Ok. So. It’s only been a bajillion years since I started the articles on overcoming diabetes. ? Ok. Maybe not that long. ? Truth is, I needed to get my last doctors appointment behind me so I could tell where I really stood.
See, I shared with you before in Part 2 how my A1c numbers went down to 5.2, but that was still while I was on diabetic meds. If my blood sugars came down only while on the drug, I didn’t have much to brag about. So I needed to see the doc again and be tested.
To back up a lil, from the time I was diagnosed with diabetes my blood sugar numbers had steadily gotten lower and lower over the next year. So my doc had begun to wean me off the diabetic drug so we could tell the amount I actually needed…or didn’t need (I know, unusual doc). I was careful to keep track of my blood sugar glucose readings and they were staying steady, so after my last appointment-which was six or so months ago, I made the leap to going off the meds altogether to see what would happen.
So…these last 6 months have been completely drug-free. And…..
My last A1c reading was 5.9! ?? ? ?
“Normal” A1c is 5.7. Anything under 6.4 is acceptable. I am now officially a “diet-controlled diabetic” (as opposed to a drugged diabetic ?).
So. Now. A bajillion years later… back to “how did I do it?”
As I shared before in Part 1, it started with getting honest about a sugar addiction I’d nursed since I was a child. That was the very beginning, and an important step, cuz nothing is going to change until you admit the problem.
Then, a few weeks later, I went gluten free. Going gluten free is the source of a lot of jokes nowadays, but it’s NO joke. It’s no joke for those who are allergic to gluten (celiac), and it’s no joke for those who struggle with auto-immune conditions, mystery illnesses and depression, and it’s no joke for those who want to lose weight and just plain feel healthy and energetic.
I’m not kidding you, when I started in on dealing with my sugar intake and then went gluten free, I dropped 25 lbs right off the bat (snap my fingers!) without ever once feeling hungry or deprived. ? Almost overnight. In the blink of an eye. At least it felt like that.
I remember someone taking a pic of me holding a grandson, and I was amazed that I was noticeably thinned down. That was only 3-4 weeks (!!) after the dietary changes! The weight very literally melted off.
I know, I know. Fast weight loss doesn’t tend to stay off, but that’s with fad dieting (starving) and milkshakes and pills. This was a lifehabits change. That’s a whole different ballgame. I don’t know for sure how much I’ve lost, but my best guess is +\- 70 lbs altogether.
That was a year ago… and it’s stayed off….(Thank you, Lord). But then, my lifehabit changes have stayed on (including light exercise every day).
The kind of food we eat makes a world of difference in so many directions. If only we truly believed that. God made our bodies to know what’s good and what’s bad, and to reward the good with healing and health….
Weight loss, blood sugar coming back under control, blood pressure coming down, and so many other good things come with eating healthy!
Of course, for me, my stroke happened only a couple months after I made these changes. ? Trying to eat healthy in the hospital was a nightmare. ? But that was only for a couple weeks. Ironic, since hospitals are supposed to be all about restoring health. But ….that’s a discussion for another time. ?
I kept to good sugar and Gfree as best I could while incarcerated (ahem) there, and went back to it fully after I got home. I didn’t really get to enjoy my newfound weight loss and sense of health, as I had to focus on overcoming the stroke deficits, but I totally know it strengthened my body and has aided my recovery.
I totally know for sure too that these are the things that dropped my A1c back into the normal range relatively quickly. Which has also been a help to my recovery.
I eventually want to share more about my processes of quitting sugar and learning to eat gluten free. For now, I’ve talked about those things a little here and here.
Thanks y’all for listening. ?
Til next time,
mary
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The purpose of Jordan’s Crossing Herbal Connections is to promote the sharing of information about healthy, natural products and dietary supplements. JCHC’s views and opinions are INFORMATIONAL ONLY and are not intended to constitute medical advice. If you are sick, injured or pregnant, please consult a licensed health care professional.