My jaw dropped when my doctor told me the news. “You are diabetic.” I stared at him in disbelief. I had complained to him about frequent urination and having to wake up so many times during the night to go to the bathroom. I had told himthat many times I had considered going to an urinologist, and asked him if he could refer me to one. Instead, he recommended that I take a blood test.
I had taken the blood test at his office the week before and the results were in from the lab. Now sitting before him, I stared at him unable to comprehend as he explained “The results are not good.” “As a matter of fact” he added sternly.” They are bad.” My blood glucose level was double the normal level of 4%.They were 8% plus. My diagnosis was Type 2 Diabetes.
I never would have thought that I was diabetic, because each time I reported my urinary problem to a doctor over the years, I was always given a urine test. The result had always been “There is no sugar in the urine.”, and I believed that eliminated me from having the disease. I was convinced that my problem was one for the urinologist.
Now, my doctor was telling me that he had had a similar problem. He recounted how his brother, an urinologist, had advised him to test his blood for diabetes. The
A change of lifestyle test had turned out positive, like mine.
It is only now that I know, having done some reading on the subject that according to the John Hopkins White Papers on Diabetes, “testing urine for the presence of glucose is far less accurate than blood glucose monitoring and is not recommended.”
My doctor was speaking “If you lose 30 lbs, all diabetes will be gone!” he announced with a wide sweep of his hand. I looked at him intently and I said “I'll show you, I'll do it.”
I left his office with a prescription for the generic drug Metformin and the determination to diet and exercise. Previously, each time I wanted to lose weight, I would resort to the American Heart Association's "Cabbage Soup Diet.". It was the only diet which had ever worked for me. However it is not a diet designed for use on a long term basis. My goal was that when I returned to my doctor in two months following lab-work one week before, the results should show an absence of diabetes. I also hoped that he would see a slimmer, more slender me.
My weight was then 160 lbs with a BMI(Body Mass Index) of 29.9. For my height of 5ft. 2ins. I was just bordering on the edge of overweight and obesity. According to the American Diabetes Association's "Complete Guide To Diabetes" “Three-fourths of all people with type 2 diabetes are, or have been obese - that is, they have a body mass index of 30 or above. A BMI of 25 to 29.9 is considered overweight.”
To be on the safe side, I should maintain a weight of 127*131 lbs. with a BMI of 24 at the limit. I let the week during which I visited and I seriously plunged into my soup diet the following week. I also started dance classes. I'd never liked doing aerobics in a gym, so I thought “Why not do a pleasurable activity and keep fit at the same time!” So I started with salsa classes. At the end of two weeks I discovered that I'd lost five pounds.
I then switched to healthier eating and incorporated oat bran into my breakfasts. Oat bran is a potent disease-fighter. In addition to preventing cancer, as studies have proven, it reduces the risk of diabetes by regulating blood sugar levels and helps control weight.
My clothes started fitting better. Pants that were too tight at the waist now zipped up easily. Six weeks after the diagnosis visit, I returned to the doctor. I weighed 152lbs.Results of the blood test the previous week showed a decrease in my blood glucose level. I now had a 6.9% reading, down from the 8%+. My next visit following another blood test showed a reading of 6. %. I was now 150lbs. I had lost 10 lbs. My doctor seemed very pleased. My Metformin prescription had been renewed during that period.
I was now aiming to lose the next 20lbs.However, somehow, miserably I failed. I returned shamefacedly to the doctor six weeks later. I was only weighing 145lbs. I awaited my doctor's entrance into the room apprehensively. What was my surprise when he read the report and looked at me with a satisfied look on his face. He read me the progress. My blood glucose level had decreased from 8%+ to 6.9% to 6% and today I was at 5.6%.”Amazing!” the doctor exclaimed.” Do you know what that means; you ate healthy and you exercised.” “I did not exercise very well” I replied” but I am very pleased.” Then you ate well' he concluded, adding “If you continue on the same road, your diabetes will be over!” “Do I continue the medication?” I asked. He advised that I complete the current bottle but I need not continue. “Let's see how it goes without the medication and with healthy eating” he said. He recommended that I make an appointment to see him in three months to note my progress. Three months later I visited him and my blood glucose level had risen to by 3% to 5.9%. My weight was still wavering and I had not yet achieved that 30lb. loss. My doctor however found there was nothing for me to worry about.
I learned however that I need to monitor my blood glucose when I am not visiting the doctor. Monitoring by use of a meter and strips gives you feedback on how well your diabetes care is working. A positive feedback could be a wonderful source of encouragement. You can see the effects of your exercise program or food choices on your blood glucoses levels.
I am still working towards the total 30lb. weight loss after eight months, because my weight fluctuates each time I take time off from diet and exercise during holiday binge eating periods for example.
However, the rapid decrease in my blood glucose level during that brief period and my subsequent reading of literature on diabetes have made me aware of the many benefits of just a modest weight loss and participating in regular physical exercise. I had lost only 15lbs. and that had made a difference. A modification of lifestyle is all it took. For my weight of 160lbs, a diet of 1,200 calories a day (33g fat) worked.
I now understand that the best approach to weight loss is to develop a balanced, healthy diet that you can follow for the rest of your life. The American Diabetes Association recommends a combination of reducing your intake of calories and increasing exercise. While activities like walking, jogging, swimming and playing tennis can help improve blood glucose levels, adding strength training is important. Strength training builds muscle better than aerobics.
The more muscle you have and the more you need to use those muscles, the more fuel your muscles need and the more glucose pilled out of the bloodstream. This results in induced insulin resistance and better blood glucose control than you can achieve with aerobic alone. Muscles also continue to burn calories when you are at rest. Burning extra calories can help you lose weight and keep it off.
