Diabetes: Thelma’s New Diagnosis
This video details the story of Thelma Garza. Like many people with Type 2 Diabetes, she had no idea that she had the condition. It wasn’t until she had a routine physical exam that she found out. That was more than 20 years ago.
Insulin Resistance
Type 2 Diabetes is a disorder in which the body cannot properly use the energy it gets from food. In a healthy person, food is broken down into glucose (blood sugar) as part of the digestive process. That sugar is what gives the body energy, and insulin (produced by the pancreas) helps the cells receive the glucose. In a diabetic person, the cells become resistant to insulin, and the blood glucose levels get too high. It leaves an excess of glucose circulating in the bloodstream.
Thelma’s doctor pricked her finger to illustrate the problem. The doctor’s blood was runny, similar to water.
“She asked me to do the same thing, so I did,” says Thelma. “It was as if I had syrup between my fingers. She said, ‘That’s what’s running in your veins.’ She said that it was a miracle that I was walking around conscious.”
Type 2 Diabetes
Type 2 Diabetes can lead to serious health conditions, including heart disease, stroke, kidney failure, amputation or blindness. Thelma took the risk seriously, and immediately cut all sugary foods out of her diet. Weight loss began almost immediately, and she began taking prescription medications to help manage the problem. She also learned to test her blood sugar on a daily basis.
Like many Type 2 Diabetes patients, Thelma admits that she remained in denial for years about her condition.
Dr Kal’s Addendum:
The lifestyle modifications she made to treat her Diabetes are the same modifications she could have made to prevent it. Don’t wait until you are diagnosed with Diabetes to lose weight and make lifestyle modifications.
Diabetes is best prevented and treated by losing weight and adopting a healthy lifestyle. For a great nutrition plan designed to help Diabetics and Pre-Diabetics lose weight, read my review of the Nutrisystem D Plan.
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