Changes

Today let's talk about changes, in one of two ways.  Either tell us what you'd most like to see change about diabetes, in any way.  This can be management tools, devices, medications, people's perceptions, your own feelings – anything at all that you feel could use changing.  OR reflect back on some changes you or your loved one has seen or been through since being diagnosed with diabetes.  Were they expected or did they surprise you?

I’m feeling like an overachiever today, so I’m going to touch on both options: What I’d like to see change and what changes I have made.

Let’s change diabetes.

There are so many things that need to change about diabetes, like it should just freakin go away and take that damn stigma with it! However, that probably isn’t going to happen in the near future so let’s work on something else. I’d like to see education for T2s improve…drastically. I was involved in a conversation recently where the discussion revolved around what’s missing for people with T2 who have been at this for awhile. In my opinion, there is a lack of continuing education for T2s. (When I was diagnosed, there was a distinct lack of education for newly diagnosed folks but that has improved.) Most people are told to make changes to their diet, lose some weight, take their meds and basically go out there and kick ass. If their numbers don’t improve, the patient is often blamed. Rarely is it said that there might be something wrong with the plan.

There seems to be a lack of acknowledgement that type 2 diabetes is a progressive disease. We can do what we can, but eventually our bodies are going to perform differently as time goes on. Ain’t our fault. That means that our care plan needs to progress as well. We’re often told to take more or different medications but I don’t think people are encouraged to make more intense changes to their food plan. People need to learn that, as their disease progresses, they should consider making more changes to their diet…and I don’t see that happening. 

It has been shown time and time again, that lowering carb intake is very beneficial to people with diabetes, especially those of us who don’t use added insulin. So why then are diabetes websites and organizations continuing to “push” carbs? I think it’s awesome for newly diagnosed folks to be shown recipes that use whole grains or less sugar but where are the instructions on how to step that down even further? I can’t find them unless you’re looking at personal blogs etc. Not everyone does their own research. Lots and lots of T2s would benefit from further education that would help wean them from highly processed carbs.

The new me.

Boy have I changed since I was first diagnosed! Let’s go back to the early days of my blog: March 2011 (which was 5 ½ years after my dx.) I posted some recipes and nearly all of them were low-fat with a healthy dose of “better” carbs. They were definite improvements over the way I used to eat, but would I eat most of them now? Hell no! I can’t! I can’t eat processed carbs any longer without seeing uncomfortable spikes in my blood glucose. I now follow a low carb, high fat diet. In our house, we aren’t afraid of fat any longer but we are avoiding processed carbs. 

I’m not pushing anything on you. I’m not saying that you must eat as I do. Everyone is different and needs to find the plan that works best for them. My point is that WOW, I’ve changed and I never thought I could! Dinner now might be a burger on a flax meal bun with zucchini fries coated with almond flour and parmesan cheese and water to drink. Compare that to a Big Mac with fries and a soda which is something I would have eaten in the past.

I’ve changed. I’ve made significant changes to my food plan and that has done loads to help me control my blood glucose. I have maintained a quite acceptable A1c because I was willing to change along with my diabetes. Change is difficult, but not impossible. 

Go here to read more about change. You'll be glad you did!