How to control and live with diabetes

Recently, I was diagnosed as a diabetic. Needless to say, I was scared and upset. Upset? Yes. I was disappointed that I allowed myself to get to this point in my life. All I could think about was how I could’ve “controlled” the situation at hand because hey, I used to be an athlete and was in excellent shape.

That was then — this is now.

So, after having two children, watching my “baby” weight remain and doing nothing about it, these are the cards I’ve been dealt. Excuses you say? Nah. Well, maybe.

I mean, how can I get a handle on what I eat at all times. I mean, I am a college student, work full-time, married, involved in my community, older (hey, I’m 44 and counting!) yada, yada, yada… OK… excuses!

I said, on numerous occasions, there aren’t any “healthy” options at the restaurants I frequent, or I’d use the excuse that healthy foods are too expensive (have you seen those prices?). Or I’d say, eating healthy isn’t convenient for me; and I’m definitely not going to eat tofu! Would you?

In all seriousness, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported in 2011 that 21 million adults in the United States were diagnosed with diabetes; that’s roughly 9 percent of the U.S. population. So, if you’re like me and are dealing with diabetes, or watching your weight for other health reasons, here are a few tips I would suggest to you on how to handle the prognosis:

• Try not to stress so much.

I know sometimes, as students, we stress over assignments, tests, grades, etc., but the less stress we have, the better we’ll feel.

• Always keep snacks nearby.

One of the things that I was bad about before finding out I had diabetes is that I wouldn’t eat properly throughout the day. I keep little snacks (yes, they’re healthy for the most part) in my purse or my desk at work. It’s also a good thing to keep hard candy on deck as well if your sugar level starts dropping.

• Drink lots and lots of water!

I can’t stress this enough. Water helps to hydrate our bodies. Matter of fact, I try my best not to drink any carbonated beverages (I will from time to time drink a Coke or Sprite Zero if I want that “taste”).

Living with diabetes is hard — but it doesn’t have to be if you do what’s necessary to control it.