Lessons From a Diabetes Diagnosis (Type 2)

By Dorothy Zjawin

On the evening that I was diagnosed with diabetes, I was at the hospital after being hit by a car. Fortunately, I only had a minor bone fracture in my left arm. The diagnosis of diabetes, however, was devastating and was confirmed by a doctor who examined me. He prescribed physical therapy for my arm. The good news was that my arm didn't need surgery! But the idea of having to deal with diabetes was worse.

It meant endless doctor visits and expensive insulin prescriptions. Determined to avoid that fate, I researched diabetes and learned that it could be reversed, Studies had indicated that this was possible, with diabetics recovering and losing weight in the process,

I was going to reverse my diabetes and began learning about helpful foods like spinach, broccoli and oranges. My education had just begun.

Eat plenty of leafy green vegetables every day. I opted for eating salads for lunch. Broccoli and fresh spinach were the two main ingredients. Egg salad and lettuce were the other ingredients. As a diabetic. I could eat tuna and salmon (wild caught). Beverages were lemon water, coffee and green tea.

Avoid doughnuts, chips, soda, orange juice, pastries, sweet cereal, pizza and ice cream. And although little was said about cravings, I experienced them anyway. No more jelly doughnuts! Focus on a plant based diet instead. In the beginning, I suffered a lot of cravings, but turned to nuts such as almonds and walnuts as snacks and gradually reduced the cravings. Occasionally, I'd treat myself to some vanilla ice cream or a slice of pizza, but did not eat those foods every day.

Try eating healthy foods that you never ate as a youngster. I never got fresh spinach at home. My dad used to open canned spinach and serve it for lunch. I hated it and tried feeding it to the cat, who also refused it as well. But I tried fresh spinach and liked it a lot. I also tried and enjoyed broccoli and sweet potatoes, which I liked and added them to my diet. I still have to try eating avocados, preferably every day. And I'm not a fan of fish.

Stick to healthy whole foods that you like and avoid fad diets like paleo and keto. Now paleo and Keto have their good points but they are rather restrictive. I tried the keto diet for a week, but didn't care for many of its featured foods and stopped a few days later.

Opt for an egg for breakfast, as it will help to keep you full. Scrambled eggs or omelettes are always good choices. I used to have coffee and a fresh orange, which didn't satisfy me at all. I ate a lot of pasta, hamburgers and other junk food. I also gained weight and developed high blood pressure and Type 2 diabetes.

Remember to exercise every day even taking a long walk or cycling. Walking is ideal. So is jogging. Both activities are good for the heart. You'll lose weight as well and be pleased to ditch baggy slacks and tops.

I'm working on reversing diabetes, but have more energy and slimmed down. I fit comfortably in size 12 clothes and have routinely eaten whole foods. OK, I do enjoy an occasional doughnut or a few french fries, but don't eat them every day. I've also enjoyed my adventure eating different healthy produce. My blood pressure is down. My clothes feel loose and people have noticed my weight loss.

I'm not a doctor and am only interested in mentioning what has helped me. Everyone is different, so to that end it is better to consult with a doctor for diseases like diabetes.

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