Sugar Free Life

 I been living with diabetes for many years now. Unfortunately this also includes some other long term complications that where develop because of the disease.  These other issues have been hard to live with in general. It is not easy physically because it takes a toll on your body over time. Need to balance the good with bad and try to stay stress free to over come the obstacles it can create in your daily life.

There are also many obnoxious people that will see your physically limitations as a target for unruly behaviors toward yourself. Causing unneeded stress to further increase the effects of the disease itself. 

Stress is one of the things than can increase undesirable effects and more harmful things to occur for the health and well being of those with diabetes and other long term complications. Most people think diabetes is just food, drink and exercise. It is not. However the diet and exercise part is the most easiest aspect to control for most living with diabetes. 

Thankfully my healthcare team has put me into a path of success. They monitor and treat any bad effects the disease can deliver. Gave me a dietitian and physical trainer to give me every opportunity to succeed going forward. 

I been through several surgeries in the past from complications developed by diabetes. It was unsure for a while if I would ever walk again. Thanks to my healthcare team for all there help. All the treatments did work. The recommended for rehab was bicycling and most notably using a e-bike. I personally did not know much about e-bikes then. But I wanted to succeed and walk again. It was a hard journey with many different obstacles to over come.

There is a light at the end of the tunnel but it at times is hard to see with so many negative unruly people standing in your way. Wish I could say the journey I lived while getting treatment was easy, it was not. 

I had to move to the big city for the best treatment. Most smaller towns would have just ended all hope and done the extreme. I am thankful for all the doctors, nurses and specialist that believed in me and did the right thing. Not all medical people are good at there jobs, found dozens of lazy ones that wanted to do extreme things that would have ended my life long ago. So you need to take control of your own wish to succeed and find the team that is best suited for you.

I was living in the western suburbs of the city. It was 10 minutes away from 3 different hospitals that gave great care for several complications from diabetes. I went through several surgeries that needed weekly treatments for what seem to be forever. 

The neighborhood I was living in at the time Oak Park, was very nasty and mean toward me because I had physically limitations. These obnoxious people that lived there disliked anyone that was disabled like I was at the time. Spent many of months in great pain as I was recovering from treatments. Also dealing with neighbors that where harassing and attacking me because I was disabled at the time. They made up lies about me that were untrue. They destroyed and vandalized our property. They even told me to my face, they wanted me to leave. And that disable people like me bring down their property value. 

Seriously it was insane having to deal with these nasty people while going through medical treatment. The stress level was off the charts. The stress help fuel the diabetes to have bad out of control effects on my health. I had to move away from these people and this behavior soon or I would never overcome the disease.

Luckily I did move and to a much better overall community. Life is a journey, while I would have like to stay near my original health care team, I had to go were my body and mind would excel for many more years to come. I since meet many more people living with diabetes. It is not normal life but it all becomes routine after a while. Some days are worst than others, but as long as you stay true to the plan on diet, exercise, low stress, checkups and treatments. Life goes on. 

Not all living with diabetes have the same treatments or diets either. I meet many people that can eat things I can not. It has much to do with the extra complications one can develop to change your diet or not more than others. Also many type 2 diabetics do not always need insulin like Type 1 diabetics. 

If you or a family member or friend has it. Listen to your health care team. Also if you do not have a diabetic dietitian have your primary care doctor prescribe you one. All insurance plans pay for a few visits a year. They will look at your health records and give you a plan of action what you need to eat. What you eat and drink may be different than other with diabetes so it is important to have one set you on a path of success.

I happy to say since moving out the city. my health has majorly improved. My last 7 A1C have been under 5.6 My rehab from leg and foot surgeries has gone awesome. The bicycling has worked great. I can stand without cane and walk better with the cane. I average 12-20 miles a day on my bike. 

The new place I live has people that are not nasty and do not attack people who have a physical disability like many people in city did. 

Where I live now I can freely go ride my bike without much problems. The biggest issues I have now biking is running into wild animals like deer, bear etc. My stress is now near gone and living with diabetes is so much easier when you live in a good and friendly environment. 

I know the United States say it has laws that protect disabled from such crazy people. However, No one actually does anything to enforce those rights. Which is very sad because no one who is going through medical treatments. And dealing with major pain or has a physical disability should have the deal with such nasty people on a daily basis.

The world is such crazy place at times. All we can hope for is Karma will handle those mean and nasty people who attack anyone.

I often try to help others with diabetes but so many people get very upset when they discover they should not eat or drink too much sugar. So the only advise I now give is get a Diabetic Dietitian. 

A Diabetic Dietitian will set you on the correct path after looking at your full medical history.  People with diabetes can easily get Vascular disease, Heart disease, Strokes, Liver disease, Kidney disease, Blindness, hearing loss, tooth loss, amputations and more. It will all depend on other factors you have what your diet will require. 

For me, I am currently; require between 40 to 45 carbs per meal 5 meals a day (yes 5 meals, it tricks the body to reduce blood sugar levels). I been given the plan of eating a balance meal one serving of protein, one serving of grain or starch, two servings of non starch veggies. 

Most foods have carbs including veggies so 40 carbs add up fast per meal. I also have to watch my sodium intake. Most diabetics should be at under 1500mg a day. Mine is set at 1200mg a day by my health care team so that limits less what I can eat each day. Also cholesterol levels need to be under 200mg a day. Also I am not allowed to eat fatty foods. Lean meats and fish only no processed foods at all. Also only can have 2-3 serving of red meat each week.

It is not hard to do as long as you make all your own food. I try to choose the foods with the lowest carbs in general so occasionally when my blood glucose drops below 75mg I can have something like potato for my starch serving. Potatoes in general are high in carbs and should be avoided unless your blood sugar drops low. Then I can have it as a starch serving and it can be used to push me back into my target range. My Dietitian has set it up to work this way. Unfortunately sometimes I can go for weeks where in never drops that low.

I found several low carb whole wheat bread options that are 1 to 2 carbs per slice. So it allows me to have bread as a grain option. Some fruits also fit into the starch/ grain serving of a balanced meal. In general I stay away from all pasta and rice as they are just to high in carbs. I will use other things as substitute for pasta or rice that taste good and are healthy options and much lower in carbs to have.

Eating out at restaurants is often bad idea as food is to high in sodium, fats and carbs. If you need to eat at a restaurants. be creative and find ways to reduce the carbs and sodium levels first. 

Also watch food and drink that say they are sugar free, many are still very bad for you. As many artificial sweeteners are as bad or worst than sugar. Best to check with your health care team. (As I have also made mistake myself in the past with some Sugar Free products as well. So always ask your dietitian if a certain sugar free product okay to have.) 

I can tell you Smuckers Sugar Free Jams are very bad for diabetes. I Found out the hard way. It has this ingredient called Maltodextrin in it. It is what helps reduce the need for pure sugar. But if you have diabetes Maltodextrin is worst than table sugar and rated much higher than sugar on the glycemic index. If you eat a Sugar Free product with Maltodextrin in it. It can spike your blood sugar.

I also can not have most sugar free soda pop. They also have artificial sweeteners that are bad for diabetes. Many diabetics make these mistakes because we see the words Sugar Free. But we need to check with our health care teams and Diabetic Dietitian first to make sure it's safe to have.

I hope this helps others not give up hope of living the Sugar free life. And maybe answer questions some had to why I moved away from the city in general.