orthopaedic Surgery

Another thing that played a role in the rapid healing aside from non-weight bearing, sleep, and vitamin C was the Blood Flow Restriction Therapy (BFR) I did.

BFR is a modification of KAATSU that I wrote about in The Game-Changing Uses of KAATSU

I remember when I used BFR on someone with an acute stroke with a right-sided weakness for three days, and she could walk again.

An Amazing Stroke Recovery

This time, with less pain, the 2PPS is much better at 122mg/dL. Breakfast consisted of beef, tofu, and cherries. The same exercises were done with ankle weights.

Lunchtime 1.5 hour PPS after boiled beef, sweet potatoes, and one chocolate-covered macadamia is also good at 125mg/dL.

Bottom line: the improved pain helped lower the blood sugar together with the diet and exercise.

An alternative to treadmill walking

This morning, I decided not to use the crutches anymore and walked without assistance. There is still a pain in the right foot, but I should be OK if I don’t jump or run.

Initially, I was unsteady. That’s how fast the body can degrade its position sense and balance after two days of crutches. Like any treatment, using crutches have complications too.

I hope no one misunderstands. Everyone is different, and I’m not recommending anyone stop using their cane or assistive devices.

Anyway, after a lunch of Chinese vegetables, chicken, and another 1/32 slice of pie, I had to do some physical activity. However, I don’t want to do any walking to not aggravate my foot.

This time I again did BFR with 11 lbs weights on both ankles and while lying on a covered floor. I did the full range of motion hip exercises on both legs and push-ups for twenty minutes.

The result is a 1PPS of 153 mg/dL, just below the cut-off of 154.8. My right foot felt much better after the BFR. I guess it works.

The lesson is that using ankle weight can be a good substitute for treadmill walking as a physical activity to lower blood sugar after a meal.

Bob and Brad (The two most famous physical therapists on the internet) have an excellent YouTube video for those with foot injuries.

Take Away Message

Keeping the blood sugar low is challenging, especially if injuries happen. Injuries can decondition and start a vicious cycle of weakness, frailty, weight gain, and more weakness.

Sometimes, in an effort to lower blood sugar, injuries can occur. If that happens, find another way, and do not get discouraged.

Being strong and fit allows us to weather anything life throws at us. I felt lucky to quickly get up from kneeling using one good foot. That’s the result of doing lunges.

Blood Flow Restriction therapy also results in ischemic preconditioning that improves the outcomes of heart attacks and strokes. Learn more about it at — What is Ischemic Preconditioning?

High-Intensity Interval Training can Activate Ischemic Preconditioning

Read the related articles below describing strategies that can lower blood sugar.
Start a diary of what you eat and their amounts
A 20-minute physical activity after a meal can lower the blood sugar
Check the one-hour or two-hour postprandial blood sugar. The goal should be less than 154.8 mg/dL or 8.6 mmol/L for the one-hour and 140 mg/dL or 7.8 mmol/L for the two hours.
Evaluate what amount or types of food and physical activity helps to normalize the after-meal blood sugars
Just like learning to ride a bicycle, it may be difficult initially, but as time passes, you have an idea of what works, and it will become second nature.

A glucometer with 100 test strips and 100 lancets and a lancing device can be bought for less than $26 on Amazon. You better get it quick. The price of the last product I mentioned went up by 50%.

As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Don’t Get Sick!

Stay current by subscribing. Feel free to share and like.

Follow me on Gettr, Truth Social, Gab, Twitter, Facebook, Follow, and Telegram.

Related: