Looking at Mom now, you hardly would have guessed anything had ever happened. But of course, now she has to be a lot more careful about what she eats and drinks, and she needs to exercise more on top of checking her blood sugar regularly and taking her necessary diabetic medications every day. Such is the case for all of us.
I've never been one to dictate what other people should or shouldn't eat or drink. But when you think about it, it's amazing and rather scary how unhealthy most of us are. I was surprised to discover just how bad soda is; sure, a little soda on occasion won't do any real harm, but too much of it at a time (even just one can or bottle a week) all but guarantees disaster. It not only causes your blood sugar to skyrocket but it also sucks calcium from your bones, so it's not very tooth-friendly, and it's not the best thing for quenching your thirst. You're much better off drinking water and milk most of the time.
Fast foods and processed foods are pretty bad as well, and the effects are further sped up when you don't provide enough of a counterbalance with good food and exercise.
Not only that, but how much you eat at a time matters just as much. Ideally, vegetables should make up at least half your plate (leafy greens are best), you should eat more fruits than drink them in juices and smoothies, and whole grains fill you up better.
So while these lifestyle changes are taking some getting used to, I must admit it's a rather nice change. I'm losing some weight already; I've always been a bit on the plump side and so I'm at greater risk for diabetes myself, so this is good progress. I've spent a lot of time cooped up in my room, either on my bed or in front of my desk, but now I'm dedicating myself to a little outdoor walk every non-work morning, before it gets too hot, and we take Mom out for a little walk around our church (which is just across the street) in the evenings.
I'm forcing myself to go to bed sooner, too. I got in the habit of staying up pretty late, but I'm enforcing a stricter curfew for myself. Just last night, I probably had the best sleep I had in ages.
Nothing crazy or excessive. Just a little tweak here, a little tweak there, and maintaining consistency.
