Diagnosed After Sixty: Medication Not Required

“I knew I didn’t eat a totally healthy diet because bread is a big weakness of mine. Worse, exercise was something I kept planning to do but hadn’t gotten around to,” recalls 62-year-old Laura M., who lives in a New York City suburb. “I had been feeling more tired than usual and had a cut on my right leg that seemed to be healing slowly, but other than that I felt fine. When during the course of an annual check-up, my doctor said I had diabetes, I practically fell apart.”

“Why me? Why now? I’d been through a bad patch of care giving: first my dog died, and then my elderly mother died a month later. I felt I needed a break and didn’t want to have to stick my finger all the time or call attention to what I was or wasn’t eating.”

“My doctor told me I had to lose weight and sent me to a nutritionist. She helped me come up with a meal plan I can live with, although not eating much, if any, bread and restricting desserts is-and probably always will be– a problem. I’ve dropped almost twelve pounds by eating better. I’m also exercising regularly, mostly by walking with a friend every day. We don’t just mosey along gabbing, but aim for a brisk pace and add distance. We’re now up to almost four miles! The really good news is that so far, I don’t need to take insulin because my glucose, cholesterol, and blood pressure are staying where they should with my new diet and exercise regimen.”

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