Tony New was an eight-time country western dance champion before he lost his day job in 2012, starting a downward spiral that ultimately cost him the thing he loves most.
“Losing the job meant less money, which meant fewer competitions, …
The headline sounded too good to be true. Scientists were reporting that the old-fashioned licorice stick contains a natural substance called amorfrutins that not only lowers blood sugar but also reduces inflammation.
Great news, right? Not if you’re taking the …
415-pound Type 2 Diabetic Sheds Weight To Become Fitness Coach Matt Toohey had always been on the heavy side, even as a college baseball player. When injuries ended his career after just one season at Herkimer County Community College in …
For a former college athlete, Ephraim Smiley doesn’t really care for exercise. The 6-foot-3 defensive end loved playing football for Butler University in the 1970s, enough so that he tried out
…
Chuck Keyserling hates to hear people call type 2 diabetes a progressive disease. At 75, with no complications 22 years after diagnosis, he thinks he’s living proof that diabetes is nothing to fear.
In fact, the Rockville, Md., man
Forget everything you think you know about low-carb diets.
Turns out it’s OK to snack on fruit. Have a tortilla if you like.
More than 40 years after Dr. Robert Atkins riled the American Medical Association with his 1972 bestseller …
By Tanya Caylor
How to Figure Out Which Sugar Substitute is Best for You
The average American consumes the equivalent of 20 teaspoons of sugar per day – nearly three times the daily limit recently recommended by the World Health …
My life in the diabetes community started at a young age as the secret keeper of my maternal and paternal Grandmothers. They both had type 2 diabetes and my days spent alone with them exposed me to their misunderstanding of how their diabetes really affected them. Eating candy bars, hiding the candy wrappers and smoking cigarettes seemed innocent enough to them. A decade later I married a type 1 person living with diabetes and experienced the full court of the diabetes spectrum with my type 2 family members and type 1 husband of almost 20 years.
My grandmothers, the type 2 have struggled with their diabetes as long as I could remember. Later my mother followed in her mother’s footsteps. Sadly, my brother followed in my mother’s footsteps and experienced an early passing at the age of 53. My brother Jamal’s passing had the greatest impact on me. Probably because were the Irish twins; eleven months apart and his departure devastated me.
As I tell most people, diabetes is not a glamorous profession. Most people that work in the industry have a personal connection. This is why I am still here publishing after 26 years.
On the flip side of the coin, helping and inspiring people is my mission. I understand the daily challenges you face regardless of your education, IQ and economic circumstance. I am not a healthcare professional. Simply a lay person who has lived with a Type 1 and Type 2 family member who struggled with their disease. My former Type 1 husband was a role model in how to manage your diabetes, while my intelligent family members were role models on how an invisible disease can be misunderstood, devastating the quality of their life while leaving heart broken family members behind.
The perils of my experience have taught me to never judge anyone. As knowledgeable as I am, I also realize that I have no idea of the strings that pull at each person heart.
What I love about the diabetes community?
Once I meet someone and we share that we have a common experience; their diabetes and my life long experience as a care taker, we tend to have an instant bond. Think about it. How many people do you meet who you feel really get you right after your introduction? The conversations that follow tend to be very personal. Not a common experience with all strangers.
I started this column because where ever I go, people tend to ask me a lot of diabetes questions.
My answers are my opinions and it is not to be replaced by your healthcare professional’s opinion. The answers to your question in most cases will include research and other links to give you a borader perspective on your question.
If you have a question for me, you can reach me at asknadia@diabeteshealth.com
Enjoy the columns and I look forward to reading and answering your question about diabetes.
