INSPIRATIONAL COMMENTS FROM GEO ZAUN

Diabetes is something every one of us has to learn to live with. How we treat this disease and our self along with it is what directly affects our mental health and all relationships we encounter. It really doesn't matter if those around us don't understand what we are going through, as long as we can understand and come to grips with that. I've given this subject some hard thought, and realize that this disease has actually had more of a positive impact on me than a negativ...e one. Diabetes has improved my life style, I'm fit both physically and mentally. I take less drugs now than I have in many many years and look forwards to tomorrow and totally enjoy family and my surrounds. Yes I'm still a diabetic, however that's something I don't dwell on. I have an established routine, and that routine goes with me where ever I am during the day. I travel a lot, my job as an I.T. personality demands this in a country where populations a spread out far and wide, however my routine travels along with me. It is knowing, understanding and coming to grips with this disease that makes all the difference. Knowing that you have the disease is the easy part, our doctors told us that, and our blood tests verified that. Understanding how and why this disease affects us in certain ways is more difficult but this understanding is eased a bit by learning how to come to grips with it, and what you have to do to get a grip on it. We are here (at least I am) to help you understand, come to grips, and get a grip on this disease. All it takes from you is the discipline to follow through, do some research and enlist the help of your medical staff to help you and not just automatically give you more drugs hoping that will satisfy you.

STATEMENT FROM DEB BONSER

Sometimes what we say sounds harsh to others. I hope I haven't offended anyone by my comments. One of the things I try to do is write it and then sit back and re-read my comment as if I were someone else and make sure it conveys what I meant. We also have to understand that some people are more diplomatic and others are more blunt. They may not mean to offend. All we can do is state what works for us and each person has to be responsible for their own life. Unfortunately this disease does not respond in the same way to all people. I hope you all have a wonderful day and find a bright spot in your day to focus on and eliminate some of the stress. Have a Blessed Day everyone!

STORY FROM FREDA

I am a success story. In 2003 I fell and broke my left humorous. (The big bone in your upper arm.)    NOT FUN!!!
I LOST:'(   The bone was" displaced. At first I had full use of the arm. I was taken to thr x-ray . Dpt.
  The bone was displaced . With the median nerve tented over the terrible jaged edge of the bone. They took two pictures of the arm and ten to fifteen of my head and neck. When the ortho dr got there. Off I went to  surgery.
I had 71/2 months  to get full use of the hand .
In  that time I went on a low carb high protein diet. I lost down  to 225 and I got stuck. I couldn't loose any more. I learned about carb indexes. I increased my low carb index foods. For one month I used the lowest carb index vegetables.  The weight just started to fall off. I got down to 177. Ive kept the weight off. Even with the steroids I've taken for my back and neck have not  caused a weight gain. I'm still loosing!

MARTIN SHANNON, TYPE 2 COACH

There are only 3 macronutrients: Carbohydrates, Proteins, Fats. If you reduce carbs which have 4 calories per gram you have to increase either fats or proteins to make up the calorie deficit. Increasing proteins will also cause problems in that your body will make glucose from proteins quite easily. Example: If you are eating a 2000 calories diet that contains 300 grams of carbs (typical avg diet of a non-diabetic) you are getting 1200 calories from carbs. Reduce the carbs to 50-100 grams a day would give you 200-400 calories from carbs. This leaves you a deficit of the original 1200 calories of 800-1000 calories, you have to make up the calories from one of the two macronutrients left, fats or proteins or your body’s metabolism will slow down.

GREAT ADVICE FROM OUR DIABETES EDUCATOR

Edith Weil

6 hrs

A GOOD READ. A MESSAGE FROM OUR CERTIFIED DIABETES EDUCATOR*****************Charlee Kimball Deb, I have no idea what meds you are on, so it is hard to help. Here is what I teach........you need 7 cups of vegetables a day. Your body does not make all the enzymes it needs to process your food, and we get the enzymes we need from vegetables. You need good fats. These are flax seed oils, nuts such as walnuts and almonds, avocados, and Extra Virgin Olive oil. You have to make an ...effort to get the bad fats out of your diet. Bad fats are trans fats (ingredient list will have "hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated" ), all plant based/vegetable oils such as soybean, canola, safflower, sunflower, corn, cottonseed, grapeseed, rapeseed, walnut, palm oil, peanut etc. These are not just the oils that you can buy to cook with, but are in just about every processed food. You have to cut out the refined grains. Just about every type of bread on the grocery shelf is "refined" and so is all that flour you buy. And finally, you have to learn the names of sugar and how food manufacturers try and fool you. "sugar free" only means it does not contain table sugar. Honey, molasses, agave, dextrose, lactose, sucrose, fructose...there are about 50 different names for sugar. And finally High Fructose Corn Syrup is horrible and so damaging to our bodies. You have to get rid of this from your diet. You will find it in regular sodas, BBQ sauce,salad dressings, peanut butter, cereals, miracle whip, fruit juice, ice cream, yogurt...all kinds of things. Then keep your carbs to about 100 grams per day. If you focus on REAL food of lots of vegetables and lean meats with some good fat, you will find that you do much, much better. Shop the parameter of the grocery store and avoid premade foods. Shop the isles only for a few select items.

 

COMMENTS BY MARTIN SHANNON

Taking Control
What does it mean to take control of your life, health, physical well-being? When first diagnosed with diabetes it is of utmost importance to learn everything you can about your disease, read, think, read some more. Put into practice what you have read. Use your meter as often as you feel necessary, more importantly than just taking your glucose levels is using the information to better control yourself. Doesn’t matter who you see for your diabetes, the doct...or, the nutritionist, diabetic educator, the Endocrinologist, it is your diabetes not theirs. You need to educate yourself to the point where you can make informed decisive decisions about how you are going to treat your diabetes. Listen to the professionals but question everything they say, and then make a decision. Do not let them decide for you what you are going to take to treat your diabetes. You have to own this disease, control it to the best of your ability. If you’re taking medication and your glucose levels are still out of control, change your diet first not your medication. Diet and exercise is the true key to controlling this disease. All Carbohydrates will have an impact on your blood glucose levels, some faster than others but all will have an impact. If that impact drives your glucose levels beyond your set goal you need to rethink what you are eating. If at some point you can no longer refine your diet in your quest to achieve normal glucose levels than adding more medication makes sense but you have to decide what medication you want to take. Taking the latest and greatest medication is not always the best route to take. Do you have a goal in mind or are you going by what your doctor told you are acceptable levels. What are acceptable levels by most organizations and what will help eliminate future complications are usually two different goals entirely. Learn what normal glucose levels are; decide what you want your goals to be, then strive to obtain those goals.

http://t2dcoaching.com/daily-tips/2014/1/2/taking-control

COMMENT BY EDITH

 As regarding type 2s....it a choice. We are not judging. We are just saying what happening with us.. Of course, it is upsetting to me hear that people don't even research diabetes and test to stay in the normal range. A lot of us who are in the first stages of diabetes try to control by diet and exercise. I choose not to eat certain foods that I know will spike me...I choose not to be on insulin. Not to say I will never be on insulin if my pancreas stops working. But if I can control my type 2 by eating the right foods, that is always the healthiest choice. No food is that important to me. Especially since there are so many good alternnatives. Research and learn. I had steak fajitas for lunch. I did not eat the rice, beans, and tortillas because they will spike my sugars. I ate the steak, the lettuce, the cheese and all the condiments that came with it. Eating what you want and then cover with insulin is never a good choice.,..Eventually you will need more and more insulin to cover. I got myself off metformin with diet and supplements. Yes, I test a lot...before and 2 hours after I eat. I am still not perfect. I am at 6.2 my doctor still wants me to lose 20 pounds and get my A1C under 6. I know what I have to do to lose weight(as most of us do). I have lowered my carb intake, but I would also need to count my calories and watch portion size and exercise. Right now I guess I am not willing to do that. None of this is easy..but I am a cancer survivor and I do everything I can to prevent cancer from coming back and to keep my diabetes in check. Edith, founder and administrator