0
0
Introduction
I’m going to level with you, this is not a typical story about diabetes. This is not a typical story about anything. In fact, I don’t think it’s even a story at all—it’s more of a listicle than anything else. Why am I writing this? Well…
My diagnosis
Diabetes is a disease that strikes all ages, but it’s typically associated with older people. The average age for diagnosis is 45 years old, but there are many young people who have diabetes and don’t know it yet. In fact, I was diagnosed at age 59, just a few months prior to my 60th birthday, when I was admitted to the hospital for diabetic ketoacidosis brought on by symptoms of Type 2 Diabetes
I went into the hospital weighing close to 275 pounds and feeling sicker than I had ever felt in my life—like death warmed over—but I was stubborn and ignored my symptoms for a while. all while my blood sugar levels were so high. After several tests and a truckload of insulin, my glucose numbers stabilized but according to the doctors I was facing a lifetime of multiple injections per day as well as finger stick testing 4 times per day. After a couple of years of doing this, I switched doctors. This is where my story actually begins. You see, this was a typical doctor that had no intention of curing me, she only wanted to maintain my sickness. Her motivation was simple based on greed. She saw me as a cash cow and wanted me to take all these unrelated and unwanted tests and procedures that I rejected. I guess I hurt her feelings and she then refused to write further prescriptions for insulin, so I fired her. That was the best decision I have ever made in my life. It made me focus on a lifestyle change that included a somewhat “Keto” diet and intermittent fasting. After the very first day my glucose levels were better than when I was taking insulin. I am now completely off any form of medication and am slowly dropping weight.
Why am I writing this?
Why am I writing this?
I’m writing this to inspire you, motivate you and help you. I want to share my story so that others can learn from it. And if you are struggling with diabetes like I did, then I want to show you how high-functioning people with diabetes can be successful in life without taking insulin or subcutaneous shots of insulin. You are not alone!
Fasting, fasting, and more fasting [intermittent fasting]
You’ve probably heard that fasting is good for you. But what does that mean? Fasting can be defined simply as the act of abstaining from food for a set period of time—usually overnight—or longer. The goal is to minimize insulin production, which allows your body to burn stored fat and produces ketones, an alternative energy source that appears when there are no carbohydrates left to burn.
Fasting is helpful because it helps reset the way your body uses energy. When we eat carbs, our bodies produce more insulin than usual; this creates an environment where excess glucose (blood sugar) can be stored as fat instead of used for fuel by tissues such as muscle or liver cells.*
Intermittent fasting involves alternating between periods of normal eating and extended periods without food (typically 16 hours). There are many different approaches, but most involve eliminating all snacks or meals during certain hours while still consuming three meals per day on other days:
Present day
Now that I’m more than two years out from my diagnosis, I can say with certainty that the keto diet and fasting works for me. It has helped me maintain glucose levels around 100 and I control my diabetes without any medications or insulin.
I am still on the keto diet and intermittent fasting—and will be until I decide otherwise.
Conclusion
I hope my story has inspired you to take control of your health. I know it can feel overwhelming at times but remember that every small step counts and even if you fail, keep trying until you get there! Diabetes is a serious disease, and I don’t want anyone else to have to go through what I did. The best way to fight back against diabetes is through diet and exercise, but also by making sure your blood sugar is always balanced out. I have rendered my doctor and her feeble efforts impotent and useless. I have not been back since. To see her or any other charlatan in a lab coat.
Read my book about my journey: How I Beat Diabetes and Became Insulin Independent – (intellectualcoitus.com)
