How a Slippery Ice Bath and a Scary Blood Test Helped Me Reverse Pre-Diabetes at 73
Let me tell you a story.
It starts with an ice bath—and ends with a blood test that shook me.
November 2024: The Fall That Changed Everything
I’d just returned to Melbourne after a strong run in Bali. I was feeling good—fit, sharp, and back in the game. I’d put on 3 kg of muscle and lost 3 kg of fat. My sauna/cold plunge protocol had been working wonders.
Then I slipped.
Literally. I was getting out of my backyard ice bath—something I’d done dozens of times before—when I lost my footing, slipped and broke my leg.
In an instant, everything changed.
For the next three months, I was mostly in a chair or bed. I couldn’t train. I barely walked. I watched my hard-earned gains fade. And at 73, muscle loss happens fast. It was disheartening.
February 2025: Back in Bali, Ready to Rebuild
By early February, I was back in Bali—determined to reclaim my health.
I returned to the routines I love: daily Finnish sauna and cold plunges (not infrared—real sauna), gym, HBOT and IVs. I’ve been doing saunas for over 40 years and plunges for four, but this time I became addicted. It became my ritual—my daily grounding.
Still, something felt off.
March 7, 2025: A Blood Test That Hit Me Hard
I got tested at Kasih Ibu Hospital where I do my hyperbaric sessions.
Here’s what came back:
HbA1c: 6.1% → Prediabetic
Fasting glucose: 5.9 mmol/L → Elevated
Fasting insulin: 64.4 pmol/L → Moderately high
HOMA-IR: 2.3 → Insulin resistant
That hit me. Hard.
It bruised my ego, rattled my confidence, and made one thing clear: I needed to change everything—fast.
The 10-Week Protocol
What followed was 10 of the most focused weeks of my life. I threw everything I had at reversing those numbers.
Here’s what I did:
Therapeutic keto (<20g carbs/day)
One Meal A Day (OMAD) most days
Glucose + ketone tracking twice daily (GKI)
Weekly Sustanon testosterone injections
IV glutathione and high-dose Vitamin C (2–3x/week)
Strength training 4–5x/week
Daily Finnish sauna + cold plunge
HBOT (Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy) 3x/week
- and finally 2 EBOO sessions.
It was intense—but it worked.
May 10, 2025: The Results
Here’s the follow-up test:
Fasting glucose: 4.8 mmol/L → ✅ Normal
Fasting insulin: 21.0 pmol/L → ✅ Low/Optimal
HOMA-IR: 0.6 → ✅ Excellent insulin sensitivity
I haven’t retested my HbA1c yet—but with these numbers and my daily GKI hovering below 2, I’m confident it’s out of the prediabetic range.
Why I Stuck With Testosterone
My local GP told me I didn’t need TRT Testosterone replacement therapy).
But my gut said otherwise—and I was right.
Testosterone in older men helps preserve muscle mass, improve fat metabolism, stabilize mood and libido, and boost insulin sensitivity. When used wisely—especially alongside strength training—it’s a powerful ally.
What I’ve Learned
This was a win. Not just because of the numbers, but because of what it proved:
You can reverse prediabetes.
You can rebuild your body after injury.
You can do it naturally, with hard work, tracking, and discipline.
Type 2 diabetes doesn’t have to be a lifelong sentence.
It’s a lifestyle disease—and lifestyle can reverse it.
Final Thoughts
This story starts with a fall and ends with a rise.
I’m proud of what I’ve achieved. I’ve proven to myself—and hopefully to anyone reading—that your 70s can be a time of strength, clarity, and metabolic power.
If you’re in a similar place—injured, fatigued, diagnosed—don’t give up.
You can do it.
It’s hard.
But it’s possible.
And I’ll keep sharing what’s working for me if it helps you do the same.
Want to see my daily protocol, GKI logs, or supplement routine? Leave a comment below or get in touch.
To health and heat, strength and stillness. — Gary
