Get More Out Of Life While Managing Your Diabetes
When I was first diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes at the age of 21, I had not given the first thought to living a healthy diabetic lifestyle. As far as I was concerned, a healthy lifestyle was reserved only for fitness junkies and overweight moms.
I didn't know squat about the benefits and overall happiness a healthy lifestyle would lead to. I was perfectly content eating frozen pizza, smoking cigarettes, and binge drinking on a regular basis. After I was diagnosed with diabetes, I had a lengthy discussion with my doctor that resulted in an epiphany, "Everything I love is killing me!"
First, we'll define what I mean by healthy lifestyle. When I asked the question, "What is a healthy lifestyle?" the common answer seemed to be, "Don't smoke, don't drink, eat only vegetables and protein, and make sure to exercise every day."
My first thought was, "You can give that crap right back to the birds." I was 21, loved to party, and absolutely chock full of testosterone.
The ideas, practices, and benefits a healthy lifestyle provided sounded great for managing my diabetes, but I sure didn't like the idea of my social life falling off the face of the planet. Believing in the power of moderation, I made some compromises with my disease:
1. Smoking
I quit smoking cigarettes and only smoked cigars on special occasions such as bachelor parties, Super Bowls, or the birth of my first child. That last part was a joke. After many years of searching, special occasions are the only reason I can find to put nicotine or smoke of any kind in your body.
2. Drinking
For me, this was a big one. I'm not really the type of guy that likes to meet girls at church, and school was not really an option for me, but drinking was all my friends and I did. As a result, drinking alcohol (sadly enough) was a major component of my social life. From that day forward, I laid down some basic rules.
No liquor. Liquor causes severe instability in blood sugar levels, and will cause serious problems. I stick only to beer and wine with a maximum of three drinks. If you monitor your sugar regularly and eat beforehand, you should be able to enjoy a nice night out.
3. Eating
Of the areas available for improvement in my lifestyle, eating was the easiest for me to adapt and overcome. When I learned that protein had a minor effect on my sugar that was good news, any hamburger and steak-loving American would be happy to hear that, but the bad news was that French fries, baked potatoes, and (my favorite) sweet potatoes were off limits. That meant I had to learn to love vegetables.
From that point forward, I began cooking veggies with light butter and cayenne pepper. I know that sounds odd, but I like spicy food. As far as your diet is concerned, for the sake of your happiness, find your favorite spices and seasonings and begin experimenting with healthy foods.
4. Exercise
When it comes to exercising many people (including myself) do not follow through for long enough to see substantial results. Personally, I believe in living an active lifestyle instead of becoming a fitness and free-weight junkie. What worked for me? Basic exercises (lunges, squats, and crunches) in front of the television every morning followed by a 15 minute walk.
Complying with the guidelines I listed above, I'm still able to have a fun, active lifestyle while controlling my diabetes. Finally, I need to say that I'm not a doctor, just a guy with Type 1 Diabetes. The practices I listed worked for me to maintain the young-adult lifestyle that I wanted. You may be different, and understanding your own personality traits is critical to successful moderation and control of your diabetes.
Brandon C. Hall is an online business owner and Type 1 Diabetic who runs many websites. For the latest articles and news related to diabetes and the diabetic lifestyle visit: http://www.diabetic-resources.com
MORE RESOURCES:
 The Guardian | Diabetes quadruples birth defects risk, say researchers BBC News By James Gallagher Health and science reporter, BBC News The risk of birth defects increases four-fold if the pregnant mother has diabetes, researchers say. The Newcastle University study, published in the journal Diabetologia, analysed data from more ... Diabetes 'increases birth defect risk' Birth defect risk heightened by diabetic mums Women with diabetes warned to take precautions when having a baby |
 Science Codex | Diabetes study from Sanford-Burnham finds pancreas can 'taste' fructose Orlando Sentinel “We know a lot about how glucose interacts with the pancreas, but we didn't think the pancreas had much to do with fructose,” said Bjorn Tyrberg, adjunct assistant professor in the Diabetes and Research Center at Sanford-Burnham, and senior author of ... Pancreas May 'Taste' Fructose, Hinting at Links to Diabetes Tasting fructose with the pancreas |
 Waterbury Republican American | Paula Deen talks diabetes, recent controversy Fayetteville Observer By Jennifer Calhoun When celebrity chef Paula Deen announced she has was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes three years ago, no one seemed shocked. But many were frustrated, including local diabetes educators. After all, the down-home, Savannah-based ... A diabetes dialogue |
ACP Guideline Addresses Pharmacotherapy of Type 2 Diabetes Medscape February 6, 2012 — Metformin should be the initial drug for most patients with type 2 diabetes refractory to lifestyle modifications, with a second drug added if needed, according to a new clinical practice guideline from the American College of ... Metformin Preferred Drug for Type 2 Diabetes, Experts Say New Guideline: Metformin Best to Control HbA1c Metformin Is Type 2 Diabetes Drug of Choice |
Diabetes counsellors' crunch ails Bhopal Times of India BHOPAL: With an estimated two lakh people in the city having diabetes, there are barely a couple of diabetes counsellors, according to Centre of Diabetes and Obesity Management (CDOM). Experts view diabetic care not only in terms of equipment but, ... |
 Press TV | Diabetes takes toll on women's hearing Florida Today Diabetes is associated with hearing loss in women, especially if the blood sugar disease isn't well-controlled, new research indicates. The study, done by researchers at Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit, examined the medical records of 990 men and women ... Uncontrolled diabetes can cause hearing loss in women Study links diabetes, hearing loss in women |
Diabetes workshop can help people adjust to disease Fort Morgan Times By Luann Boyer Extension Agent If you have diabetes, reading nutrition labels is often frustrating and doing weekly food shopping can be downright overwhelming. Do you miss favorite foods which you believe are no-no's because of the amount of sugar and ... Medical Myth:Eating too much sugar causes diabetes |
The Curse of Amylin's Diabetes Drug Approval TheStreet.com ... after more than two and a half years, two FDA rejection letters, and at least a dozen amendments to the application, Amylin Pharmaceuticals(AMLN) received FDA approval for Bydureon, a once-weekly formulation of its existing diabetes drug Byetta. Amylin takes 4Q loss as Lilly partnership ends Amylin Pharmaceuticals Reports Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2011 Financial Results Inside Wall Street: Is Amylin a buyout target? |
Hypertension, diabetes rife in Ahmedabad: AMC survey Times of India AHMEDABAD: The entrepreneur Amdavadi across various economic strata now shows chronic signs of being both stressed and diabetic. In one of the recent comprehensive medical camps run by the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC), for citizens across its ... |
 TucsonSentinel.com | Girl & dog bond over type 1 diabetes Tucson Citizen They each have Type 1 diabetes and have formed a bond which is helping to heal both. Petey, a 1 year old Terrier mix, came to the Humane Society of Southern Arizona as a stray. He was very skinny, and barely alive with a severely injured back leg that ... Girl and dog form healing bond |
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