Type 2 Diabetes And Weekend Winners

I hated the yucky orange stuff!

When I was pregnant with my daughter, I remember guzzling down this gross orange flat soda tasting drink so that I could get tested for gestational diabetes. Pffft. Like I'd EVER have that. I wasn't fat, I was pregnant and I wasn't even that big.

I was quite ignorant of my body back then, and I learned quickly how little I knew about food and health, and most importantly, diabetes.

As you probably suspect, I was diagnosed with gestational diabetes and the last 5 months of my pregnancy I had to stick my fingers five times a day to take samples of my blood. I visited a nutritionist to figure out how to manage my diet, and though I did quite well, I admit I cried a lot. ALL of my cravings had to go unanswered--equal to the withdrawals you get from quitting smoking--and with the addition of raging, crazy pregnant hormones.

What a nightmare, I thought. I made it all the way to delivery and as soon as my daughter came out...I ordered pizza an hour later. Phew...my ordeal was over.

Only...it wasn't. Because I was gestationally diabetic, I will now be at a higher risk for Type 2 Diabetes, which means I can't go back to the way I used to eat--not if I care about my health. Go ahead and have that junk food, Allure...but you'll only increase your risk. Yikes! I swear I hear that every time I find myself in the drive thru and I can practically see the risk-o-meter go up a notch after every piece of pizza.

I thought changing the way I ate would the end of the world. Look at all the things I can't eat anymore--and I LOVE to eat.

I realized I was looking at my life's situation all wrong. There are so many people out there, struggling to keep Diabetes from consuming them, and I'm lamenting about not being able to eat pizza whenever I want?

I truly believe this country suffers from food ignorance. We have no idea what we put in our mouths, we just eat what tastes best. Not everyone of course, but a HUGE chunk of people. I was included in that group until I decided to change.

Of course I love cheeseburgers and pizza. I've eaten them so much, I've trained myself to crave them. Now I'm working on training myself to crave good foods. I'm not saying I have to swear off everything (though one day I really do want to get to a point where I saw "ewww greasy pizza"--not there yet) but moderation is key. We don't treat ourselves occasionally, we turn treats into a daily staple.

Why did this post turn into a food rant? Good question. Let me show you some stats.

From CDC and Wikipedia:

A number of lifestyle factors are known to be important to the development of type 2 diabetes. In one study, those who had high levels of physical activity, a healthy diet, did not smoke, and consumed alcohol in moderation had an 82% lower rate of diabetes. When a normal weight was included, the rate was 89% lower. In this study, a healthy diet was defined as one high in fiber, with a high polyunsaturated to saturated fat ratio, and a lower mean glycemic index. Obesity has been found to contribute to approximately 55% of cases of type 2 diabetes, and decreasing consumption of saturated fats and trans fatty acids while replacing them with unsaturated fats may decrease the risk. The increased rate of childhood obesity between the 1960s and 2000s is believed to have led to the increase in type 2 diabetes in children and adolescents.



Like heart disease, for those who have inherited the issue, lifetime maintenance is VERY important. Peer pressure, lack of nutritional options, and frustration can cause diabetes patients to push their boundaries. I think if we were all a little more aware of diabetes and how to eat healthier, we could get one step closer to minimizing the "spread". One big step is having caloric counts/sugar counts on menus in every restaurant.

Go ahead, ask to look at the nutrition information on a menu at a popular chain restaurant. Some still don't have a breakdown menu available, but for the ones that do...remember...on average at 1500-2000 calorie diet is considered good. The truth might scare the crap out of you.

Now...there are several more issues with Diabetes than just diet, but for me, diet is the one thing I've learned about and can speak about. I don't have diabetes, and I don't feel comfortable doing a write-up on all the different symptoms, emotional affects, etc. Please, PLEASE read up on diabetes and consider donating to the following charity for research:

Diabetes Action <~~~~~Donation Link

Action for Healthy Kids <~~~~Donation Link


Giveaways:


Allure Van Sanz EBook (Your choice of Noble Releases)
Author Lisa Beth Darling’s EBook Dream Weaver
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St. Jude's Winners: (Please contact me at allurevansanz@aol.com so I can set you up with your goodies.)

Allure Van Sanz T-shirt - J.A. Beard

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Heart Health Winners:

Allure Van Sanz T-shirt - blackroze

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Erotic Romance Author Brindle Chase EBook The Grass is Always Greener - Dean Y


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