It’s honesty hour friends, and we’re about to get into the feels.
This past year, I admit, has been extremely tough on me when it comes to my physical health. I have never gone out of my way to take care of my body, but I also know that I have never been unhealthy.
So when my body started to change drastically around this time last year, I became very confused. I hadn’t changed my diet, it hadn’t gotten better or worse, but somehow I was gaining weight at an amount that was not healthy.
I realized it when over the course of a few weeks, I began to develop purple and red stretch marks on my arms and my thighs. Still, I paid it no mind and continued to live my life. From January to April, I gained a whopping 20 pounds without changing any part of my diet and continuing to live my life as a busy student.
That’s when I went to my family doctor, insisted he test me for every single thing on his blood work list to finally figure out what’s going on.
My suspicions were correct when 3 days later, I was called back into the doctor’s office and diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes. This essentially means that my blood sugar levels are too high, and my body doesn’t know what to do with the insulin it is producing – which explained the weight gain because it was just storing fat deposits all over the place!
For the past few months, I have been dealing with this new revelation, and have changed my lifestyle in order to deal with diabetes. If you have been recently diagnosed, or are just looking to avoid it (if it runs in your family), here are some tips, tricks and important information that I’ve learned over the past few months:
1. Don’t ignore the signs.
I know this one seems obvious, but it took me months before I decided to get tested. I only decided to go after I started getting extremely dizzy some days, to the point where I couldn’t even leave my bed. I now know those were the days that my blood glucose levels were through the roof. Go get a check-up as soon as your body is feeling off!
2. Take your meds, and take them on time!
I admit, this is something that I myself am not very good at. There are days when I completely forget to take my meds. But staying on top of them is what’s going to help you feel better! Set alarms, carry some in each purse, wallet, bag, whatever! Do anything that will help you with taking them on a regular basis.
3. Keep snacks on you at all times + don’t binge on food at once!
You never know when you’ll get the shakes and your blood sugar will randomly drop. I always have granola bars in my bag to eat when I can feel myself getting shaky. Dates are also an amazing alternative, they’re all natural and make me feel better instantly. Also, I know how it feels when you just need to get rid of that feeling and can eat the whole world. But wait it out! After eating a snack, you will feel better in a few minutes and be glad that you didn’t binge on a ton of junk food.
4. Get a meter to check your blood sugar levels.
My doctor didn’t give me a meter at first, so I was taking my pills but had no idea what my blood glucose levels were at or how I was doing. I requested one and it has helped me a lot. I now test my levels before and after meals and it helps me stay in check with my body.
5. Try changing your diet/meals to help your body
I’ve begun to do intermittent fasting, where I only eat my meals between an 8-hour period, and fast for 16 hours. You can set your own times, but for me, it’s from noon till 8pm. This helps me regulate my eating habits, and focus on what I’m actually putting inside my body. Intermittent fasting also helps with the regulation of insulin and with weight loss.
These are just some of my personal opinions in terms of what has worked for me. Everyone is different, so whatever you’re dealing with health-wise, don’t forget to treat your body kindly in the process, and do what works best for you!