Living with diabetes? You have choices.

Diabetes is not a condition anyone would choose to have in their life. After all, who would want to live with a potentially debilitating disease that has no cure and poses continuous challenges? Anyone who claims that living with diabetes is easy lacks the experience to know. Let’s face it, diabetes is a bear, and can make one feel like a fish swimming upstream in high rapids.

When I learned I had the disease in 1971, my life lost its reality. All that I thought I knew about living became what I didn’t know. I felt isolated and alone, as if the diagnosis had happened only to me. I was unaware of how many millions of other people were living with the same condition, and it took too long to realize this. Not that knowing others had the disease made it easier to live with, but it helped me understand there were others I could turn to for insight and support.

In 2024, the International Diabetes Federation estimated that the number of people living with diabetes worldwide was 589 million. This number is expected to rise to a startling 853 million by 2050.* But it shouldn’t be this way. A complete cure, one that does not require continuous medication, equipment, or follow-up treatment, is urgently needed.

Following my diagnosis, a doctor commented, "Things will be different." I didn't know how to interpret his comment, but today I would respond, 'Ya, think?' He added, "You can still live a pretty normal life if you take care of yourself." What does that mean? He made these remarks more than 55 years ago, and today things are still different and not normal. I've had to accept that it's the way life is, and though it has been tough at times, a few choices I made along the way afforded me the difference between living well or existing in chronic discomfort.

Early on, I realized no one could take care of me like me. I knew it was not reasonable, practical, or possible for anyone but me to control my diet, exercise, or monitor my blood sugar to keep it as close to normal (70-115) as possible. It took time and a firm commitment to determine how best to achieve this goal. First, I had to decide how important better health would be. Will it be worth the effort? What will be the consequences if I don't work to be healthy? I realized that not choosing good health meant I would be choosing to give in to the disease, being a victim, feeling lousy, and dying at a young age. It was a no-brainer to do everything I could to avoid traveling down that path.

The information provided by the medical profession to achieve good health was rudimentary—I knew I needed more than "watch what you eat, don't eat sugar (simple carbohydrates), and try to get some exercise." Most importantly, I realized that a healthy life was more than controlling what I ate and occasionally exercising. The quality of my life would be determined most by my attitude, which would precede any action. If I did not change my attitude about living with what could be a devastating disease, how could I take charge of the condition and improve my life?

The decision between health and sickness was simple. However, the process of getting started proved more challenging. I often found myself questioning whether feeling good was worth the effort of avoiding junk food and getting up to exercise. The answer was always an emphatic yes!

When diagnosed, printed material regarding diet and exercise and their effects on the diabetic body was difficult to find. Books in libraries were outdated, and the availability of publications on improving health was limited. (Broad use of the internet was still 20 years away.) It’s different today. Online information concerning healthy food, nutrition, and exercise is readily available. Of course, it’s important to filter through incorrect and irresponsible information by identifying and researching the source of the material posted and its objectives. For example, is the information provided only to sell a product?

It took a while to develop the habit of routinely checking my blood sugar and making adjustments to my insulin and sugar intake, as well as exercise frequency and intensity. Mistakes can be a valuable teacher, and I came to understand that neglecting any of these steps could lead to hypoglycemia, hyperglycemia, worsening health, and potentially developing secondary complications. These difficulties would adversely affect my mood, my life, and those I cared about, and I had to choose to control what I could.

When I broke it all down, it became most important to stop consuming simple sugars (candy bars, pastries, soft drinks, juices, and similar items unless they were needed to raise blood sugar), exercising four to five days per week, developing and sticking to a healthy diet, and regularly meditating. These steps enabled me to feel much better and to keep on keeping on when life veered off track.

More information on these steps will appear in furture postings. In the meantime, I hope you have made the choice or are making the choice to have the best health.

* https://idf.org/about-diabetes/diabetes-facts-figures/

DISCLAIMER:

In no part of this post or subsequent postings is it the author’s intention to prescribe a course of treatment for another person. The author is not a physician, medical doctor, or health professional. The author encourages readers to consult their medical practitioner in matters related to their health, especially concerning characteristics that may require professional diagnosis or medical attention.