Did you hear what happened to…Oh, no, not another one…Another person in the family…It’s like a family curse!
Actually, in my family, it IS a family curse. Diabetes!
It is there, lurking, in my family’s history, just waiting to pounce…on me! But, I’m trying to not let it land on me. So, I’m going to try “Walking Away From Diabetes”!
Diabetes was the 7th leading cause of death in 2015. There were 30.3 million people or 9.4% of the population that were affected by it that year too. Unfortunately, that is a statistic that will increase over time if people do not pay attention to it.
I do pay attention to it. I have checked my fasting blood glucose throughout the years when getting my blood work. And little, by little, year after year, the number has continued to inch its way up. It was great when the number was 59 and even when it went up to 75, and now it is in the 90s, but it’s heading towards the danger zone. Doctors want your blood sugar level to be under 125. And so do I…
There are many risk factors that I have that I am working on, or will be seriously working on, throughout this blog. That was one of the reasons to start this, to help me be accountable to someone other than myself. To create a community of like-minded people, or even people who are in the same boat health-wise. Using this platform, I may learn more about ways to get and STAY healthy, and in return, I may help others who are also trying to find their own ways to get and stay healthy. We are not unique in this way. There are many people who are (gulp) middle-aged, overweight, not exercising like they should, not eating as healthily as they should, with other risk factors for serious diseases.
And unfortunately, these serious diseases are related, in a way. High blood pressure, heart disease, and diabetes are connected. So, what can a person do to avoid these things? I am sure you have seen the commercials, ads, statistics, like I have, for these diseases and/or the medications to treat them. Which is why I am starting to walk. I hope it will make me feel stronger, healthier and can keep the family curse of diabetes away from me.
Will it work? I have no idea. But it might! What if?
And trying to avoid some of these diseases by walking and other exercises seems like a better plan than sitting on my couch and then lamenting in a few years about my deteriorating health, doesn’t it?
So, who is with me? High blood pressure, heart disease and diabetes are things that can be avoided, or at least kept at bay for a while, with exercise and nutrition. I am starting with the exercise part first and then, the harder part of eating better. I hope I can do it. I hope you can too.
Stay tuned…
