This past Sunday, one of our occasional guests who attends a few times a year approached me and asked, “Is everything ok with your health?” I responded, “Yes, very well, but what made you ask?” He said, “You have lost a lot of weight, and it made me wonder if you are dealing with a serious illness.” I said, “I am grateful for your concern and appreciate you asking me about it, but I am on a radical diet to reverse type II diabetes.”
I thought sharing a bit about my health journey would be appropriate. Diabetes runs deeply in my family tree, and a year ago, my physician indicated I was pre-diabetic and I needed to stop consuming all sugar in the form of desserts. Those who know me well know I have a severe sweet tooth. I cut out desserts for a few weeks and reverted to consuming sugar daily, especially after meals. This year, on May 29th, my HA1C was 7.8, and I was diagnosed as a type II diabetic. The physician, Dr. Paul Davis, said, “You have a choice. You can go on metformin today or try a radical diet based on a book by Dr. Jason Fung, and we will retest your HA1C for three months. I purchased a small notebook, and starting May 29, 2024, I kept a food log and documented everything I consumed in liquid or solid form.
By the grace of God, I have not had any sugar outside of the 2 grams here and there that you seemingly cannot avoid) and cut out completely carbs like bread, pasta, chips, or any breaded proteins. I am on a high-protein diet and exercise daily. As a result, I have lost 25 pounds, and my HA1C was at 5.8 at the three-month check without medication. I am committed to this diet for life. Dr. Fung says rather adamantly that if you want the radical diet to work well for you, there is one essential thing to keep in mind: never cheat! I love Halloween candy and would purchase extra just for myself! Yes, it is true. But, by the grace of God, I do not desire to break my diet.
A person recently asked me, “Do you think you have been able to keep your diet because you have a strong will?” It is not the first time I have been asked this question. I have a standard answer that reflects what I believe, “I think we can do whatever we put our mind to, with God’s help. But, more importantly, I have a vision of a long life without medication (I would take medication if necessary) where I can see our granddaughter, Goldie, grow into adulthood and bless the world with her influence and gifts. I live with intention. I have decided to do whatever it takes to be healthy and utilize diet, exercise, and spiritual practices as the “means” to realize the vision of a healthy, vibrant life. Dallas Willard identified this as VI.M. Vision, Intention, and Means. I am a firm believer it works. I hope you will try it for yourself. Thanks for your prayers and support as I seek to be a good steward of my body.