Beating Diabetes Each and Every Day

Source: AARP.org | November 8, 2004

An estimated 18 million Americans have diabetes, and many don't even know it. In Wyoming, about one out of every 15 adults reported having diabetes in 2002. Most of these people are obese, older than 55, or both, but diabetes can strike at any age and even affect people of below-average weight.

Diabetes is the seventh leading cause of death in America. The good news is that in most Type 2 cases, diabetes can be prevented, or at least controlled, through diet and exercise.

In the following article, Les Engelter of Sheridan shares his struggle with diabetes and his own personal triumph. We hope it encourages you to get tested for diabetes and, if you know you have the disease, to work with your doctor to create a management plan.

My Story of Beating Diabetes

By Les Engelter of Sheridan, Wyoming

Throughout most of my life I visited my doctor as little as possible, going only when it was the last resort. I often boasted about my good health and thought I was doing a good job of taking care of myself, attending the local annual blood draw and health fair to get a diagnostic report on my health.

Then, about four years ago, a lump appeared under my right arm. A week went by before I decided to visit the doctor. I brought my wellness reports with me, thinking that would help him.

The first thing the doctor informed me of was my high blood pressure. Then, when he reviewed my charts, he wanted to discuss my cholesterol level, which had been climbing and now exceeded the high end of normal. Finally, he noticed some abnormalities in my blood sugar levels and scheduled a complete blood work-up to see if I had diabetes.

"The lump," he said, "will undoubtedly go away on its own."

My father had struggled with Type 2 diabetes, so I was not completely surprised by the news. I remembered what the disease did to his body over time and worried if I would have the same struggles.

The results confirmed that I was in the early stages of diabetes. Needless to say, my life took a dramatic change. Daily medication, exercise and a revamp of my eating habits were in order. If I wasn't in the grocery store reading labels, I was out walking my neighborhood, trying to bring my blood sugar level down.

It didn't take a lot to trial and error for me to figure out that if my blood sugar numbers were to be held in check, exercise alone would not do it. I would need to increase my vegetable and protein intake and dramatically reduce the carbohydrates and sugars in my diet.

My favorite recipes needed to be tossed out and I searched any diabetic cookbook I could find for low carbohydrate, low sodium and low fat ingredients that I could enjoy eating. I read cookbooks, magazines and anything I could get my hands on that discussed diabetic diets. I searched high and low for recipes and began to find ones I liked.

In eight months I lost 30 pounds, while keeping my blood sugar in check. My next check-up revealed that I was on the right track. I was relieved because the greatest challenge during that period was convincing friends and relatives that I knew what I was doing and that it wasn't time to seek another opinion.

Last January, I had my annual check-up and received the good news. I had reached non-diabetic status! Simply put, this meant that my hard work had paid off and now I needed to focus on maintaining my current exercise and diet plan to keep my new healthy status.

My life has changed a lot as a result of diabetes, and it will never be the same. But I am healthier under my new regimen, and I also learned to really appreciate broccoli! I am so thankful for taco salads and am grateful for my doctor who diagnosed my affliction and provided the emotional encouragement to keep on the track I chose for self-management.