Living with diabetes: a view from South Africa

I was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes on August 31st 1996. At the time I was 15 years old and had to start living with this disease early on with little support. The first few years with diabetes was really easy. All I did was ignore it and wish it away. I checked my sugars seldom, kind of watched what I ate (because that’s what the doctor told me to do) and never really worried about controlling my blood sugar. Fortunately I was never hospitalised, though I did have my fair share of hypo experiences. If you’re a type 1 Diabetic reading this I’m sure you know what I’m talking about! Then in 2002 it hit me. Diabetic ketoacidosis that is, and for the first time I really got told to sit down, shut up and listen by this disease that was inside of me. It kind of went something like this…

“Listen up Mark. I’m here – whether you like it or not. I don’t care if you didn’t choose me and if you don’t like me – because I chose you. And no amount of self-pity or wondering “why me?!” is going to help change this. But guess what – I’m here to make you stronger and healthier than you’ve been able to achieve up till now. The only reason I chose you, is because I know you can do it’‘.

From that day on, I set out to learn all I could about this disease, how it works, what makes it tick and figure how I could live WITH it, instead of against it.

One of the biggest challenges for me growing up here in South Africa was that there was not a very good support network.

I had one of the first insulin pumps in South Africa and also CGMS systems by maintaining relationships with the medical reps.

I struggled to find support groups and had never met a type 1 diabetic up to that point (± 6 years since being diagnosed). So I turned to the Internet and Amazon. I joined groups online and read books about insulin and managing diabetes. I tried different diets, different sports, tracked how and why my sugars went up and down and even calculated my ratios.

It was a rollercoaster ride just like my sugars, but I made it through.

Today I can confidently say that I am at my healthiest, fittest and strongest that I have ever been, and that I would never be here if it was not for my diabetes. My diabetes forced me to watch what I eat and understand what food did to my body, it made it imperative to exercise and stay fit, and it’s empowered me to become who I am today.

These days I manage my diabetes with a diet rich in whole foods, after discovering the Paleo approach to eating. This is by far the best decision I have ever made regarding my health. I’m currently using pens and test my sugars as often as necessary.

Here are my 4 best tips for living your life to your potential WITH your diabetes:

• Be open to learning. Your body is unique, so what works for me , won’t necessarily work for you. Try and track what different foods and sports do to your blood sugars, work out your carb and correction ratios and understand your body at different times of the day. I’m often thankful for the fact that I have diabetes – without it I would never have prioritised my health like I have , and appreciate that I am more in tune with my body than someone without diabetes. If you’re currently out of tune, it’s time to tune in.

• Don’t let a bad blood spoil your day. There are days and sometimes weeks that a particular reading (mornings!!!) won’t be good, and even though I’ve done everything right, my blood sugar just stays wrong. I can’t get angry, or depressed about this, I just need to accept that I can’t get it right all the time, respond accordingly (correct or eat) and carpe diem. You also need to accept, that every day will be different.

• Eat clean. Fill you diet with nutrient dense whole foods – meat and vegetables, some fruit, healthy fats and NO SUGAR. Remove processed foods from your diet and I guarantee your energy, mood and blood sugar control will improve, you’ll use less insulin and you will lose body fat. Eating healthy is a choice – you just have to make it.

• Do exercise. Doing exercise improves your insulin sensitivity, meaning you’ll need less insulin for the food you eat. Exercise also impacts how your body uses the nutrients you give it, and when you’re eating clean it’s a win-win situation. It’s important to find something you enjoy doing, that challenges you and keeps you learning and motivated to keep at it. When you start to do exercise you’ll need to check you sugars regularly. Anaerobic and aerobic sports have different energy requirements so understanding this will be critical to control.