How I Beat Type 2 Diabetes

There is a great possibility that many of you reading this article are afflicted with type 2 diabetes. If not, it could still be in its early stages of development and will sooner or later emerge. However, if you happen to be the lucky one not burdened with this disease, then please share this article with your families, friends and colleagues at work, because life examples reach the mind faster and stimulate reaction. Please note that I am not a nutritionist, diabetologist or any kind of specialist engaged in diabetes research. I am simply a medical practitioner and self-improvement trainer who has used his knowledge to escape from the claws of diabetes.

Considering that all my Udemy courses are related to self-improvement, I have decided to include this article as a supplement to each course. I will prove to you that you can achieve your goals once you have the right mindset and follow the right path.

One year ago I took a blood test and my fasting glucose was 128 mg/dl (7.1 mmol/L). As this was far beyond the norm of 100 mg/dl (5.6 mmol/L), I underwent the oral glucose tolerance test to measure my body’s response to glucose. After forcing that syrupy solution down my throat, I comforted myself on the sofa reserved for such patients and waited two hours before my blood glucose was measured again.

Then came the verdict.

My glucose level had rocketed to 276 mg/dl (15.3 mmol/L), which was a clear indication of type 2 diabetes. As I am not the kind of person to panic easily, I got into my car and on my way back home, I had a loud discussion between me, myself and I. Just the three of us and nobody else.

I even remember that at one point I mentioned to myself that I should log into Udemy and watch one of my own self-improvement courses, be it Self-Discipline Hacks, The Power of Motivation or The Secret to Success. Sometimes, you simply need a kick-start or an eye-opener to motivate you to initiate changes in your life.

Anyway, the final decision me, myself and I had come to during the monologue was that I should make an appointment to see a diabetologist as soon as possible. I was hoping that a renowned specialist would bring some harmony to the chaos.

The initial reason for taking the blood glucose test was related to excessive sleepiness, especially after a solid meal. And it’s easy for you to guess that the meals consisted of a large quantity of refined carbohydrates: white rice, white bread, macaroni, potatoes, cakes, compote, coca cola, chocolate and many other delicious things that the brain loves so much.

The drowsiness continued for quite a long period of time and was accompanied with immoderate sleep during the night, reaching an average of 10 to 12 hours. I went to bed tired and woke up tired. My belly began bulging out shamelessly and the buttons of my shirt became engaged in a permanent battle to keep it hidden. As the fat underneath my shirt buttons got bigger, I started to snore and began getting nightly heartburn, which soon became a nuisance. The snoring became so intense that I could literally hear myself disturbing myself during my sleep.

Even though the symptoms spoke for themselves, I had kept putting off making the decision to control my glucose level. You see, I am also guilty of procrastinating and the reason is related to not wanting to find out the truth. I believe that this example would fit rather well in my “How to Stop Procrastinating & Get Things Done” course.

During the consultation at the diabetes center, I was bombarded with questions regarding my diet, lifestyle and the characteristics of my work environment. However, after analyzing the blood results, I was officially diagnosed with type 2 diabetes and metformin was prescribed. I got my glucometer, diabetes test strips and my medication and got down to seriously pep talking myself into Not Taking The Medication.

I looked at the metformin and asked myself whether I wanted medicine to dictate my life. I asked myself if I was mentally weak to allow the pharmaceutical industry to solve my issue, my dietetic deviation. The answer to both questions was a blunt “No”. It was then that I decided to regain control of my life.

I started by envisioning all the consequences of type 2 diabetes and what my life would look like in a few years. Believe me, the consequences in my mind’s eye were devastating. I pictured the high blood sugar causing damage to my blood vessels, causing kidney disorder that might lead to dialysis, eye problems resulting in blindness, foot ulcers, fungal infection, heart disease, stroke, and dementia. I saw myself getting bigger around the waistline, hence losing my masculinity. I pictured myself becoming more and more phlegmatic and having to endure a life of misery. I created these pictures in my mind’s eye and could literally feel the pain that they aroused.

Afterwards, I envisioned myself taking action, overpowering my diabetes and regaining control of my physical and mental well-being. And that was the beginning of a new era for me. As I have mentioned in my courses, you need to link extreme pain to the things that you do not want. So, if you want to cure yourself from a disease or personal inadequacy, then link as much pain as possible to the impact of the disease or deficiency. In my case, it was diabetes. In your case, it could be obesity, excessive usage of alcohol, smoking, procrastination, speaking in front of an audience or simply failure to achieve success at work. After that, simply link as much pleasure to having overcome that bad situation, and this will provide the driving force to move forward and conquer the obstacles.

Before I describe how I managed diabetes, let me briefly introduce to you the basics of type 2 diabetes.

When we consume food, carbohydrates are converted into glucose, which is absorbed into the bloodstream. The higher the glycemic index of the food, the faster the conversion rate and hence the higher the level of blood glucose. The beta cells of the pancreas secrete insulin that transports glucose into our cells for energy, but also converts glucose into glycogen, which is stored in the liver and muscles. Conversely, when we don’t eat, the insulin level drops and the body will then burn some of the sugar to get energy, i.e. glycogen is converted into glucose that will be used for energy.

Now, imagine yourself consciously or unconsciously dumping tons and tons of carbohydrates into your body. Obviously, the pancreas will produce more and more insulin to get the sugar out of your blood and into the cells. Now, consider that your blood sugar level continues to increase over a long period of time due to this high and constant intake of carbohydrates. In this case, your liver cell will not be able to accept more glucose. It’s like trying to pack more bags into your car trunk that is already jam-packed. Even if you use more force to push in yet another bag, it will not work. It is the same with the liver cells. They cannot take in any more sugar. The level of insulin in your blood continues to rise to counteract the high concentration of glucose and this in turn stimulates a process called “de novo lipogenesis” that changes the excessive carbohydrates into fat, which is stored in the liver cells, and other parts of the body, especially around the belly.

As time goes by, the fatty liver cells become more and more resistant to insulin and will therefore refuse to accept more glucose. Enough is enough. This leads to an increased blood glucose. The beta cells of the pancreas now become more engaged in the fight to reduce the increasing blood glucose by secreting more and more insulin and the body gets trapped in a vicious cycle. This vicious cycle can continue for years. However, there comes a time when the fatty liver needs to free itself of all this fat. It does so by transporting some of it to other organs, for example, the pancreas. And this is when the problem becomes serious.

The pancreas is now congested with fat and its beta cells begin to malfunction. As a result, they are unable to secrete the adequate amount of insulin. The blood insulin drops and it becomes even more difficult to reduce the blood sugar level. The blood glucose remains at a high level and you are diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. When the blood glucose abnormal level exceeds the renal threshold for glucose (around 180 mg/dl), the kidneys begin to evacuate glucose via frequent and immoderate urination. Excessive blood glucose also pulls water from your tissues, making you feel dehydrated. The brain is then notified and react by causing extreme thirst. It is the dryness in the mouth, extreme thirst and frequent urination that trigger us to visit the doctor.

The good news is that the process leading to type 2 diabetes does not take place overnight. The phase when the pancreas tries to counterbalance high levels of glucose by producing more insulin may last many years. However, eventually, the liver cells become saturated with glucose and fat. After that, it’s just a matter of time before the pancreas becomes clogged with fat and its beta cells start to malfunction.

As I understood the mechanism of diabetes, I realized that if I consumed less carbohydrates, then it would be impossible for my blood glucose to rise above the norm. Furthermore, if I exercised more often, then I would be burning glycogen and then fat to acquire energy. I looked at the issue at hand in a very simplistic way. With this in mind, I began to explore the Internet and that was when I stumbled on intermittent fasting.

Intermittent fasting is basically the process of not eating for a longer period of time than usual. In a normal everyday situation, we would have our last meal at around 7 p.m. in the evening and then have breakfast the next day between 7 and 8 a.m. This means that we are breaking our fast after 12 or 13 hours and we usually do so with a big meal. I chose the 16/8 intermittent fasting technique. I had my last meal at around 6.30 p.m. in the evening and my first meal of the next day at 10.30 a.m., which means that my stomach, liver, pancreas and other organs went on a 16-hour vacation every day. Of course, my last meal of the day contained fats and proteins, but less carbohydrates. Not only was I having less carbohydrates, but I was giving my body ample time to take care of things. In addition, the fat was also slowing down the absorption of carbohydrates, which made things easier.

During the morning hours when I was still in the fasting process, I would drink coffee, green tea and water. Actually, it became my habit to drink green tea and plenty of water during the day. When I broke my fast, I would simply have a teaspoon of coconut oil because I knew that I shouldn’t bombard my organs right away with too much food, especially refined carbohydrates. I would then have my real breakfast one hour after having consumed the coconut oil. During the day, I would make sure that my intake of calories was sufficient for my weight, but would restrict the amount of carbohydrates. In fact, I consumed food and drinks that had a low glycemic index and stayed away from those with a high glycemic index.

In addition to fasting, I also began exercising regularly, so whatever I ate was converted into energy. In fact, when I exercised around the 13th hour of my 16-hour fasting, I had more energy than when exercising after meals.

In due time, the fat around my waist retreated and eventually disappeared, releasing the burden on my shirt buttons.

Please, don’t get me wrong. I have also had my ups and downs during my battle with diabetes and my glucose level would rise when the intake of carbohydrates was inappropriate. In such situations, I would simply discipline myself and ride my exercise bike for 30 minutes, walk on the treadmill or use my wife’s hula hoop. I have become a hula hoop specialist and can go on interminably without it falling down.

In addition to a low carb diet and intermittent fasting, I tricked my brain. I made it my duty to monitor my blood glucose. I checked it as soon as I woke up in the morning, then just before breaking my fast, after each meal, after exercising, and just before going to bed. I developed the habit of religiously checking how the blood glucose level would change in different situations. By developing the habit of checking, I automatically developed the desire to get better results, and this in turn served as a motivational factor to do the right things. My brain was eagerly anticipating a good blood glucose level, so it was willing to make the effort to get it. I consciously made my subconscious mind understand that if I fasted for 16 hours, consumed less carbs, did frequent workout, then I would regain my health. It became a habit. Once an action turns into a habit, success is inevitable.

There is one specific thing about fasting that I really love and it’s the fact that I actually do not feel hungry in the morning and there is no feeling of discomfort. Also, when I wake up in the morning, I do not have to waste time to prepare and eat breakfast and then wash up after. I have so much time for myself. I can relax and savor my coffee. I also use this extra time to exercise and observe the great results in front of the mirror. Fasting is not only convenient but also extremely effective.

After using the above mentioned technique, my fasting glucose decreased within a few weeks. At first, it fluctuated between 115 and 100 mg/dl, depending on how much carbohydrate I had eaten the night before. Eventually, it went below 100 and fluctuated between 90 and 95 mg/dl, depending on how disciplined I was the previous day. During the day, it never exceeded the 139 mg/dl limit (measured two hours after meals). In fact, it sometimes went below 110 mg/dl after meals, especially after a good workout at the gym. The explanation for the drop in blood sugar level is simple. I diligently controlled my intake of carbohydrates and burned my fat through exercise. As a result, the fat on my liver started to shrink (confirmed by liver ultrasound test) and my liver cells became more sensitive to insulin. My fatty pancreas is functioning more effectively at the moment by secreting enough insulin to manage the blood glucose. I can therefore deduce that it is not as clogged up with fat as it used to be in the past. I was able to reverse the vicious circle and bring back my physiology.

Does it mean that I will never be haunted by diabetes? No way!

One wrong step is enough to take me back on that path towards self-destruction. This is why I will keep on keeping on with my fasting, workouts and low-carb diet. There is one last thing that I need to add. I have not only suppressed diabetes. I have sculptured a fairly good looking physique at the age of 54. I have lost around 15 % of my body weight and during the process I have replaced irrelevant fat with muscle mass. The heartburn has disappeared. I do not snore anymore, nor do I fall asleep in front of the TV. I feel more relaxed and my power of concentration has markedly increased. Even though I have been suffering from allergic asthma for many years, I have noticed great improvements of my asthma symptoms. I believe this could be connected to the better diet I have been on, as well as my good physical shape and stamina. I truly believe that my encounter with type 2 diabetes was a blessing in disguise.

If you have reached this point, then it means that you have completed the whole article. I do hope you now have the motivation to take the appropriate steps to manage not only diabetes, but your health on the whole, as well as your personal deficiency. I used my knowledge of self-discipline and self-motivation to put diabetes in its place.

Remember, life is too short to be wasted. If I could do it, then you can do it.

It is without doubt easier to dump whatever is in sight into your poor stomach and then take your medication and let them fight it out inside your body. This may temporarily solve the problem, but in the long run the long arms of diabetes will reach you.

The typical patient with type 2 diabetes is overweight, with fat distributed around the waistline. They lead a sedentary life style, eat a lot and have a sweet tooth. After a hectic day with refined carbohydrates, they would seek comfort and clean their conscience by reaching for their medication. They do not stop to think of the toxicity caused by medication because the consumption of refined carbohydrates is too irresistible. After devouring all their drug, they would have it replenished and the cycle continues until things get out of control.

What is the moral? Make it your duty to shape your future by properly managing your health. You are the only one who spends 24/7 in your own company, so make it worthwhile.