CHAPTER ONE:
BEGINNING THE JOURNEY OF DISCOVERY

AWAKENING

What is the secret of healthy weight management? Perhaps you have struggled with this issue as I have. My wake-up call came when I developed diabetes at the age of fifty. I remember the day well. At the time I was staying with my family in a rented beach home at Rockaway Beach on the beautiful Oregon coast. I developed an intense thirst and was sweating profusely. It was more than a thirst: it was a craving! Even water seemed to somehow taste differently. Unfortunately, I tried satisfying this craving by drinking orange juice which only added fuel to the fire. My wife suggested that I have myself tested for diabetes when I returned home. Sure enough, my blood sugar level was over 600. A normal reading is between 80 and 120 before meals, and no more than 180 following a meal. I was diagnosed with Type II Diabetes which was formerly known as Adult Onset Diabetes.

I became very proactive about following the recommended diet and exercise program. A number of people in my church had suffered through the ravishes of diabetes. High blood sugar compromises the integrity of blood vessels leading to possible sexual impotency, blindness, amputated limbs, strokes and heart attacks. I wanted none of that for myself. Besides, I hated the thought of having to give myself insulin injections.

As a result of the actions that I had taken, I was able to lose nearly sixty pounds within six months, dropping my weight from 260 to 205 pounds. My blood sugar normalized, and I was able to go off the medication. I congratulated myself but later realized that it was mostly body wisdom. My body was actually quite cooperative as it sought to correct itself. Rapid weight loss is one of the signs of diabetes.

As soon as my blood sugar returned to normal, the usual resistance to weight loss returned. At this point I got sloppy and did not pay as much attention to my health as I should have. I started eating regular Jello, used brown sugar on my cereal, and stopped paying attention to serving sizes. These, combined with other indiscretions, allowed my weight to increase back up to 240 pounds.

On top of all of this, my wife Judy passed away from melanoma cancer. Stress has a decidedly negative influence on blood sugar levels. Hormones are released into the blood stream which break down protein in the muscles to glucose. The glucose is used to supply the body with the extra energy needed to deal with the crisis. This is acceptable if a persons life is in danger. Such would be the case if he or she were attacked by a wild beast. For non life threatening events, however, it definitely is a detriment to good health. Our modern, goal oriented, high stress lifestyle may have something to do with the skyrocketing incidences of diabetes in this country.

These events resulted in a second episode of high blood sugar. I was at work when I developed the intense thirst and profuse sweating. I immediately recognized the signs and made an appointment with my doctor. I was put on another medication and had to reemphasize my diet and exercise program. This time I was able to drop my weight back down to 215.

UNLOCKING THE SECRETS

I was determined not to repeat the mistakes of the past and decided to learn all that I could about healthy nutrition and weight management. I also wanted to go off the medication and avoid possible insulin dependency in the future. Diabetes medications seem to be increasingly less effective over time.

Managing diabetes with diet and exercise is the best way of controlling the disease if a person is able to do so. My research indicated that there are four principles of permanent effective weight management. These are nutritional balance, eating foods with a lower glycemic impact, eating foods with a lower energy density, and regular exercise.

Effective Weight Management Principles

(1) Nutritional balance

A variety of fruits, vegetables, grains, legumes, milk, meat and nuts will supply the appropriate amount of protein, fat, carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals and other nutrients that our bodies require.

(2) Eating foods with a lower glycemic impact

Foods that take longer to digest help to moderate our blood sugar levels and prevent hunger spikes which result from eating foods that are quickly digested. Consumption of moderate amounts of carbohydrates also helps to lower the overall glycemic load and accompanying insulin response.

(3) Eating foods with a lower energy density

Foods with a lower energy density help us to feel full and satisfied even during a period of weight loss. For meat and milk products, this means to eat foods which have less fat per serving. For carbohydrate foods, this means to eat foods which have fewer carbohydrates per serving.

(4) Regular exercise

Regular exercise helps our bodies to be more efficient in metabolizing the foods that we eat. Exercise boosts our metabolism during the activity and for the following 24 to 48 hours as the body seeks to repair itself. Muscles are enlarged which require more energy to maintain.

I call these effective weight management principles because they should be practiced throughout life whether or not a person needs to lose weight. They may prevent diabetes from developing in the first place. This style of eating also aids in preventing heart disease, and it is thought that our diet may be heavily linked with cancer development. Best of all, we gain a surge of energy and confidence and feel terrific!

By adopting these principles, I have dropped my weight to less than 190 pounds which is what I weighed when I was twenty one years old. My blood sugar level indicates not only excellent control but is often non-diabetic.