I Am Diabetic And Can Eat As Much Chocolate As I Want

Introduction

I know the title is clickbait, but does have an element of truth to it. This si a follow-on to my piece on how I felt when getting my new blood-sugar monitor, and this was the week I had to do my first removal and replacement of the device.

So What Has Changed?

On Sunday I went on what I thought was a four and a half mile walk, but it turned out to be over seven miles. This was in Hulne Park and was the first of two that I have done this week. I took some chocolate and a bottle of Pepsi Max with me, and I have gained a liking for Boost bars.

As I walked I could see that my blood sugar was coming down, so my walking and exercise were affecting my blood sugar. The readings got down to 4.8 and that made me realise that I could continually monitor my levels 24/7.

So if I want to eat sweet things or chocolate I know that I have to work that off with exercise. Now this is me, it will be different for others, but this device is telling me what I need to do to stay healthy.

Someone told me that Diabetes just forces you to eat what you are supposed to do anyway. I was once told I could not eat fruit and needed to live off celery, carrots and turnips, that was from a nurse. I spoke to my consultant who said I needed pleasure from life, but just enjoy the nice things in smaller manageable amounts.

My uncle and grandma were diabetic and had to have their diabetic jam and diabetic chocolate, which taste awful, and I told them so. When I became diabetic I told them to just enjoy the real thing in smaller amounts, but that fell on their deaf ears.

As long as I exercise, I then can allow myself to enjoy sweet things. I know what the cost is, and the cost is the same for people who are not diabetic. This is how we look after ourselves, keeping moving, exercising and sensible eating.

I often see portly people and think "At some point, did you not realise you were getting fat?" I think that about myself every day, and follow it up by taking a long walk, which I know will be physically beneficial to me.

Now I am finished with the finger pricking, I know immediately whether my blood sugar is high or low and if I need to take action. This fills me with great confidence and it is something that I did not expect to happen.

It is an extra insight into my physical condition. One of my problems is that I always feel fine, whether my blood sugar is high or low, and no one seems to know why that is. If I am out of the normal levels I should not feel fine, but I do. Feeling fine is how I want to feel, how we all want to feel.

Conclusion

Going forward I intend to keep feeling fine and looking out for myself. I now have another tool to help me in this and am grateful to the National Health Service and developing technology.

I am amazed by how these leaps in technology are helping me so much, again using a sensor and an app on my smartphone. When I started out on this journey testing was very manual, but now it is digital, constant and simple.

This si where I am now, but who knows where it will be in twelve months time.