This article originally appeared in LinkedIn. In Nov 2017.
Did you know that Sugar Awareness Week (#SugarAwarenessWeek) is from 30th Oct - 5th Nov? Neither did I. Until I got diagnosed with Type2Diabetes.
Getting diagnosed...... just in time for Halloween was ironic.
As Halloween seems to be a celebration of both fear and sugar.
However, diabetes (no matter what type) is nothing funny.
Nothing cute. It's a problem as pure as sugar. And just as deadly...
With an end result that can horrify you.
So how come it's great? Well let's see for many years I have had the symptoms for Type 2 diabetes due to high blood sugar they are:
- Increased thirst
- Increased hunger(especially after eating)
- Dry mouth
- Frequent urination
- Unexplained weight loss (even though you are eating and feel hungry)
- Fatigue (weak, tired feeling)
- Blurred vision
- Headaches
At least four of these symptoms I have had since University. Which was a LONG time ago. And for me, a couple of them were mistaken for just me getting older. So my question for you is - do you have any of the above symptoms?
I know the demographic of my LinkedIn followers and LinkedIn in general. So you might all want to ask your doctor for a checkup. Especially those like me that are over 40. Or those like me who racially are more prone to diabetes. (I didn't know this either.)
Type 2 diabetes is two to four times more likely in people of South Asian descent and African-Carribean or Black African descent.
Type 2 Diabetes might be a bigger problem than you think. As there are currently 2.8m people with type 2 diabetes in England and about 200,000 new diagnoses every year!
Scary huh? And if you don't treat it basically you are in deep trouble.
- Your cholesterol and blood pressure rise. Perhaps not that scary but...
- Your vision fades. You could go blind.
- Your kidneys fail.
- Your nerves fray. Which might not sound like much BUT believe you me it's bad.
- You may lose a foot. Or even a leg! In the USA - people with diabetes undergo about 73,000 lower-limb amputations per year, and about 60% of amputations overall are in people with diabetes.
- You're prone to a major cardiac event. If fact, it DOUBLES your risk.
- Your life shortens. By about 20 years or more on average. And if diagnosed at 40 with it. Then you might not have as long as you think.
As fear is a great motivator (for me.) So I now HAVE to do what I have been meaning to do for years.
- I have to loose weight and not eat carbs - as recommended by Chris Marsh ages ago.
- I have to exercise more - perhaps go running as Guy Weaver suggested.
- I have to cut out ALL sugars - no bad thing as Action On Sugar says...
Excess sugar is linked to obesity, type II diabetes & tooth decay. It is time we all take action! .
- I have to look after myself mentally - as Andy Hall forewarned - as the lack of sugar might play havoc with my mood. So I might cut down on networking too.
- Perhaps I need to find out my purpose and focus on that with extra vigor - to get me through these dark days of change. No bad thing eh Phil Jones.
So being diagnosed wasn't the best thing for me. But it might be GREAT. What comes out of it - at the other end. Only time will tell.
And time is something I would like to have more of. Wouldn't we all?
Thanks for your time.
Now go and get yourself checked.
As there will be five million people in the UK alone with the disease in 2020 - five years earlier than previously anticipated. Remember with changes to diet and to your lifestyle you can change Type 2 Diabetes it is NOT impossible to reverse. And I intend to prove it.
About the Author:
Dan Sodergren is a professional trainer and speaker. He is a digital marketing trainer based in Manchester with Great Marketing Works. He specialises in mobile and social marketing with ideas ranging from augmented reality, to RTB and back again.
He trains companies and individuals in digital, social and mobile marketing. He also sometimes gets to talk about it all on radio and is even occasionally on the BBC.
