There are many celebrities from all walks of life that are living with diabetes. Comedic actress Mary Tyler Moore, pop singer Nick Jonas, pro football player Jay Cutler, and many others are managing to live a full life with the disease.
Learning that you have diabetes can be an emotional shock that takes some getting used to. But, as mentioned above, many famous people are doing ok, and you can also.
If left untreated, diabetes can cause major health problems. It can cause nerve damage which can lead to blindness and strokes. It can also cause damage to major organs of your body such as your pancreas, liver, and heart. And in cases where the body goes into a hypoglycemic state, it can lead to seizures, strokes, and brain damage. But none of these things have to happen if you treat the disease properly.
Living with diabetes will require two major adjustments on your part - one psychological, the other physical. Psychologically, you have to learn to accept the fact that you actually have the disease. Many people, when they are first diagnosed, go through a period of depression. Most get over it and learn to adjust. Others find it difficult to get over and can stay in a depressive state for weeks or months. This is a dangerous state to be in which is why it may be good to seek a few counseling sessions with a psychologist or therapist when you are diagnosed. They will be able to recognize any warning signs and help you to get through this phase.
You will also have to make physical adjustments. These adjustments include things such as dietary changes, learning to measure your blood sugar levels, possibly learning to inject yourself with insulin, keeping your weight under control, and a host of other things that your doctor will inform you about. You will also have to learn which foods affect you and learn to avoid or limit certain ones. The goal of all of these physical adjustment will be focused on keeping your blood glucose levels in normal and safe ranges. Your doctor will tell you what that range is and will give you suggestions and help on how to achieve that balance.
At first, the changes may seem daunting and you will resent them. Gradually, however, they will become part of your daily routine and you will think nothing more or them than other things that you do daily such as brushing your teeth, washing your face, and so on.
The one thing certain about being diagnosed with diabetes is that there will be life style changes. The changes may be small, or they may be huge - the seriousness of your disease will dictate how much change you have to make. But there will be change. To deny or ignore that fact is to basically stick your head in the sands of denial and risk the real possibility of having major health issues further down the road which can't be treated. If you have diabetes, and want to live a relatively normal life, start and continue your treatments as soon as possible.
Alice Saracho writes about nutrition and news related to diabetes such as diabetic diet guidelines and type two diabetes diet. Please visit her website for more articles.
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