What I learned from my diagnosis, and how these life lessons may help others
Life is full of lessons – you just have to look for them, listen up, and learn.
One of my first life lessons was something my grandma taught me: Nobody’s perfect. That’s why my credo is, “You don’t have to be perfect ... just pretty good.” Working in the music industry with so many talented people has also taught me that you’ve got to believe in yourself and keep it real.
Since being diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, I’ve learned some things about the disease and myself – things that can help others take charge of their health. Here are seven of them:
1. Denial is dangerous. I shouldn’t have been shocked when the doctor told me I had diabetes. The signs were there all along. I’ve got mirrors and scales, so I know when I’m getting bigger and heavier. When I was at the gym or climbing stairs, I was out of breath. Sometimes you live in denial, and you don’t think it’s going to happen to you – until it does.
2. Type 2 diabetes isn’t just an older person’s disease. More and more young people, even kids, are being diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. Whatever your age, obesity and lack of exercise raise your risk for the disease.
3. Knowledge is king. If you have diabetes, you’ve got to watch your ABCs: A is your A1C blood sugar level, B is your blood pressure, and C is cholesterol. When it comes to my blood sugar, I check it every day, three times a day sometimes. Your doctor will help set the right ABC goals for you.
4. Play to your strengths. Find ways to make exercise fun, not a chore. I enjoy tennis, so I try to play three or four days a week for a couple of hours. You burn a lot of calories chasing tennis balls around. I love music, so I have all kinds of playlists on my iPod. Sometimes I get so lost in the music, I don’t even notice how long I’ve been working out.
5. Know your weaknesses. I know what my food temptations are – things like ice cream and pasta. So I just don’t keep that much of them around the house. It cuts down the risk of cheating on your diet.
6. Gastric bypass isn’t a quick fix. Gastric bypass surgery was a last-ditch effort for me. It can help jump-start your weight loss, but it’s not a cure. You still have to do the work, watch what you eat, and exercise. Like with any surgery, talk to your doctor about the pros and cons.
7. There’s no day off with diabetes. Even if you don’t have symptoms, you’ve got to keep the disease under control to avoid any complications. Diabetes can raise your risk for things like heart disease, kidney disease, liver damage, vision loss...some pretty serious stuff. Just remember that you can do this, but you need to have an action plan and stick to it.
The most important thing diabetes taught me is how lucky I am. After a close call, I’m in good health – and I’m going to keep it that way.
One of my first life lessons was something my grandma taught me: Nobody’s perfect. That’s why my credo is, “You don’t have to be perfect ... just pretty good.” Working in the music industry with so many talented people has also taught me that you’ve got to believe in yourself and keep it real.
Since being diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, I’ve learned some things about the disease and myself – things that can help others take charge of their health. Here are seven of them:
1. Denial is dangerous. I shouldn’t have been shocked when the doctor told me I had diabetes. The signs were there all along. I’ve got mirrors and scales, so I know when I’m getting bigger and heavier. When I was at the gym or climbing stairs, I was out of breath. Sometimes you live in denial, and you don’t think it’s going to happen to you – until it does.
2. Type 2 diabetes isn’t just an older person’s disease. More and more young people, even kids, are being diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. Whatever your age, obesity and lack of exercise raise your risk for the disease.
3. Knowledge is king. If you have diabetes, you’ve got to watch your ABCs: A is your A1C blood sugar level, B is your blood pressure, and C is cholesterol. When it comes to my blood sugar, I check it every day, three times a day sometimes. Your doctor will help set the right ABC goals for you.
4. Play to your strengths. Find ways to make exercise fun, not a chore. I enjoy tennis, so I try to play three or four days a week for a couple of hours. You burn a lot of calories chasing tennis balls around. I love music, so I have all kinds of playlists on my iPod. Sometimes I get so lost in the music, I don’t even notice how long I’ve been working out.
5. Know your weaknesses. I know what my food temptations are – things like ice cream and pasta. So I just don’t keep that much of them around the house. It cuts down the risk of cheating on your diet.
6. Gastric bypass isn’t a quick fix. Gastric bypass surgery was a last-ditch effort for me. It can help jump-start your weight loss, but it’s not a cure. You still have to do the work, watch what you eat, and exercise. Like with any surgery, talk to your doctor about the pros and cons.
7. There’s no day off with diabetes. Even if you don’t have symptoms, you’ve got to keep the disease under control to avoid any complications. Diabetes can raise your risk for things like heart disease, kidney disease, liver damage, vision loss...some pretty serious stuff. Just remember that you can do this, but you need to have an action plan and stick to it.
The most important thing diabetes taught me is how lucky I am. After a close call, I’m in good health – and I’m going to keep it that way.
Không có nhận xét nào:
Đăng nhận xét