That one time at.....

.... a mall in Texas, America , I was doing a spot of massive shopping, with my boyfriend at the time, when one of those ‘Secrets from the Dead Sea’ type beauty product people literally grabs my hand and starts rubbing something in. My boyfriend mentions that we were actually on our way to eat ‘as she is a Type 1 Diabetic, so we must be on our way’. But nope, that excuse didn’t quiet go down as planned, rather the Salesperson gasped and almost steps back in horror, all the while still holding my hand. In fact she lifts my hand up into my face so that my painted (slightly chipped nails) are practically in my eye balls and says ‘You know Type 1 Diabetics are not supposed to paint their nails! Naughty! You are more susceptible to chemicals and the polish seeps in through your nails, raising your blood sugars!’

She then proceeded to just glare at me some more as she babbled on about how now I really really needed her product to right all the wrongs I’d caused with the nail polish. 

If only I'd known earlier why I was getting high blood sugars, I would've drunk more juice, eaten more cake and just not painted my nails! Tell me there's not a scrap of proof in this!

Health and Fitness Super Sleuthing

Having noticed that I was starting to ‘plateau’ of sorts at the gym and with my diet, I decided I needed to do a bit of super sleuthing deeper into the shape of my fitness health. So I went and did a Bio Age test, a Body Composition Test and booked into see a dietitian that was outside the traditional public health/diabetes system. I’ve also been investigating some new exercise options outside of my usual gym sessions... so when I saw an offer to try Cardio Tennis for free I couldn’t resist. I didn’t need my own tennis racket or to even know how to actually play!

Here's what I thought of them all:

My Mother Hubbard Cupboard

I sometimes get asked what my food staples are, what do I always have in my pantry? Living in an area prone to cyclones, this also becomes extremely important during the wet season!

So here's my quick list of essentials in my pantry (fridge/freezer staples to come later):

Apple Cider Vinegar

Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Raw 100% Organic Virgin Coconut Oil

Canned beans: four bean mix, kidney beans, chick peas, lentils, cannelloni beans (I don't have every type all the time, just a small selection)

Canned Tomatoes

Protein Powder

Almond Meal

Raw Almonds

Canned Tuna

Quinoa

Green Tea

Black Tea 

Stevia (or other natural sweetener)

Raw sugar or honey (can be used for lows too of course)

UHT Skim Milk (for absolute desperate when the power is out etc)

Spices: Cinnamon. Cayenne, Turmeric, Pepper, Salt (I have many others, as I Love Love spices but these are my MUSTS)

Lemons

Garlic

Onions

I find that with these ingredients I can always create a meal or two, even if its just because I'm lazy and haven't been to the shops in days! Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Apple cider vinegar, lemons, garlic, tumeric and cayenne are a fantastic way to make great salad and vegetable dressings with minimal to no salt or sugar. They are also great for jazzing up plain meals and have multiple health benefits.

Not such a walk in the park!

A couple of weeks ago, my fiance and I partook in a 12km charity walk which I have been meaning to write about ever since! Mainly because it left us absolutely knackered! Hats off to all you walkers, both being regulars at the gym, we cannot believe just how much the Sunday adventure 'hurt' us: three days later we were still weary lol! Upon completion in just under 2hours, our feet were a bit sore, we were a bit tired and straving, and with tight muscles but that was it. Well! Come the Monday I was hobbling! By the Tuesday morning I could still barely pull off a single set of squats!
Diabetically speaking, I experienced something pretty new and interesting though (which also made me secretly do backflips inside like a little diabetic champion gymnast). The walk was at 7am, so at 5.30 I had a coffee and slice of toast (in hindsight, probably not enough). My body seemed a little confused and peaked at 17.6 right before the walk (I seem to get this problem everytime I have to be 'fit' in public have you noticed??), so knowing I was about to do 'some' cardio, I only injected 3 units. At around the 7km point I felt the low coming on...so while not stopping for a nano second, I check my BGL...4.6... not too bad I thought, and I know alot of people wouldn't even deem this as a low, but I was still mid stride and on the go. So (while still not stopping for a second) I threw back a couple of jellybeans and kept powering on..... about 100 meters later I felt ALL my energy just melt away, as if it fell from my head, down through my boady and washed out my feet across the concrete. 'I can't go on' I thought...and afterall, the organisers had made an effort to advise us this was a non-competitive charity walk. Clearly something else had ticked over in my brain though and I just couldn't seem to stop.... plus maybe if I stopped I wouldn't start again... so I bargained with my finace (uncesccairly, he would've stopped... I think I was actually bargaining with myself) to stop at the next water station 200 meters away.

What's Up? What Are You Doing? Where AreYou????

'What's Up?'
'What Are You Doing?'
'Where Are You?'
'Can you do this?' (Right now!) 

These are some of the sorts of questions that seem to be popping up (in a very nagging tone) in my life ALOT lately and its had me step back from life and start to wonder what am I doing and am I heading where I want to? So I've taken two weeks leave from my usual job to help me do just that! Now into week two, I've learnt some interesting things, some I already knew, but have just been reminded of too!

1. Diabetes alone cam take up as much time, if not more, than a full time job.
2. Unless you are outspoken about your goals, its is very hard to achieve them.
3. There is absolute truth in the power of positive thought.

At Some Stage

Whatever the stages of grief and which ever order they appear, I seem to have transcended into the next one. Or perhaps revisiting one I thought I was through. I just know that I paused for a moment this week and realised I was 'here' and not 'there'.

I'm at the one year mark of when we first found out about mums diagnosis with terminal cancer. Unexpectedly I seem to be finding this quite difficult.

Easter is hard without mum. We're not a religious family nor do we do copious amounts of chocolate but she just had this way of making it just so. When I was little, she always organised an egg hunt which ran through the entire house and into the garden, and every year my brother and I got matching bunnies of some sort. Even with my diagnosis she still carried on the same, believing a little of the best chocolate was much better than the toxins of artificial sweeteners. I wish I could just skip Easter this year, take a big breath, and try deal with it next year! Just the thought of an Easter egg makes me feel sick!

I'm trying really hard to up my workouts and keep my diet in check as I'm sure this is one of 'those times' when I don't quite realise just how close to the edge I'm pushing myself! Also off to get a flu shot tomorrow- that's the last thing I need! A flu monster trying to sabotage my blood sugars!!!

I'd just like to say thank you to the couple of people who have contacted me recently to see if I'm OK. I haven't got back to all of you yet but your kindness really touched me and reminded me how wonderful the DOC community can be and that I should stop abandoning the blog everytime I say I'm back!!!

I'm Still Here!

I'd like to say time flies, but then I stop and think how much I've managed to cram into this year already... just obviously not much blogging! A huge shout out to Diabetes Queensland though for including my blog in their One Wonders enewsletter as its given me the proverbial kick-in-the-you-know-what to at least post an update. I have not flown into outer space never to be seen again... I just got caught up in having an engagement party! buying an apartment! aaaaaaaaaaand launching a new business with my family! Oh and trying to be a diabetes management goddess of course!

Engagement party, I highly recommend them, if only simply to understand what headaches you might have for the real big day... oh and very harshly, who you may actually prefer not to have there... bitchy I know but its a really big day, and its about the groom and bride to be and the people who shine whole-hearted love and real warmth into your life.

Bought an apartment, the one one I've lived in for the last three years, its finally OURS. Yep I've taken another big step for adult kind and bought property with my wonderful other half. Awwwwww. Stressful though, my goodness, its been over two years in the making. Crazy, but one thing or another seemed to jump in my way. Not anymore! ....now for the even bigger monthly payments...how very grown up of me!

Launching a new business, has been immensely stressful and exciting at the same time, which means sleepless nights of late. 9pm to 1am seems to be when I do my best business plotting, just I have to be lying in bed with the lights out but eyes open while I toss and turn... I don't seem to get the same switched on effect if I'm actually out of bed sitting at the computer...very annoying! This also makes it difficult to stick to my exercise regime early the next morning....  cue erratic irritating blood sugars. grrrrrrr!

Also Ive been trying to work closely with the local diabetes centre, mostly out of guilt. I feel like I can't be a good diabetic if I don't constantly go in there. But every time I do, they tell me to eat more carbs, which I do... because they're experts right.... but then I start on this spiral of highs and lows and annoying grumpyness (even I don't want be around me).... So I'm back to my usual 'not-so-much' carb lifestyle... still on the roller coaster a little though....not actually sure it's possible to get completely off sometimes. Maybe its more like we can get out and stand on the platform but while we're standing there watching it, something else comes and pushes us back in the seat... enough lol

Ok that's a quick update for now as I'm off to meetings to get this product launched!

Much Love