life by the numbers

The first days of a new year are always days of reflection for me.  I’ve written about resolutions in the past and don’t want to repeat my harping about that custom.

In the past year I have learned to live by the numbers.  There are three important numbers in my life:  blood sugar (A1C); blood pressure; cholesterol.  You notice I didn’t list age as an important number.  I’ve learned that age is mostly a state of mind the actual chronological number is not significant.

Of the three important numbers the one that almost ruined my life in 2018 is blood sugar.  I was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes about 5 years ago.  During that time I’ve “managed” my diabetes through lifestyle and diet.  There is no cure (yet) for type 2 diabetes but it can be managed and life is normal.

Life turned inside about June and stayed that way until October.  In June my average blood sugar soared to 241 and my AIC to 8.8.  Preferred readings for both are <130 blood sugar and 7.0 AIC.  In the spring at my annual check-up my doctor had a heart to heart talk with me and explained that diabetes is a progressive disease and that I could expect to be prescribed insulin.

I viewed this as defeat.  I had worked to avoid taking insulin for almost six years.  Stress tipped the balance in my life.  With stress the body produces cortisol and epinephrine which tells the liver to release sugar to either “fight or flight”.
 
On October 24th I met a diabetic nurse, learned how to inject insulin and was convinced to adopt the Paleo lifestyle.  By November 21st in a follow-up visit to the diabetic nurse I had cut my blood sugar number in half and lowered my A1C to 7.7.  My blood sugars now are consistently <130. 
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I test my blood sugars twice a day to know how my body is tracking.  It has made a miraculous difference in my life.  Living by the numbers has given me renewed life.