I do NOT ‘live’ like a diabetic. I eat like I want (low carb primal foods) and I exercise like I want…. I love the way I eat, play and live.
I do not feel limited in the slightest way.
That is so empowering!!! … and unlike the ‘typical’ diabetic.
Yes, if I run barefoot sprints I check my feet afterwards… but I hike, sprint, jog, swim, lift weights, play basketball… pretty much what every 49.7 year old does…right? :)
I still check my blood sugar every couple of weeks or so just to make sure I’m still in ‘normal’ ranges … for non-diabetics. If I am experimenting I will ‘test’ my blood sugar more frequently.
I feel so rejuvenated and reinvigorated since being diagnosed with the disease. So much so, I wrote a true and heartfelt post regarding how I felt about my diabetes diagnosis in this post, “Thanks for Diabetes“.
Most days I don’t think about being a diabetic, but …. YESTERDAY … I did.
Yesterday was a busy day … I ate lunch which was Bone Broth, Egg Drop Soup (and Guacamole and sausage)…. but other than that I was busy ALL day and night. I did not EVEN exercise can you believe it??? :) About 9 pm I wrapped up my work and began getting ready for my run, it was getting late… but I just HAD to run…
So off I went… I felt STRONG, legs felt fresh and I was actually enjoying the run. About 81 minutes and 6.5 miles later I was done, by this time it was about 11 pm.
Came into the house after running and plopped down in the chair and did not ‘cool down’ as long as I should have. And then I experienced something that I had not FELT in a LONG TIME.
… dizziness, nausea … pretty bad. I felt as if I was going to lose consciousness. I called out for my wife to bring me my blood sugar metering kit. A couple of things were running through my mind…
1) I had a little yogurt and kefir earlier in the evening, that’s all I had eaten since 11 AM. I have run fasted many times before, the last time I ran, I actually scored a 68 on my blood sugar test. I was not concerned then but it was approaching a low reading. (read about it here)… I felt fine that day but it was on my mind. I thought that I could be experiencing my first true low.
2) Originally I was going to run only a mile or two so I did not bring water with me… I usually do on runs longer than 45 minutes. I read long ago that dehydration can raise blood sugars… so I was also worried that my blood sugars might be high.
ALL this worrying occurred in just a blink of an eye…
MY WIFE … brought me two blood sugar meters…and nothing else. I said, “Tammy I need a lancet and a strip”. She didn’t know what I was talking about! More on that in a minute.
I carefully stood up (slowly) and walked over to my supplies and carefully took my blood sugar reading…. it was …. 86! Which is just about perfect. :)
After reading, I sat back down and was relaxing and within a few minutes I felt much better. After taking a shower I felt great… apparently the dizziness and nausea was due to an improper cool down.
Regardless of the reason, I felt fine the day after.
* If you are a diabetic please make sure the people close to you know how to read blood sugar and administer insulin (AND handle low blood sugar).
Had my blood sugar been low (or high for that matter) things could have turned out differently for me.
** I do not ‘blame’ my wife for not knowing how to test blood sugar…
… it’s my fault. Because of my success in reducing blood sugars… she never ‘had’ to know. As of today…after the scare yesterday … she now does know how to read blood sugar.
In summary, events could have turned much differently yesterday had my blood sugars been low. I could have lost consciousness… my wife would not have known how to handle them.
* Learn from my mistake… don’t let this happen to you.
Here is my Diabetes Warrior Info:
My Diabetes Meal Plan ( a true diabetes diet, not like most of those promoted by American Diabetes Association)
Steve, your nausea and dizziness may also have been due to dehydration (and severe change in electrolytes), AND a dramatic change in blood pressure. If this happens to you again, do take your BG soon as possible, but also again an hour later. Cortisol change may keep your BG high, and then have it drop. Sometimes you will not feel a drop in BG.
Thanks Cheryl, I’d actually thought about de-hydration but don’t think so in this case. It had no affect on BG since BG was normal.
I stay hydrated, drinking water /coffee throughout the day.
I tested my BG and it was 86… so I’m more inclined to think it was BP but who knows. :)
Steve
I wonder too about dehydration. While fasting are you drinking water? I am glad that you felt better quickly.
Hey and thanks for the comment Aaluther.
Yes I always drink a lot of water …and COFFEE! even when fasting.
Not sure what it was but I really do believe it was from not cooling down properly :)