Diabetes Management: Finding Support via Social Media

Hi All,
I hope you're having a great day. Before I get started, I just want to quickly remind you to please like and subscribe to this blog. Also, as I've said before, feel free to share your ideas and suggestions in the comments below or send me a message. I would really appreciate your feedback.

Today I want to discuss how social media groups have played a role in helping me manage my diabetes.

            Living with diabetes can be exhausting. There is so much to think about. Should I eat less? Should I exercise more? Do I have enough medication? Do I have enough supplies? What about travel? The questions are endless. Personally, my worries concerning diabetes have taken over my brain. I literally plan ahead. I make sure to carry snacks everywhere I go just in case I’m out longer than I planned. When I travel to countries where my favorite healthy snacks may not be available, I pack them in my luggage. I also make sure to travel with a first aid kit, something I never used to care about. Yes, it’s that bad. Things that never crossed my mind before are now extremely important. I can’t seem to go anywhere or do anything without considering how I’ll be affected. All of this worry can lead to stress and frustration; especially if you lack a strong support system.

            When I was diagnosed, I felt like my entire world was being turned up side down. Really, that’s exactly how I felt when I learned that I would have to change my whole life in order to manage my health. Being an avid reader, I quickly began reading self-help books on how to manage diabetes. I also started browsing the web for diet and exercise tips, but one thing that really helped me in my struggle to gain control of my health and manage my diabetes was social media. I joined online communities specifically for people with diabetes, as well as, other sites that offer healthy recipe ideas and tips. Knowing that there are others with similar experiences can be comforting. Sometimes the people in these groups can become a second family, offering extra support and valuable information in addition to your medical team. Many of the members in these groups understand exactly what you’re going through because they are going through it as well. Hearing personal accounts from others in similar situations has encouraged and inspired me to continue moving forward in my quest to maintain control of my diabetes. I really appreciate the positive environment that these online communities provide. I’m able to ask questions and find answers from other people with type two diabetes like me. I’m also able to share my own experiences. Hopefully, I can offer support to someone else in need.

            It seems as if no one wants to talk about the causes of type two diabetes. Personally, I was clueless about the consequences of my unhealthy lifestyle. I certainly wish I had more information concerning type two diabetes. With the rapid advancement of social media, online communities are able to spread awareness about diabetes, as well as, offer support to those of us that need it. My determination to overcome type two diabetes, along with proper diet and exercise, treatment, and support from others in similar situations via social media, has played a major role in the success of my diabetes management.

 

I really hope that by sharing my personal experiences, I can offer encouragement to others who might need a little extra support when it comes to managing diabetes. This is one of the reasons why I find Try This Thursday so fun. I enjoy trying new things and sharing them with others. I know I've often wondered if certain foods taste good or if different supplements work. That's the purpose of TTT. I hope you enjoyed reading this and will take some time to share your own thoughts.

 

Thank you.

Thoughts on Halo Ice Cream

Happy Monday,
I hope all of you are well. So, last week I decided to do a taste test on Halo Top Creamery ice cream and what a great decision it was. It was delicious. I bought the chocolate chip cookie dough. I feel it had just the right amount of sweetness and it was super creamy. The best part is that I won't have to feel bad when I eat this since it's low sugar and low carb. If you happened to try this ice cream over the weekend, let me know what you think. If you didn't, then go ahead and try some. You won't regret it. I'm ready to try other flavors. Also, a serving size is 1/2 cup. This sounds like a small serving, but I thought it was just the right amount. Another thing, I just read somewhere that Halo is coming out with new flavors soon. :D

On another note, if you have any ideas that you would like to see me share, feel free to message me or just leave a comment below. Please like, subscribe, and share with friends. I really appreciate your support.

Thank you for reading.

Try This Thursday!

Hello Readers,

I'm excited about today's TTT product. It's an old favorite for many of us. Unfortunately, if you have diabetes, then you probably haven't had this in a while. If you guessed ice cream, then you're correct. I finally found Halo Top Creamery ice cream. I've heard so much about this ice cream so I decided to give it a try. I bought the chocolate chip cookie dough. It says it has 7 grams of sugar and 14 carbs per serving, which is 1/2 cup. I know this is not an ideal daily snack or anything. I don't usually indulge in things like this. However, if you've been craving ice cream or just want a low sugar option for your family, then give this a try. Also, being that I have type two diabetes, I tend to focus more on my sugar and carb intake. If you are on a strict diet and counting calories or sodium, then you may not want to eat this, as the calorie count and sodium levels are a bit high. With that being said, I can't wait to taste this ice cream. Honestly, I'm not a huge fan of ice cream, but I'm determined to find some sense of normalcy, once again, when it comes to food.

I'll be back on Monday to share my thoughts on the ice cream. I hope some of you will try it with me. If you do, please share your thoughts in the comments below.

Thank you for reading.

Apple Cider Vinegar

Hi All,
Sorry for the late post. I hope everyone is doing great. Are you maintaining your diabetes? Are you keeping your glucose level in the safe zone? I hope you are. Speaking of glucose levels, I've been hearing about apple cider vinegar and how it can help lower glucose levels. I recently bought a bottle of Bragg's raw apple cider vinegar. I want to start drinking it every day to see if it will help bring my levels down some more. My last visit to the doctor showed my A1C at 6.1. My goal is to bring it down under 5 so that I can get off of the medication. Maybe the ACV will help me reach my goal and manage my diabetes after I'm off the medication. What do you think? Have any of you tried it? Also, what about cinnamon? I had a friend who was type 1 diabetic, she suggested I make cinnamon my best friend. I bought cinnamon capsules, but I didn't take them. Maybe I'll start now.

If any of you have tried apple cider vinegar or cinnamon, please share your thoughts in the comments. Also, please like and subscribe to my blog. It would mean a lot to me. I'm working towards creating a place where people with diabetes can come to ask questions and find realistic answers and suggestions.

Thanks for reading.

Thoughts on the Banana Orange Blueberry Smoothie

Happy Monday,
Hopefully all of you are having a wonderful day so far. Today I'll be sharing my thoughts with you regarding the banana orange blueberry smoothie recipe from last week's TTT idea. I have to say that this smoothie was really good. I made one on both Friday and Saturday for breakfast. I actually really enjoyed it. However, I did make some minor changes. I used unsweetened almond milk in place of the fat free milk and frozen bananas to act as crushed ice since I used fresh blueberries. Frozen fruit is a great substitute for plain ice. I give this smoothie recipe two thumbs up.

I hope some of you had the chance to try this over the weekend. If you didn't, give it a try. You won't be disappointed.

Let me know what you think in the comment section.

Thanks for reading.

Banana Orange Blueberry Smoothie

Hi There,
I hope everyone is having a great week so far. Hang in there. It's almost Friday. Today I'm sharing a smoothie recipe that sounds yummy. I found the recipe in a book that I borrowed from Kindle Unlimited. The book is called Healthy Smoothie Recipes for Diabetics by Max, Bernard. The book shares 30 smoothie recipes along with nutritional information. I'm a big fan of smoothies, especially for breakfast. I will most likely try a few of these recipes. Here is one that I will try tomorrow morning.

Banana Orange Blueberry Smoothie
Nutritional Information
Per serving: calories 115, carbohydrates 25g, fats 0.5g, fiber 1.6g, protein 4.1g, sodium 54.7mg
Ingredients
1 cup blueberries (fresh)
1/2 cup orange juice
1 cup fat free milk, skim no added vitamin A
1 banana, fresh, peeled, sliced
1/2 cup vanilla fat free yogurt
Directions
Mix all of the above ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth or until you reach your desired smoothie consistency.
Yields 4 servings

Note: I always use unsweetened almond milk instead of cow milk.

I'm really looking forward to trying this smoothie. I hope some of you will try it with me and share your thoughts.

Also, as I mentioned on Tuesday, I'm currently working on increasing my walking time from 45 minutes to 1 hour. I plan on starting tonight. I at least want to try to walk for an hour 3 times a week and gradually build up from there.

I hope you all have a great weekend. I'll be back on Monday to share my thoughts on this smoothie recipe.

Thank you all for reading.

What's New in My Life

Good Afternoon,
I hope everyone is having a great day. First off, if you've been following my blog, I want to thank you. Sharing my experiences with you is turning out to be helpful and a lot of fun. As you probably know by now, my attempt at creating a diabetic friendly version of blueberry muffins was a complete failure. I will not use coconut flour ever again. Yes, it was that bad. You can read about it in yesterday's post.

On a more positive note, I just discovered that there is ice cream made with stevia. This makes me happy. I mean, who doesn't love ice cream? Seriously, I haven't enjoyed a scoop of ice cream since before I was diagnosed with diabetes. The brand is Halo Top ice cream. If I can find this in my local store, I'll likely buy it and try it so that I can share my thoughts about this product with all of you. If you've tried this or a similar product, share your thoughts in the comments.

Here's another exciting thing going on in my life right now. I recently went to the doctor for a quick check up. In the last three months, I was able to bring my A1C down from 6.4 to 6.1. When I was diagnosed in January of this year, my A1C was 11.3. You can imagine how proud I am of myself right now. My hard work is paying off. My goal is to get my A1C down under 5. If I can do that then my doctor will take me off of the meds. Honestly, most of my success is due to diet and exercise. I went from a brisk 30 minute walk, the first three months, to now walking for 45 minutes at a faster speed. I'm working towards walking for an hour every night. As far as my diet is concerned, here are some of the minor changes I've made. I've cut out most carbs. I eat more salads, fresh vegetables, and fruit. Don't worry, I still dine out with family and friends. We don't have to let diabetes stop us from enjoying ourselves. The idea is to not deprive yourself of the things you enjoy. Just be mindful of your food choices and practice portion control. For example, I went to a local steakhouse last weekend and I had a grilled chicken breast topped with cheese and avocado slices on a bed of tomatoes. For sides, I chose a salad and steamed vegetables. The food was really good and I had a great time with my friends. Simple changes like these are what have helped me regain control of my life.

If you have any ideas or suggestions related to diet and exercise, please share them in the comment section. Also, feel free to share your personal stories with me as well. Remember, if you don't want to post in the comment section, you can always message me directly.

Thanks for reading