JOYFUL DIABETIC

How can I be joyful about my diabetes? And, more importantly, how can you be joyful? It’s simple.

My diabetes is my teacher and my governor. It’s taught me amazing things about my body—allowing me to fine-tune everything in my life from diet to exercise. If my sugar is high, I look for a cause. Perhaps its stress or maybe I have let up on my exercise regime. Or I could have caught an illness. Sometimes, of course, there’s no obvious cause. But testing my blood sugar 6-8 times a day gives me a tight feedback loop to my body that others, without the gift of diabetes, simply don’t have.

I’m rather prone to excesses. But diabetes has helped me learn and practice moderation. I can have a half a cookie or consume just one muffin a week. (I love muffins.) And I no longer drink alcohol because it just didn’t mix with my diabetes.

My mission through my blogs and speaking engagements is to show how attitude affects diabetes. Hate your disease and it will negatively affect your life. But accept it—even welcome it—and you, too, can be a joyful diabetic.

One of my greatest sources of joy comes from what I’ve learned working with my diabetes. These lessons are typically not by choice. In my case, I’m continually learning to “think like a pancreas”. As I review my 34+ years with diabetes, my skill at self-care is a result of the experiences I’ve had. Diabetes [...]

As I think about my body I’m struck with how amazing it is. For those not challenged by diabetes, their bodies perfectly regulate blood sugar levels and this is automatic. When food is consumed, the pancreas gets a message to release insulin so that the resulting glucose is absorbed by the body’s cells where metabolism [...]

Strong emotions like anger give us energy. Of course, this example is not positive energy and most of us know from experience that it also has a negative impact on our blood sugar management. When our actions come from anger, frustration, fear or resentment, they can be harmful to our management efforts. All of us [...]

During the early days of war in the Middle East, air strikes were very common and most of the population lived in fear of death. These individuals were on constant alert and never relaxed so their lives were not enjoyable. For example, a plane would fly over and most people were unable to function due [...]

I grinned from ear to ear when my podiatrist, Dr. Bravo (what a great name for this person and his report) told me my feet are in great shape. He gave me a “bravo” for my efforts in foot care. He said there is no sign of neuropathy and I have a strong pulse in [...]

How is it possible for my blood sugar to do that? I’ve copied the word puzzlement from The King and I and it’s how I felt on April 18. When my sugar management goes astray, I always look for causes and lessons learned. It was a real challenge last Thursday. Let me explain. I awoke [...]