Make A Choice

September in Provincetown

I decided to head to town on my bicycle this breezy September morning. Oh it is my favorite time of year. Here in Provincetown, my neighbor is heading out to fish and may return with a bounty of striped bass which I gladly trade an empty parking space for. My husband has the van in CT. I am here with my feet and my bicycle as means of transportation. Parking spaces here are a commodity.

My Type 2 diabetes responds well to exercise - yours will too. Until I started testing before and after physical activities I had no idea how much improvement would come as a result of regular exercise.

But what "they" say is true. Numbers drop when I am consistent.
I read on another's blog this morning that when put to him bluntly, a very overweight man who said he just cannot exercise at all at a lecture told the diabetes educator, 'If I had to choose between changing my diet and exercising or death, I'd choose diet and exercise." After reading the article I wondered how I may have responded to my GP if he said that to me ten years ago? What he did say was, you have high cholesterol. My mom who was 80 had high cholesterol all her life - and I didn't think all that much about it.

I have turned a corner due to diagnosis. I now choose diet and exercise to prolong my life.

What would you do if given the choice between diet and exercise or death?

Still Learning

I have a long way to go to learn about my body's response to diabetes.  My BG levels have been higher than usual all week- they've been higher than my initial diagnosis in April - what changed?  I know that I have been eating properly, taking my medicine, and exercising.  So I was fit to be tied wondering how I screwed up.  What did I miss?  Oh how quickly I'll go to self-blame.  My morning numbers jumped 60 points.  And they'd drop mysteriously too.  What a roller coaster.  Yesterday and today the #'s are back to where I like to see them.

Life has been stressful around here lately. I didn't realize how vulnerable we all are to stress. 

Stress results when something causes your body to behave as if it were under attack.  My body has been responding to loss.  It has been acting like it is under attack.

Two weeks ago my friend and neighbor Wanda died suddenly.  Last weekend my brother-in-law Ernie, passed away and then the next day, my Aunt Vivian died.  It is stressful telling folks about death, it is stressful thinking about it, it is stressful helping the mourners while trying to continue to eat right, medicate properly and so on. Whether the loss is expected or completely out of the blue, I have a physical reaction to loss and grieving.  I know I am not alone.

I came across one article I want to share with you - the link follows:  Stress - I guess my lowered A1C could be in jeaopardy if things don't lighten up around here.  I need a weekend on the cape!

I welcome input on your experiences with your BG levels over the course of time.  I know the numbers are not my fault.  But I'd be lying I didn't say I patted myself on the back these last two days when I saw the lower figures again.

Walking With Diabetes

I find that I am not tracking my food and not recording my blood sugar numbers. I am in a slump. The BG numbers tell me it is time to assess what is going on in my life. Sugar numbers are 10 points higher this week - it is anniversary of mom’s death, my neighbor just died and the sun is not quite as bright as it was last week - both figuratively and literally.
I will take myself on a Diabetes Date today. What is a Diabetes Date? It is a date with myself- to nurture my soul. I am spending a segment of time doing something good for my diabetes.

After work today, I will go to a market for fresh organic vegetables & fruits. Dinner will be a simple fare.  I will spend time listening to a favorite MP3 while I go for a 30 minute walk or if I can, I will meet up with a friend and walk around the block with her while we catch up on the week‘s news. I will go to the book store or library or online to find some educational information about my Type 2 Diabetes. At the end of this day, I will feed my soul with 20 minutes of quiet time then, I will spend 10 minutes writing about 3 things I am grateful for today.
I have a partnership with my Type 2 diabetes. As is the case with all partnerships, nurture is necessary to maintain a healthy connection. I am walking with diabetes and not ignoring it.