Diabetes

This page is a very important page for my BLOG because I myself have Type 1 Diabetes. When I was first diagnosed, I thought it was the end of the world. At first I was in denial and completely depressed. I exercised and tried to stay healthy to prevent getting any hereditary diseases since Type 2 Diabetes runs in my family. As it was explained to me, my disease was brought on by a virus that had attacked my pancreas until it could no longer produce the insulin that my body needed. The signs were there for a while, but I had no idea what to look for, so I dismissed it as something else. My biggest complaint was that I was always tired! Another symptom was that I was always hungry. No matter what or when I had eaten,I was always hungry shortly afterwards. Apparently both go hand in hand with diabetes. I kept exercising and trying to eat healthy, but felt I was getting no where.

On Thanksgiving Day of 2011, it hit me that something was seriously wrong with me. Obviously I ate a lot of carbs that day...it's Thanksgiving...who wouldn't. All the mashed potatoes, cranberries, stuffing, bread, and desserts...it was carb overload! I started feeling extremely thirsty; no matter how much I drank it wasn't enough. I had no idea what was happening with my body, but I knew it wasn't normal. The following week I made an appointment with my Doctor, and my A1c (this is a three month average of blood glucose levels)was over 10.0. My Doctor diagnosed me with Type 2 Diabetes and immediately put me on medication to get my blood sugar lower, but weeks went by and the numbers stayed the same. That month I lost 20 pounds and I was very weak. I just wanted to feel better, but nothing was bringing my sugar levels down. After about a month and a half of my blood glucose being 300 - 600 my Doctor came to the conclusion that I was Type 1 Diabetic...not Type 2. I felt some relief and hope that I would soon feel better now that I have been diagnosed correctly. I was referred to an Endocrinologist and she ran additional test, and gave me a prescription for an insulin flex pen. Another disadvantage to having diabetes is your  cholesterol does a complete flip from good to bad. Yikes...now I have to take cholesterol medication on top of everything else. I felt my world crashing down on me! Once I started taking insulin I started putting the weight back on that I had lost in a months time. My Doctor felt she wanted to be aggressive with me and get my A1c down as quickly as possible so I could have babies in the future with my husband.

By March I was on an insulin pump and have been managing very well, but I still hate it. My last Doctor visit showed my A1c was down from 13.6 to 8.3...WOW...that's huge progress. Although I was doing everything right, I wanted more for myself. I wanted to take control of my health as best as possible, but I was still so tired. A friend of mine had explained all the benefits of this shake called Shakeology that she drinks from the Team Beachbody website. She said it would give me more energy, suppress my appetite, curve my cravings, and help stabilize my blood sugar. So I decided to give it a try...besides...it couldn't hurt to try it, and there was a bottom of the bag guarantee return for the full amount back that I paid. I was determined to get my health back, so I ordered it. I was so excited when it arrived and couldn't wait to try it. I was amazed at how I began to feel. The first week I noticed better digestion and regularity, the second week I had more energy and less cravings, the third week my cravings were completely gone! It has given me the energy and endurance I need to push through my workouts. Now I work out longer and harder! My blood sugar has been more regular without spikes...this stuff is amazing. I have lost 10 pounds since starting to drink it, and I am no longer bloated. That's awesome!!! I finally found something that works for me. That is what inspired me to start this blog and become a Team Beachbody coach. I always enjoyed the Beachbody workout programs, but now I am a huge believer in all the products and decided to become a coach to help other people who have struggled with this disease. I will never go a day without my Shakeology because it has given me my life back. I will continue to beat this disease and take control of my health.