Get More Out Of Life While Managing Your Diabetes

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When I was first diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes at the age

of 21, I had not given the first thought to living a

healthy diabetic lifestyle. As far as I was concerned, a healthy lifestyle was reserved only for fitness junkies and overweight moms.



I didn't know squat about the benefits and overall

happiness a healthy lifestyle would lead to. I was

perfectly content eating frozen pizza, smoking cigarettes,

and binge drinking on a regular basis. After I was

diagnosed with diabetes, I had a lengthy discussion with my doctor that resulted in an epiphany, "Everything I love is killing me!"



First, we'll define what I mean by healthy lifestyle. When

I asked the question, "What is a healthy lifestyle?" the

common answer seemed to be, "Don't smoke, don't drink, eat

only vegetables and protein, and make sure to exercise

every day."



My first thought was, "You can give that crap right back

to the birds." I was 21, loved to party, and absolutely

chock full of testosterone.



The ideas, practices, and benefits a healthy lifestyle

provided sounded great for managing my diabetes, but I sure didn't like the idea of my social life falling off the face of the planet. Believing in the power of moderation, I made some compromises with my disease:



1. Smoking



I quit smoking cigarettes and only smoked cigars on

special occasions such as bachelor parties, Super Bowls, or

the birth of my first child. That last part was a joke.

After many years of searching, special occasions are the

only reason I can find to put nicotine or smoke of any kind

in your body.



2. Drinking



For me, this was a big one. I'm not really the type of guy

that likes to meet girls at church, and school was not

really an option for me, but drinking was all my friends

and I did. As a result, drinking alcohol (sadly enough)

was a major component of my social life. From that day forward, I laid down some basic rules.



No liquor. Liquor causes severe instability in blood sugar levels, and will cause serious problems. I stick only to beer and wine with a maximum of three drinks. If you monitor your sugar regularly and eat beforehand, you should

be able to enjoy a nice night out.



3. Eating



Of the areas available for improvement in my lifestyle,

eating was the easiest for me to adapt and overcome. When

I learned that protein had a minor effect on my sugar that

was good news, any hamburger and steak-loving American

would be happy to hear that, but the bad news was that

French fries, baked potatoes, and (my favorite) sweet

potatoes were off limits. That meant I had to learn to

love vegetables.



>From that point forward, I began cooking veggies with

light butter and cayenne pepper. I know that sounds odd,

but I like spicy food. As far as your diet is concerned,

for the sake of your happiness, find your favorite spices

and seasonings and begin experimenting with healthy foods.



4. Exercise



When it comes to exercising many people (including myself)

do not follow through for long enough to see substantial results. Personally, I believe in living an active lifestyle instead of becoming a fitness and free-weight junkie. What worked for me? Basic exercises (lunges, squats, and crunches) in front of the television every morning followed by a 15 minute walk.



Complying with the guidelines I listed above, I'm still

able to have a fun, active lifestyle while controlling my diabetes. Finally, I need to say that I'm not a doctor, just a guy with Type 1 Diabetes. The practices I listed worked for me to maintain the young-adult lifestyle that I wanted. You may be different, and understanding your own personality traits is critical to successful moderation and control of your diabetes.



About the Author



Brandon C. Hall is an online business owner and Type 1

Diabetic who runs many websites. For the latest articles

and news related to diabetes and the diabetic lifestyle

visit: http://www.diabetic-resources.com