Sugar, Sugar

The number one song when I was born was "Sugar, Sugar" by The Archies.  I have loved sugar and everything sweet for as long as I can remember!  Growing up I remember my favorite breakfast before going to school was 4 small powder donuts and a cup of hot chocolate.  Yum!  Then, my father made me start eating a bowl of cereal to go with it making it a much healthier breakfast...NOT!

Fast forward to my first pregnancy--I drank white grape juice 24-7.  I kept it by my bed--it takes good even at room temp unlike water.  I ended up with gestational diabetes.  I think it was a bad sign that I actually not only endured the sugary syrup for the test...I loved it and wanted more!  My second pregnancy I was eating intuitively (eating only when hungry and stopping when full--what a concept!) and did not get gestational diabetes.  The doctors made me do the sugar test twice because they could not believe it.  I had a doctor tell me once that I WOULD get Type 2 Diabetes if I did not die of something first.  Basically, he said if I returned to the weight I was at when I got gestational diabetes, then I would get Type 2.  At the time, I was far from that weight and did not think much of it.  Then, stressful events like my father's pancreatic cancer (gained 40 lbs) took me right up to that point.  I have been at and around that weight for years without high sugar.  Until recently.

A month ago, I went to the doctor because my foot was hurting and swelling up at night where I had surgery for a broken foot.  My blood pressure was up that day, so I was sent home to monitor my blood pressure.  The next week I was put on HBP medicine and had fasting blood tests.  My fasting sugar was 155.  So, I had to come back and do the A1C, which came back 8.5.  Above 6.5 is considered diabetes.  The first time I took my blood sugar reading, it was 299 and I thought I had had a good day of eating healthy.  I was immediately scared to eat anything...and lost 12 lbs quickly.

Unfortunately, I have gotten over my fear and am struggling.  It is my goal to maintain my blood sugar with diet only.  It sound far-fetched and ridiculous for someone who loves sugar like I do.  I also hate it, because I know it is an addiction.  There are many addictions in my family and I am so against addiction that I hate pills and anything that threatens to control me.  There is no other choice for me than to completely change the way I eat.

In my research, I have come up with three avenues of change that are reportedly methods to control diabetes with diet.  1. Vegan  2. Low Carb and 3. Paleo   I am still considering all three at the moment, but my first plan of action is to do the seven day cabbage soup "cleanse" (my friend insists it is a cleanse instead of diet that it has been called for years).  Because it is basically very "Paleo", I am willing to start with it.  The instructions say do not do for more than 7 days without a break...I say "Why?"  Because like I said, it is basically Paleo/whole foods.

Tomorrow is the beginning of a new era.  I have said this so many times, but this time I have no choice.  I am only 44 yrs old and I have two children depending on me to be healthy and be around for a long time.