Diabetic Diet: A Learning Process

Adjusting to a new diet due to my diabetes is and has been a challenge.  I've had to eat or try things I don't like or normally eat.  I've also been making sure not to eat certain things.  So formed last few weeks it has been limiting.  I know diabetics that can eat certain things that I can't.  Or they can only eat a little bit of it.  I am not at that point yet.  I don't know if I'll ever be there.  Or I might just stay way from those things for good.

Eating less is good, but especially at breakfast and lunch, I feel like I never ate anything.  I feel empty.  Eating something like instant gratification oatmeal for breakfast doesn't leave me feeling satisfied.  I don't need to feel overly full or stuffed.  But I'd like to feel satisfied.  By the time lunch rolls around, I'm hungry.  Or I try not think I'm hungry.  But I eat a small lunch because supper might be bigger than the other meals.  Most times supper is.

Looking at the nutritional content of food has been frustrating because what a person that thinks is good for a diabetic is not.  It gets discouraging because I need some diversity in what I can eat as I need an evening snack so I can take my pills.  For example, I eat certain fruit, cottage cheese, certain crackers, and humus for my evening snack.  The nutritional content also limits the other meals.

Besides nutritional content, things like starch, natural sugar, protein, and wheat based foods I have to monitor and moderate.  Some of my favourite foods like potatoes I can have in moderation.  Something like corn, which is a favourite vegetable of mine, I been staying away from because of the sugar content.  With fruit, I've been having a lot less oranges than when it first started on this diabetic diet.  It might have something to do with the higher natural sugar content.

When it comes to sugar, I only have sugar if my sugar is low.  I can have stuff such as sugar water, juice, a little bit honey straight, a certain amount of pop (haven't drank any pop since becoming
diabetic), or tea with sugar in it.  But for the most part when I have been in range, I have used sweetner like Splenda in my tea.  I have to use it because it is my only option to have some sweetness in my tea.  You may or may not know how I feel about artificial sweeteners like aspartame or sucralose.  One thing I'll always stay away from is Stevia.  If you don't know about Stevia, than you need to know about it.

Even though Stevia is natural as it comes from a plant, it tricks your body into thinking you are getting sugar.  Your body needs sugar.  Health side effects are damage to your heart and kidneys.  For me as a diabetic, Stevia may cause bloods sugar control problems.  That would be a big problem for me.

My aunt said that since she has cut out sugar she has felt better.  I haven't felt any difference.  Maybe I will, maybe I won't.

I snack in the evening so I can take my pills. What I stated above is what I have been eating in the evening for a snack.  I have cut out junk food and beverages like chips, pop, slush, chocolate bars, candies, and other such items.  But those were just an example.  But how fair is it when I have to be in the presence of people who are eating and drinking such things?  Sure my mom has said sorry for eating chips while I am in the room.  That's all fine, but my mom and step dad still eat chips, candies, and chocolate in my presence.  I have just learned to deal with it.

So far up to this point, it has been a learning process.  I will continue to learn because you will never be able to know everything about there is too know about diabetes in terms of what I can and can't eat.  Hopefully I'll be able to get some good information when I go to my appointment with Live Well program at the Royal University Hospital in Saskatoon.

Marriage: Is it Antiquated and Archaic?

I was thinking about marriage today for some random reason.  No, not about me getting married.  I was thinking about the idea of marriage.  I was thinking maybe it is an antiquated, archaic, and outdated notion. I thought, "is there any point to marriage?"

Great, you love each other.  But you don't need marriage to love someone or be happy with a significant other.  Lots of times people get marriage and end up falling out of love because they are miserable.  I know an older woman who got divorced because her then husband fell out of love with her.  Lots of times, other reasons like finances are a cause for divorce.  I get it, the financial strain is too much.  But just because you have money doesn't mean you'll be happy in your marriage.  There are a lot of people who don't have a lot of money, but they make their marriage work.

Yes, marriage or not, any type of relationship is hard work.  But if you really can't make a go of it, than should you struggle along lying to yourself that everything is hunky dory?  No.  Don't lie to yourself.  My parents didn't.  They got divorced.  That was best for the situation at that time.

A lot of people say it is their dream to get married.  Great.  That's all fine and well.  But they don't realize how much work it is and end up getting divorced because they truly weren't ready.  That's why I probably won't ever get married.  I'm not ready for it.  That's a big step for anyone at any age.

A guy I used to work with said he doesn't want to get married because all it is is a piece of paper.  That maybe true, but there is more to it than that.  More to it than some people realize.

With the amount of divorce in this world, it can make you question if marriage is worth it regardless of the face you love your significant other.  Nowadays common-law is equal to marriage.  So you don't have to actually get married to be considered married.  That's as far as I will go most likely when it comes to marriage.  Even being common-law is a big step in a relationship.  I know a guy who is a common-law.  Sure he wants to get married someday, but he is happy being common-law until the day come when he gets married.

At this one place I worked, this guys talked about marriage as if it was some big important step  everybody needs to take.  They ask me why I'm not married.  Or they tell me that I should get married.  Even if I wanted to get married, I am not in the position financially to get married.  I got sick of them talking about marriage that I eventually told them that I don't want to get married.

Maybe marriage is an outdated idea. Maybe I'm looking at it all wrong.  Maybe I'm just cynical when it comes to marriage because my parents and a number of my friend's parents got divorced.  I know a number of other people that are divorced.  Maybe that could be why I feel marriage is archaic, antiquated, and outdated.  I don't want to potentially get divorced becuse that could always happen.  Divorce is a scary notion and I don't want that to happen. Not saying it will, but you never know.

It is not just divorce that is a scary reason not to get married.  Like I said, it is being financially secure enough to get married.  It is also being in a position lifewise that I'd feel ready to take the plunge.  But maybe I'm just one of those people that doesn't want to get married.  I'be said it over and over that I don't want to get married.  Maybe I will or maybe I won't.  Right now, it is looking like I won't.

Why is this Story Newsworthy?

I see stories online or not about things that people go through all the time.  I've questioned many times why this particular story or this person's story is more important to tell than someone else's story.  One story comes to mind that I've questioned.

The Telegraph recently ran a story on their website about an Australian female who has been addicted to porn since she was eight.  This story isn't special at all.  Sure it is unfortunate that she is addicted.  But everyday, people all over the world struggle with addiction to porn.  Their stories are not told.  Is her story somehow more newsworthy than another person's?  If it is, she would have told it without the help of some publication.  This person says she got addicted to porn because of something she saw in a movie.  What she saw in a movie isn't related to porn.  She is making excuses it seems like.

It is good she is getting help for her addiction.  But I want to college with a guy who was addicted to porn.  His story was never ran in any publication.  Does that make his story and addiction any less valid?  No.

What I find messed up about this story is that there is no mention of her parents.  Where were they in all of this?  Her parents not being mentioned seemingly cast them in a bad light.

This is just one example of a story that shouldn't be published over thousands of similar stories.  Not saying her addiction is not valid.  I am saying that her addiction shouldn't be told over others.

Other examples are alcoholics or drug addicts getting their story published.  Thousands of stories about various things are never told in any publication.  That doesn't make their stories any less valid or less important.

I'd honestly like to know why this story or that story gets chosen to be ran over others.  It baffles me why media thinks this story or that story is more important to be ran versus others.  It's shitty media works in this way.

Diabetes: My New Life

Living with diabetes is a something new for me.  It is a process of learning my diet, taking pills, testing myself, and all the rest of the stuff that comes with it.

Looking back, hindsight is 20/20.  I should have listened to my parents and this would have been prevented.  I was stubborn.  What's done is done.  Now I have pun to live with the consequences of my actions.  It is a hard pill to swallow.

Yes, there is diabetes in my extended family.  Sure that was lingering in the back of my mind.  That still didn't make me change.  You might say that I shouldn't beat myself up over this.  But at times it is hard not too.  But now, I'm rolling with the punches and taking this one day at a time.

I've started to make some changes in my life that will go towards make myself better in terms of my overall health.  But there is more to do.  Diabetes is an ongoing lifestyle change.

What I'm asking my friends and family to do is help  make myself better.  Be the support I need.  Help me stick to making better choices in my life.

I do appreciate the positive vibes, prayers, and thoughts during my time in the hospital.  There is a lot to learn when it comes to diabetes.  If you can prevent it for yourself, than do so.  You don't want to feel overwhelmed because during the first week it has been overwhelming.

Take care of yourself.  Godspeed!