A hard trip. is my best description of being overweight and diabetic for at least forty years. I only had to recognize it fully in 1992 when I was diagnosed with gestational diabetes in 1991. My child’s birth contributed to diabetes being diagnosed and a life I had to live with. Yep, I was overweight to the tune of 225 pounds and going through three doctors to find one that I found worked best with me. What my doctor didn’t realize was I’m capable of researching information on my own. I didn’t want to remain a diabetic. Most diabetics know there is a medical test of your glucose number, named by the call letters A1C. Typically doctors want those numbers to be 5.7 to be non-diabetic and anything over is pre-diabetic or you are moving in the wrong direction.
I can say that lowering A1C is a time-consuming chore, and you can’t rely solely on your doctor to research that for you. Nutritionist can be helpful but even they are not always holding the best answers to what you should eat and how much exercise you need. It is recommended diabetics do not fast and follow the recommended pyramid for the right foods. I found on my own neither recommendation worked for me reducing my A1C or weight. My recomendations may not work for you but this is my story.
The year 2017 we decided to sell our house and move. My A1C was running too high, 11.0. I knew I needed to make some changes. The story about diabetes is that high blood sugar can contribute to developing cancer. You probably can guess, that is exactly what came my way. Cancer of the Prada gland. Now along with diabetes I had to deal with cancer. Surgery, radiation and chemo dealt with the cancer, but I was still dealing with diabetes. What the cancer taught me was I had choices to improve my health. The past 5 years I have been working diligently on this chronic disease. I began getting serious about the foods I was eating. Oh yeah, I developed diabetic retinopathy during this period too. I still have my fingers and toes, but my eyesight was suffering, and my life had to change. I had to give up sugar altogether and counting carbs had to be my daily routine as well. Where did I do my research? I began with YouTube looking for supplements and tips to lower my sugar and make my body make its own insulin. I was taking Lantus injectable insulin pen 80 units. I found supplements and foods with low sugar and carbs or no sugar and carb free were exceedingly helpful. My fasting has been intermittent and are best in the mornings My journey isn’t over but what I can tell you is everything is changing. My weight came down to 170 pounds, went down to 30 units of insulin. and my eyes are not having issues with retinopathy anymore. My A1C is now 6.2. When we get serious about our health and stop depending on the medical field to take care of us, no telling what we can achieve. Going sugar-free is hard but keeping, eyes, legs, toes and telling cancer no, is so worth the effort. I’m now taking 22 units of Lantus and on the road to 5.7 A1C, which is NO DIABETES. I’ll be sure to let you know when I get there.
Thanks for reading. Leave questions if you have any. I do intermitt
2 Comments
No posts
You should be proud of yourself for what you have achieved! They do say Health is Wealth so keep doing what you have been doing!!
You have done an amazing job of taking back your health and are a great example to those of us who could do better. Congratulations! Here's to 6.2 with 5.7 on the horizon!