It Gets More Challenging

I start back working in a hospital setting tomorrow. The last time I worked in the hosptial, I was newly diagnosed with diabetes. I was not eating healthy - well, I was eating healthy-ish. I was still drinking coffee and diet soda, and would occasionally eat something less than optimal Now I am almost 2 months into whole food, plant based diet, with no oil (or a tiny amount rarely). I am eating completly different now - gone are the sparse days of atkins low carb. Now I eat healthy all day, and often. I don't drink coffee, or tea. Easy enough to do at home. Much more interesting at work. I've packed the snacks in my lunch bag, and written down the carb count so I can dose appropriately. I've counted out my portions. I have a note left out so I don't forget the cold items. Long gone are the days of tossing random stuff in a bag. It is all planned. If I fail to plan, I plan to fail. I've come too far, with too much success, to fall into bad habits. I won't have a lot of time to eat, so I have several quick snacks, along with a healthy lunch. Of course, I have my hospital dedicated water cup to drink water. All day. My new lifestyle continues in a new setting. It is a little more challenging, but I'm up to it!!

Resist Victim Mentality

I was at the nail salon the other day getting a pedicure. You know, in the near empty, no walk ins, everyone is wearing masks...nail salon.

I was watching the soothing videos of tropical fish and sea turtles, and I couldn't help but over hear the very loud conversation between a client and the nail tech.

The client was talking about all her medical woes. Her gall bladder issues. Her osteoarthritis. The fact she couldn't get around as well due to her knees.

I of course had to glance up.

Predictably, she was the fab 4 - which leads to gall bladder issues.

I'll get into that in a minute.

I blog because we have a huge part in our health. What we chose to eat, or not eat. If we chose to be active, or sedentary. If we take the hard path, or the easy one.

Change is hard - I get it. It has been a process for me - one that has taken me from nine years ago being incorrectly diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. That diagnosis got me off the couch. I stopped being sedentary. In my mind, I told myself I was plenty busy working full time in nursing - and yes, I was logging 10-15K steps per day on days I worked. But that is not enough!

I started walking 5k a day. I started reading labels. I started eating mindfully. I worked my way up to running half marathons. I ran many races every year. I lost 30lbs. I went from mildly overweight into a very healthy BMI.

Next, I was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes three years ago next month. Okay, more changes. I gained 20lbs back. My lower carb diet wasn't cutting it. I couldn't exercise without my blood sugar tanking. I had to start insulin.

Time to figure out how to be healthier, once again. It has lead me to a whole food, plant based no oil diet. I am doing much better, my blood sugars are more stable, and I am increasing my endurance once again.

Osteoarthritis? Oh yeah, I got diagnosed with that, too. A knee. My back. My shoulder. My wrist. Some fingers.

Eating healthy, exercising, and being at a healthy weight are all ways to prevent or lesson the symptoms of the diagnosis I have. My asthma - I haven't been on inhalers daily since April.

I could have taken my diagnosis and sat with them. I'm too depressed. I'm in too much pain. I'm diabetic.

I refuse to!!

Fair, fertile, female, fat. These things lead to gall bladder issues. I can only change one of those factors, but it's a big one (no pun intended). If you are overweight, you are at higher risk for gall bladder issues.

If you are overweight, you are at higher risk for type 2 diabetes. Hypertension. Heart disease. Osteoarthritis due to the huge amount of strain on your body.

The older I get, the harder it is for me to maintain a healthy weight. When I was in my 20's and 30's, I could eat whatever I wanted to. And I did!

I'm paying for that now - my decades of emotionally eating high carb, unhealthy foods do torment me at times.

I also now have almost a decade of eating healthy. I plan to continue to learn and eat and move, to be the healthiest me possible.

Is it easy? No. I would much rather watch TV and chill, with some ice cream or pastry. I'm just being honest.

I realize, though, that no one is to blame for the diagnosis' I have. I am in control of what I do to get and stay healthy.

Sitting around bemoaning my pain doesn't help. I live in constant pain, from the arthritis stiff joints. I have found that eating cleaner is beginning to help with the pain. It has not helped with the joint stiffness. What DOES help is getting up and going for a walk, or a run, or rebounding, or hula hooping with my weighted hoop. I am moving and exercising with no pain once I get moving!

Yes, there are those that are dealt cards that are a lot tougher than the ones I was dealt. I believe with all my heart, though, that there are changes everyone can make to improve their life. To improve their outlook.

The first one is to quit seeing yourself as a victim. If you have messed up, then make it right. If you have dug yourself a hole, start digging out. One shovelful at a time.

I read the most disturbing statistic - that when a patient has a heart attack, they are given advice on what to eat and how to stay healthy post open heart surgery. The percentage of people that actually follow the advice of their physicians? 10%!! Only 10%. After being snatched from the brink of death.

We are physical, emotional, spiritual beings. If you are sick in any of these areas, seek advice. And follow it!!

Don't underestimate the power of nutrition to heal you. Even knowing as much as I knew, I am gobsmacked at how much better I feel living a whole food, plant based, no oil diet. I didn't get here overnight.

But I got here.

Victim or victor? The choice is yours.

Chose wisely. Whatever YOU decide, it's no one else's fault.

Recommended reading:

"Eat To Live", Joel Fuhrman, M.D.
"Mastering Diabetes", Cyrus Khambatta, PhD and Robby Barbaro MPH
"How Not To Die", Michael Greger, MD
"The Healthiest Diet on the Planet", John A McDougall, MD
"Finding Ultra", Rich Roll
"Running Until You're 100", Jeff Galloway

Recommended watching:
"Forks Over Knives"
"Supersize Me"
"Food, Inc."

Mastering Diabetes: Month 1

Wow.

That pretty much sums up my response to one month on the whole food, plant based diet advocated in “Mastering Diabetes”.

In 30 days, I lost 10 pounds. On my previous low carb diet, my weight did not budge - despite the fact I was walking/running a 5k a day, plus regularly doing yoga, Tai Chi, and toning exercises. I’m wearing the same size pants and shorts as I did in high school.

I’m also taking Amla Green, which they recommend. It is proven to help with cholesterol. I gave blood during this first month - my last total cholesterol (I am on a statin) was 195. It is now 135 - the lowest I have ever seen it. Ever.

My insulin use is already down 30%. Gone are the days of roller coaster blood sugar. My blood sugar is much more stable. Three months ago my blood sugar was in range only 56% of the time - now it’s in range 71% of the time. And climbing!

Prior to this lifestyle change, my blood sugar has always climbed at night, often to over 200. Now, my blood sugar is just above normal when I go to bed. My fasting blood sugar is normal when I wake up - I mean normal as in normal for any human being!

Running is easier. Stiffness has lessened. Aches and joint pain have improved vastly. While I’m still tired, the crushing exhausting has left.

On my low carb diet, my food choices were few and limited. I felt I was eating the same thing over and over.

Now, I’m eating as much as I want of fruits, vegetables, and legumes. I am sticking to mostly fresh produce right now, as it is abundantly available. I find myself having to eat more throughout the day - unprecedented! I love fruit and I’m eating a ton of it. I was previously eating 40-60 carbs a day. Now, I’m eating 300 or more carbs a day.

I have an appointment with my endocrinologist in August, and I can’t wait to see what my lab work looks like.

It is difficult to eat out - but not impossible. I just have to choose restaurants wisely, and be prepared.

I’m thrilled, and I’m just one month in. I can’t wait to watch my own progress!