Voice of the Diabetic

Voice of the Diabetic

Back|

Next|

Table of Contents|

Home

THINKING AND LIVING PRO-ACTIVELY

WITH DIABETES

by William F. Schley

Living with diabetes is no longer the struggle it once was. Living well with

diabetes, even with diabetic complications, is now possible through advances

in medicine and technology, but your mental and emotional condition will also

affect your diabetic health. It is possible to live a fulfilling life, to define

and accomplish important life goals, and to have a happy and healthy family

life as a long-term type 1 diabetic; but you need to know what to do, how to

do it, and above all, you must be willing to do whatever it takes to attain

maximum results. I'm still reaching for some of life's brass rings as my diabetic

history nears its 45th anniversary, but I've attained a number of my objectives,

and you can, too.

If you've got a glucose monitor, USE IT. If you don't have

one, GET ONE. Many doctors will give you a high-quality monitor, and some

pharmacies even have 100% rebate coupons available for the asking when you

purchase one. Check out the special offers! Test regularly, keep track of

your tests, and adjust your insulin according to your diabetic specialist's

orders. This step is imperative for good control and to help avoid long-term

neuropathic damage.

See your doctor regularly. Make sure your MD orders the

appropriate blood tests, including a glycoslyated hemoglobin test every three

to four months. If you can't have your doctor test your blood pressure regularly,

buy a good quality blood pressure cuff, called a sphygmomanometer, and do

it yourself. High blood pressure is common in both types of diabetes and a

root cause of many circulatory and neuropathic problems. If you are already

on blood pressure medicines, don't forget to take them as prescribed. Take

a good diabetes "patient education" course, often available at your

local hospital and usually covered by medical insurance.

Monitor all your physical changes carefully. If you have

a wound that doesn't heal, don't delay—call your doctor. If you gain

or lose weight suddenly, you may need to make changes in diet, lifestyle,

or medications. If your vision changes, especially if you see floating or

moving particles within the eye, or you have persistent eye pain, see an ophthalmologist

immediately.

Quit smoking! Along with all the other reasons not to smoke

cigarettes, you should be aware they cause rapid and often irreparable damage

to capillaries in the eyes and extremities. If you smoke cigars or a pipe,

do so ONLY IN STRICT MODERATION, and only in a well-ventilated area, to avoid

inhaling second-hand smoke.

Moderation goes for alcohol consumption as well. Small

amounts can be factored into your diet, but remember that it is especially

difficult for insulin dependent diabetics to digest alcohol without experiencing

a rapid rise in blood sugar, generally followed by a rapid lowering of blood

sugar. Ask your doctor for the latest information on moderate alcohol consumption

in a diabetic diet.

See a dietician. You'll be surprised at recent advances in

dietary medicine. If your blood sugars tend to run high, you may need to increase

consumption of both water and dietary fiber, since high BGs can dehydrate

the lower tract. High protein diets were once considered fine for newly-diagnosed

type 1 diabetics; but if you have any sign of kidney trouble, your doctor

should instruct you on how to lower the amount of protein in your diet. A

high protein intake is very hard on impaired kidneys, so a weight loss diet

that's all meat and fat should be avoided.

Exercise at least five days each week. If you don't want

other complications of long-term diabetes to occur, exercise is imperative.

If you're saying "Well, that's not going to happen, " just remember

that 30 to 45 minutes of fast walking can often take the place of more strenuous

workouts. Someone once quipped, "Whenever I feel the urge to exercise

I lie down until it goes away." I hope he wasn't diabetic!

Park your stationary bike directly in front of the TV.

When you snack try grapes, celery, cucumber slices, or popcorn without butter.

Drink at least eight ounces of water for every ten pounds of body weight every

day, and more if you're working up a good sweat. Take a good quality multi-vitamin

with chelated minerals, one that's high in anti-oxidants.

I recently took the ANSCORE test, available from Boston Medical

Technologies. This unique test monitors the cardiac autonomic nervous system.

Ask your endocrinologist where you can have this important test performed.

I recommend it highly to ALL diabetics, as it measures responses of the heart

muscle over timed and painless stress periods. It then gives a quantified

measurement of any neuropathic damage in the cardiac autonomic nerves. The

autonomic nervous system is responsible for involuntary bodily functions,

things like keeping your heart beating, adjusting the heart rate to match

your level of stress, telling the body when it's time to sweat, sexual response,

and other functions that aren't consciously controlled. After 44 years as

a diabetic, some in which I was not maintaining good control, my test showed

that my cardiac autonomic neuropathy response was abnormal for all three tests.

When ANSCORE results are abnormal, it may mean that the diabetic patient is

at risk for silent heart attack, coronary infarction without normal symptomatic

warnings. The good news is that there are positive steps that can be take

to maximize one's ability to avoid myocardial infarction. No one wants to

have a heart attack.

If you've just been diagnosed diabetic, you need to exercise

each day, every day, if your doctor says it's okay. If you're an old hand

at diabetes and need to increase your exercise, see your cardiologist and

have him adjust your regimen.

Watch your feet. Keep them clean, and don't trim nails too

short. Wear comfortable shoes that fit properly and provide good support.

Since diabetic circulatory problems usually first develop in the lower extremities,

it is wise to get acquainted with a good podiatrist as soon as possible.

Enrich your spiritual life. The first stage of any program

designed to end habitual destructive behavior is to surrender your care and

concern to a higher power. Poor self-management of your diabetes can be a

lot like a chemical or behavioral addiction, since it can cause chronic damage.

You need to be actively involved in a diabetic health maintenance program,

one with a positive outlook. It's important to not only stop destructive diabetic

behaviors (the activities and inactivities that keep your blood sugars too

high), but to replace bad habits with good ones. Prayer and meditation have

been positive influences for me and other diabetics I've interviewed. For

the nearly 20 years that I've been visually impaired, I have done all that

I am able to introduce spiritual light into my daily life and practice. It

doesn't cost anything, it doesn't require special equipment, and it absolutely

can't hurt you, so why not give it a try?

Stay positive! No matter what life throws at you, each time

you wake up breathing you are better off than the 1,500,000 humans each day

who will not live to see tomorrow's dawn. Be thankful! Every day we are blessed

with life is another gift. If you don't believe this, go out and give some

of your life to someone else. Once you get involved with helping others you'll

find you have more to give.

Don't sit. If you're not regularly active, employed or as a

volunteer, get a part time job. Visit somebody who's lonely, volunteer at

a retirement center, a veteran's center, or offer to mentor a child. Go talk

to a friend, and never miss an opportunity to tell them why you care for them.

If you are dealing with depression, do not be afraid to seek professional

counseling. Those seeking counsel are not weak, but smart enough to know when

they need assistance. One of the best habits you can develop is to quit depressing

yourself by incessant complaining.

In your leisure time, read a good book. Studies show that you'll

burn more calories reading a good story for one hour than you will watching

three hours of television.

Diabetes isn't the end of your life. You have many options

and lots of choices to make. Choose to be alive, to be thankful, to be positive,

and to get involved. Even with long-term type 1 diabetes, I live a very full

life. I lost my eyesight to my disorder, and yet I'm a professional writer,

writing two columns monthly, the manager of a prosperous machine vending company,

a part-time "house husband" who does most of the shopping and cooking

for my wife of more than 21 years, and an active lay minister. I am totally

blind, and have mild neuropathic damage in my toes and kidneys, yet I hunt

deer, elk, or antelope each fall. I play and teach drums, rough-house often

with my three dogs, and read an average of 1.5 books from the Talking Books

Library each week.

Remember, even if you are dealing with diabetic complications,

it is still your responsibility to determine your own mental attitude. Follow

the steps I've mentioned, and compare how you feel about your situation after

just one month.

Those who believe nothing can be done to improve their situation,

and those who believe there is always something they can do to improve things

are both right.

Back to Top