My Diabetes Story
While this post is my diabetes story, however I want you to think about how it applies to you.
Ask yourself these questions:
Are you ready to end the downward health spiral?
Are you sick and tired of being sick and tired?
In 2009 I answered “YES!” to both of those questions and I decided to make a change.
- I am formerly obese
- I am a former drug & insulin dependent diabetic
- Since 2009 I have maintained normal weight, truly normal blood sugars, all while remaining drug and insulin free!!
At diagnosis in 2009 I was an obese, chronically sick, out-of-control diabetic. Since 2009 I have been normal weight, rarely sick and I maintain truly normal blood sugars. My “diabetes story’ has been documented numerous times on this website, but here’s another longer version, “My Diabetes Story“.
Above is a “Before and After” photo, roughly a year apart. On the left, a picture taken in December 2009 and on the right, a picture from November 2010.
The pictures pretty much tell my ‘fitness story’ but below you will see the health results of my diabetes management regimen.
I simply refuse to consume food and drinks that raise inflammation and spike my blood sugars.
Normal Blood Sugars are THE Key
To optimize health and fitness and by extension, to optimize life and living, your first task is to obtain and maintain truly normal blood sugars.
You can’t do that at least initially, unless you test your blood sugars regularly. Trying to maintain normal blood sugars without a blood sugar or blood glucose meter is like trying to drive a car at night without the lights on…. very dangerous.
Short Version of My Diabetes Story
In February 2009, I was an obese, chronically sick person. After months of being miserable I had, had enough. I went to “Urgent Care” on a Sunday morning only to have the doctor’s office call an ambulance to rush me to the hospital.
I exited the hospital after a three day stay in ICU a broken, dejected, depressed person… and a newly diagnosed diabetic.
When my diabetic journey began I was taking drugs for diabetes, cholesterol, and hypertension
drugs as well as taking 4 insulin shots per day … just to survive.
Within a couple of weeks, things began to improve, and within a few months, I WAS A NEW PERSON!
I call this period in my life, my rebirth.
Check out my “before and after” ailment chart below to see the results I received with my diabetes treatment regimen.
| Ailment | Before | After |
| Obese | 235 lbs | 157 lbs |
| Diabetes – HighBlood Sugar | 740 mg/dl the day of diagnosis | Now I have normal fasting levels, less than 100 mg/dl |
| Insulin | 4 shots per day | -0- Insulin Shots |
| Blood Sugar Drugid | Actos | -0- Diabetes Drugs |
| Hypertension | 150/90 | “average” now is 112/67 |
| Cholesterol | “High” | Optimum / Protective |
| Bronchitis & Asthma | multiple yearly bouts | lungs have been clear, as of this writing for 6 years and 11 months. Yes I’m counting. |
| Plantar Fasciitis | Always wore shoes | Rarely wear shoes except for running on streets. I sprint barefooted and never wear shoes in or around the house. |
| Lower Back Pain | Multiple Yearly Flare Ups | It’s been years since I last experienced a ‘flare up’. |
| Acid Reflux & Indigestion |
Weekly Flare Ups | No Reoccurrence in 19 months (since March ’09) |
| Lethargy | low energy level | Ketosis provides me with a seemingly steady energy level and I believe it aids in my post workout recovery time. |
More Links
My First Year with Diabetes – here you can see the difference
ONE year can make.
My Sixth (12th now) Year Paleo Anniversary with Diabetes Story! I tell my diabetes story primarily through pictures. :)
Start THRIVING and not ‘just’ surviving. I did and so have many others.
Begin your own successful diabetes story … TODAY!
You can start here with my ‘diabetes diet’ … or as I call it, “A Meal Plan You Can Live “With”.”
==============
Lower Your Blood Sugar Naturally
If your blood sugars are elevated and you cannot achieve truly normal blood sugars with diet alone…
READ MY BOOK! How to Reduce Blood Sugars.
Invest a few dollars on your health and let’s get BUSY!
Steve, what were your cholesterol readings prior to low carb primal? I ask because my good cholesterol is 79, but my bad is elevated at 237; I fell off the low carb wagon and, for my own good, I’ getting back on with serious intentions to be a lifelong follower.
I have not tested my cholesterol since august ’09. I plan to do it again in august of this year. The way I eat, is the best way to maintain cholesterol in my opinion… I’m not concerned what the numbers say. :)
If you are… I urge you to take an NMR or VAP test, read this post if you have not done so.
https://www.diabetes-warrior.net/2011/10/08/fats-cholesterol-good/
Thank you for the response, Steve. I really appreciate you! I will check out the tests you mentioned.
I, too, do not worry much about the numbers, my doctor does. I know that a low carb primal lifestyle is optimal for my health and other than the occasional beer (my bad), I do love this way of eating and living!
Cheers!
I do agree and you are welcome. :) I would love to see a study done of the gluten pre and post production in beers.
I do not get a reaction from them… and I do not cheat, so the once or twice a year I do drink beer, you would think I’d be having a reaction if there was a lot of gluten in the beer.
Take care, all the best and thanks again. :)
Is there a way to contact you by email or through a contact form on your site?
You indicate that you take 25 to 50 grams of carbs a day from starchy sources. When are you eating those starchy carbs during the day?
I’m also wondering what is the typical daily glucose pattern you see? I am eating 50 grams of starchy carbs a day divided as 20 grams at breakfast and about 30 grams at lunch. My glucose pattern is really crazy. I wake up typically with about 90 mg/dL and that quickly rises to 115 mg/dL. I start taking a lot of Alpha Lipoic Acid and after carbs that will climb to maybe 130 mg/dL. The glucose then starts to moderate slowly down over the day and will be down in the nineties by late afternoon.
No matter how I change things up, and no matter how much ALA I take, I cannot seem to stop this morning phenomena where glucose wants to go to 130. Even exercise only takes maybe 10 points off that 130 early in day. I cannot make sense of my pattern or make sense of how to get it under control.
Not sure what you are referring to, I started out eating 30g of Total Carbs per day … never exceeding 50g of total carbs.
Unless I am experimenting, I rarely go above 20 and I’m usually less than 10g… except for wine night. :)
Read this post and see if it helps
How to Reduce High Blood Sugars
https://www.diabetes-warrior.net/2012/02/17/reader-question-how-to-reduce-high-blood-sugars/
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