Stuart Bates is one person who recently learned he has diabetes mellitus type 2, formerly known as non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM) or adult-onset diabetes. At present there are approximately 285 million people with the disease worldwide, up from just 30 million in 1985. This shocking increase has seen a rise in parallel with obesity rates, which is thought to be the primary cause of type 2 diabetes in people who are genetically predisposed to the disease.
Stuart continues to share his very personal story, one that affects hundreds of millions of people around the world.
Stuart Bates in his own words
It has been four weeks now since I started on my new regime to combat/control/beat my diabetes Type II. What have I to report? Well I have lost 6kg (13lbs) in weight and 13cm (5 inches) off my waist and have stabilized my Blood Glucose Levels to the range 4 – 6 mmol/L (millimoles/litre).
This last achievement is especially pleasing because that range is defined in the handbook produced by Diabetes Australia as being the “non-diabetic” range for fasting, i.e. pre-meal levels. Post-prandial, i.e. two hours after a meal, is defined as being 4 – 8 mmol/L. This area has caused me, and may I add my doctor and diabetes nurse, some confusion as there are four varying ranges that I have been given or found on the net to which should be added a fifth given by my nurse. What to do? Well I simply took what I considered to be the best and used that as my target and with one or two minor hiccups have now been able to stay on target.
It should come as no surprise that I attribute my “success” so far to no alcohol, exercise and a regular eating regimen. And, by regular, I mean having breakfast, lunch and dinner rather than skipping meals to the point of sometimes only having dinner. I can’t say that my diet was bad because frankly it wasn’t. It contained no junk food (too far to travel for that ), very little processed food but plenty of vegetables, a little fruit, lean meat, chicken and fish and plenty of water or milk. However, being honest this irregular but healthy diet was destroyed by alcohol and lack of exercise.
The recumbent exercise bike has been a godsend as it allows me to exercise regardless of the weather and to obviate boredom there is always TV to watch, or radio and music to listen to. Reading a book whilst cycling has proven to be a little too difficult however. It is recommended that one exercise for 30 minutes or so each day for 3 – 5 days per week but my decision was to hit this thing hard at least in the initial stages and so I do the 30 minutes before and after meals each day. This may be considered excessive but it was important for my well-being to change the things that had to be changed and to do it quickly. In time and when I feel that I have it under control then it will be appropriate to consider tapering off a little.
I should add that little treats, for me a little chocolate or licorice, are not out of the question but only once in a while and in moderation and if this means an extra session on the bike then so be it and always with a mind to the BGLs.
As a sidebar my doctor took me off my blood pressure tablets two weeks ago and I am seeing him in a few days for a checkup on that score. At the same time I will ask about coming off my cholesterol tablets as everything seems so interrelated. We shall see…
Stuart Bates lives near Victoria, Australia