Wake Up Call

So I was watching an old DVR-ed episode of Oprah (I know, I know, I don't know why I still DVR her when I'm really in love with Ellen..old habits die hard I guess) Anywho, the show was on diabetes..which I was only mildly interested in at first.

You see, my mom has diabetes...type 1..which is genetic. So I get to see first hand how she has to monitor EVERYTHING she eats...how she has to give herself shots of insulin everyday...how she much she loves to cook, but can't eat much of it...how she has crashed down to a blood sugar of 20 and should have died...how hard she works and getting everything right so her kidneys don't fail...so her feet don't ever need amputation...it's just SO much! I NEVER want this consuming disease...It is such a huge part of her everyday life...It makes me sad.

So it was a wake up call. I think I sort of thought in my head that even though it is genetic and I'm not hugely overweight, that I would be passed by. But watching this show, changed my mind. Here are some statistics that shook me hard..
1. 5.7 million people in the US have diabetes and don't know it
2. Diabetes is the leading cause of blindness and kidney failure
3. If you drink 1 soda a day, your chances of getting diabetes increase by 83%! 83% people!! That's ridiculous
4. Eating white bread is like eating a candy bar
5. If you had gestational diabetes during pregnancy, your chances are extremely high.
6. 30 minutes of exercise 5 times a week can lower your chances of getting diabetes by 63%..big number there too.

I feel like I'm doing OK..I eat whole grain bread and I'm exercising and I don't drink pop, but I love my candy and fair share of unhealthy foods..so it was a good reminder for me to recommit myself to better eating and more exercise. I don't want my life consummed by needles, sugar levels, and a shorter life span. This is a disease that is preventable (type 2) and reversible but I never want to be diagnosed in the first place. So here's to doing and trying better. I want a happy, healthy life and it starts with me and the choices I make.