I'm a recently diagnosed type 2 diabetic and I'm trying to bring my condition under control with dietary changes, losing weight and exercise.  This is hard work and although I'm making progress since diagnosis in mid-February - I have lost 7 kilos so far and my blood sugar is down from 8.7 to 7.4 - every now and then I inevitably "fall off the healthier lifestyle wagon".  I need my blood sugar to be considerably lower and I need to be about half the woman I was in February.

I want to live to a ripe old age and grow old disgracefully.  I'd like to die suddenly (preferably in my sleep) after a long and active life, not linger with the horrible long term complications of poorly controlled diabetes.  So I have decided my condition is a wake up call to clean up my act. 

I'm not a Weight Watchers person and I can't bear talking to people about this or that diet fad and all those £££ spent on products to lose pounds and obsessions with food when someone is on replacement meals out of a packet. 

Is there anyone else out there making major lifestyle changes for health reasons?  Anyone else who knows just how hard this is, given the stresses and stains of everyday life when the comfort food of your choice calls your name?  And this isn't simply a matter of getting to my target weight and then piling it all back on again, this is for the rest of my life.  I'm 46 and I'd like to have at least as long again (I'm from a long lived family - even the side of the family with the diabetes genes).

This last week has been really stressful and it was also the start of my period - those empty high carb/GI foods were calling to me.  While I resisted most of them, I have eaten far too much Green and Blacks and too many of the Italian biscuits one of my colleagues brought in to the office (in the hope that they won't count as I didn't buy them).  I had another fasting blood test on Thursday and I'm hoping the level holds steady rather than goes up because I have not been "good" for the last 2 weeks.  And now my bottom is aching because I'm not used to the seat of my new exercise bike and my back is aching until I get used to the posture because of a whiplash injury last year.

Care to share?

Hi Janyce,

All the answers you seek are contained in the book  How To Eat,Move and Be Healthy by Paul Chek...BUY IT NOW!!!

All the best

Robin

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Robin Allan
Chek Practitioner
Natural Health Coach

http://www.robinallan.com


robin_allan@hotmail.com

07967-366470

Hi Janyce

I completely empathise with you.  I have made massive changes in my eating habits over the last few years.  Rather than bothering with the calorie counting (which never worked anyway) in order to lose weight, I decided to work from the inside out and pursue health first.  I started off doing a complete colon cleanse detox and found that after doing that my body was much more sensitive to "unhealthy" foods and I felt very uncomfortable if I ate the wrong things.  I gradually changed rather than going cold turkey and now find that a lot of things I used to like I don't any more.  

I think you need to be kind to yourself - when I had forbidden foods they were the only ones I wanted, but when I had a relaxed attitude - made sure I ate lots of fruit, vegetables, fish and drank lots of water - then I would allow myself the naughty stuff occasionally.  I found that over time I was no longer addicted - I could take it or leave it.  I knew what the rules were, but I found that it was the mental attitude that was really the key.  I also found that following a mainly Alkaline Diet made a massive difference.  Along with checking out the book Blobby mentioned, you can also check out the book "The pH Miracle" by Dr Robert Young.  "Great Taste No Pain" can also be found on the internet and is an alkaline based eating programme.

I am currently taking some Chinese herbs from www.green-herbs.co.uk which are under the Weight Loss heading.  However, they deal with circulation, water retention etc. and are having a very clearing effect.  You might find these of help because I am feeling great and my body is feeling really light even though I'm not remotely Twiggy like!!

I found that thinking of food as a friend rather than an enemy eventually helped me pick healthier friends - well, that's what worked for me anyway.  I hope that you might find the same.

I wish you well as I know from experience that changing eating habits is far from easy at times.

Sue 

Robin, I'm not seeking answers, I'm seeking support from people doing something similar to me.  Unless, of course, you are saying that your approach is so perfect that it comes with a guarantee that anyone who adopts it won't ever have an off day when their commitment to it wavers?  In my experience, life just isn't like that, one size does not fit all and I'm always very suspicious of the one true answer.

Sue, I'm interested in your approach to food.  I have been viewing a lot of things as poison over recent weeks.  My gurus at the moment are the people who have brought their own blood sugar under control without medication (or a minimum of medication).  I found a fab site called Blood Sugar 101 and that has pointed me in the direction of other diabetic patient experts. 

I'm having a good day today as I got my last blood test results back and my GP was very pleased to see them simply in the insulin resistant range, as opposed to positively diabetic.  I have brought them down a whole 1.8mml since January with frequent falls from the healthy living wagon.  A colleague suggested that I probaly ought to give myself a day off the exercise bike, especially as I was aching and my bottom was sore from the saddle - I may get another more comfy saddle for the exercise bike if I don't settle to this one by this time next week.

I guess I want to see how far I can go without major lifestyle changes.  I'm more likely to stick with it if I like it and I'm making minor changes with a big impact.  I'm looking at glycaemic index and glycaemic load and bearing in mind what the expert patients have said about diabetic metabolism not being like other people's...  I don't see adjusting the carbohydrate balance of what I eat now as too difficult when compared to adopting a completly different diet.  I like the kind of food that is generally considered healthy in GI/GL terms.  My food habits had become very poor and I was living with a lot of stress while I was caring for someone.

I have to say I feel a lot better than I did a few weeks ago and I can feel changes in my body.  The one diabetic symptom I have had - a dry mouth - has improved a lot over the last few days.  But this does not protect me against bad days, and I know that I will have to stay this vigilant about my diet for the rest of my life.

Hi Janyce

Glad to hear that you're having a good day.  Believe me, I've had frequent falls off the wagon over the years and I find in our culture it's made more difficult for us to make "healthy" choices.  I was happily eating things that I thought were "good" but when I came across the GI I was horrified to find that it was exactly the opposite. We are given all these "wonder" cereals, whereas I now find that the mix of cereals and milk are highly acidic to the body.

What I found really useful is a 9 day alkaline detox - you can do anything from 7 to 10 days and it's very bland and boring but if you are up for it you feel great afterwards.  I even lost 9 inches and weight is never something I lose easily.  Another benefit is that foods start to taste different - I also can't follow any eating pattern slavishly and if I forbid myself anything the rebel in me wants that food above all else.  It really was the detoxing that helped as I would eat foods I used to like and they just didn't taste good anymore so I wouldn't eat them again.  There was no willpower involved.  I was a chocoholic - but over the course of a few years, I still have chocolate but the craving isn't the same and a big bar of chocolate lasts a few days rather than half an hour.  I now prefer the 70% cocoa variety.  I'm sure the day will come when I don't eat it at all and only because I'll no longer want it.

I think it's just being kind to ourselves really.  There are people to whom food isn't an issue - they might have other issues that we don't have.  I'm not a great person for exercise and my very painful exercise bike has been an extension to my wardrobe for years.  However, I started stretching a few years ago and it has become habit forming and keeps me supple.  

Working from home has helped me a lot too - I live in London and was a victim of the "sandwich" culture which working in London encourages.  I now can cook healthy meals at any time of day and I live by the 80/20 rule.  If I'm good 80% of the time then I'm doing okay and boy does my body complain if I try 50/50!!

I wish you well and if you want more details on the alkaline diet just let me have an e-mail address and I'll send it to you.

Hoping you have a good day tomorrow and well done on the blood results.

 Sue

Hi Janyce,

How To Eat,Move and Be Healthy is certainly not a one size fits all approach...it is actually an approach that can be tailor made for the individual and contains the basic foundation principles of health,which,if you fail to address,you run the risk of running around in circles trying to find that "miracle" solution so many seem to seek.

Paul's approach is not perfect but it is the best I have ever come across and I cannot guarantee if you adopt it that you will have no bad days but you will be healthier than you have ever been.

I advised you to get his book because it is hands down the best piece of advice I can give you.

Hope this helps

Robin

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Robin Allan
Chek Practitioner
Natural Health Coach

http://www.robinallan.com


robin_allan@hotmail.com

07967-366470

Hi Janyce,

I encourage you to check out the range of products available with Forever Living Products to help with your whole situation.  Here is a testimonial for you to explain

 

“I am an Insulin dependent diabetic, having started using a range of FLP products since May. I have found that my blood glucose control has improved. I firstly started with the drinking gel, mainly for a general boost to my system. Being diabetic I am more prone to infections, colds and the flu. Generally I have found that I have more energy throughout the day, colds and even cuts heal better. If I feel a cold is starting to raise its ugly head I take 2 propolis tablets with each meal just to be on the safe side. The biggest knock on effect of all this is that my blood glucose doesn't fluctuate wildly due to infection.

Also to help with the absorption of my insulin I take the Fields of Green as these contain chromium picolate, which helps the body respond to insulin, this has enabled me to reduce my daily insulin injections, sometimes as much as 25%. I use the Garlic and Thyme and the Gingko Plus to help boost my circulation and detoxify my body.

My ultimate favourite however is the Arctic Sea Fish Oils, I use these mainly to prevent the build up of cholesterol, I have seen my readings come down from 6.4 to 3.5, I firmly believe that prevention is better than cure. Diabetics can suffer from high cholesterol if their blood glucose isn't controlled; FLP is helping me keep mine under better control than ever before”. Matt

You can view the products and purchase on-line here http://distrib.foreverliving.com/retail/EntryServlet?langID=en&storeID=GBR&distribID=440100124992

I am happy to provide any further information so please let me know

Noelyne

 

 

 

 

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Noelyne Jones

Wellness Management Coach

Independent Distributor - Forever
http://distrib.foreverliving.com/retail/EntryServlet?langID=en&storeID=GBR&distribID=440100124992