Diabetes: Advice My Mother Gave Me

As I mentioned the other day, the day I was diagnosed, I called my mom.

It sounds silly, right?   37 years old and I get bad news and run home to call my mommy.  But the fact is that my mother and I actually have a pretty good relationship now.   We chat regularly on the phone and things have settled (in my adulthood and -after- I was married) into a close friendship.

Sooooo.... I called my mommy.  

My mother has been diabetic for 16 years and for the majority of that time she's been able to control her diabetes and keep her blood sugar low through diet. It was only the last few years when she started creeping towards her 60's that she started needing a bit of help from medication.

So I took notes.   I knew I was upset and anything she said was going to go in one ear and out the other so, in the anal retentive way that I am, I took notes.

1. Ask about Blood Glucose monitor.   She actually couldn't believe that the doctor didn't offer me one.  I'm not really enthusiastic about this but it's probably a good idea so when I see the doctor tomorrow, I'll be sure to ask.


2. Cut all rice and pasta intake in half.   In other words, when cooking, use half of what I normally would use in a recipe.   When serving myself, take half what I would normally have taken.


3. Cut out all treats.   By treats, she means sugar.   Cookies, candy, ice cream, orange juice, sugar cereals.... you know, the good stuff.  This is going easier than I thought it would, with the exception of the peanut butter cups anyway.   But, at least with a peanut butter cup here and there I'm not feeling completely deprived and it -is- way less of the junk than I was eating prior.


4. Eat cereal no more than 2x a week.   Healthy cereal and only one bowl.   I was real bad about taking the milk and cereal to the table with me and just refilling until I was full.   And use skim milk, which isn't an issue anyway since I already only have skim milk in the house.  But, honestly?   Milk isn't much of a temptation without all the junk.


5.  When you go to eat out, eat no more than SIX french fries.    Soooo, essentially order something else as a side.  Vegetables (and by the way, corn is NOT a vegetable, it's a grain), or salad or whatever... then steal six fries off my husband's plate.


6. Walking is the best exercise.   I already knew this but she made a point of pointing it out.   I'm already working on increasing my activity level and walking is a big part of that.

As I mentioned before, the doctor gave me 3 months to get my blood sugar under control.   If, in 3 months, I haven't succeeded, she wants to put me on medication.   I DO NOT want to go on medication, so... my mother's advice on this was that in 3 months if things aren't under control, ask to go see an endocrinologist before letting them put me on medication.    And, if my blood sugar has gone down but still isn't completely under control, ask for another 3 months to keep working on it.

My mother's a really smart woman and I plan on taking all of her advice.   In fact, I already am.

That said?   She also left me with a rather terrifying warning in form of a reminder about one of my great uncles who died of diabetes.  Prior to his death, some very disturbing things happened that she wanted me to consider if I could live with if they happened to me.

Diabetics have a huge risk of...
Losing their toes...
Losing their legs...
Losing their eyesight.

They also have the same percentage of risk of having a heart attack as a person who has already had their first heart attack has of having a second one.

Definitely motivational thoughts to brood on.