Friday, June 13, 2008
LIfe by Number, Chapter 1
This is not an advertisement for Walgreens (although I am always available for spokesperson duty, if they're interested.) This is the new blood glucose meter I recently purchased, even though I am NOT a diabetic. Not yet, anyway. And that's the point. Diabetes is running rampant in the United States. 7.5% of Americans currently have the diagnosis and countless millions go undiagnosed. I'm going to do everything in my power not to become a statistic.
I am, however, a prime candidate for the insidious disease. I had gestational diabetes with both pregnancies. My son and daughter weighed 10 lb-5 oz and 8 lb-15 oz, respectively. (Some day, after several glasses of wine, I just might recount the birth of the 10-pounder - the boy we fondly called "Bobble Head" due to his enormous melon.) My dad, may he rest in peace, was a Type 1 diabetic for 53 years (a heroic accomplishment). And, alas, I have a love-hate relationship with food and exercise. (Love food, hate exercise.)
But since I purchased this handy dandy meter for $19.99, not including test strips which are obscenely expensive, I am a changed woman. I am able to see, immediately, the cause and effect of high blood sugar. Exercise and eat well, my readings are normal. Skip the treadmill and cheat with a piece of flan drizzled with caramel sauce (be still my calcifying heart), the numbers head for the sky. I am, on most days, within normal range but I consider myself a "borderline borderline" and am eating, drinking and exercising as if I have a full blown Type 2 diabetes diagnosis.
You can see by the date, I haven't figured out how to set the memory yet, but I'm keeping a log of my readings throughout the day and, I have to say, it's the best motivation I've found to date for staying on a program (more on that program later).
If you want to know about diabetes, pre-diabetes or how to prevent diabetes, check out this helpful Web site:
American Diabetes Association
http://www.diabetes.org
And if you have any tips to share on keeping blood sugars within normal range, please leave your comment below.
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