In the span of 12 months alone, I’ve lost some family members to it. Now, I am also currently taking care of someone who’s suffering through type 2 diabetes and I am watching them slowly die.

From what I have seen, once you’re passing a certain threshold in diabetes, there’s no point of return and it’s living as if you’re waiting to die. It’s something I have seen with people around me that they either live to see another 2-3 years since their first diagnose or sometimes, if they manage it well, they can live up to 10 years and make it to their 70’s.

There are 2 types of diabetes and I am mostly surrounded by type 2 rather than type 1. Type 2 diabetes are caused by poor lifestyle; poor here means you’re leading a sedentary lifestyle and excessively eating high-calorie, ultra processed and high sugary food.

So, recently have you been auditing the way you eat and the way you lead your life?

Maybe it’s personal to me but I can tell you as much, Diabetes isn’t only causing suffering to yourself but also the people around you. It’s almost as if you’re also asking others to bear some of the consequences for your poor lifestyle choices. Most of the care taker never sign up for it and even more so when the patient is extra challenging—as in even after the diagnose they are not self-aware and/or willing to change their ways of living. This adds extra frustration no matter how close your relationship is with them.

The wake-up call

About 3 years ago, I solely survived on Starbucks diet. I drink and eat anything inside Starbucks and I shrugged off the idea that they’re not the best nutrition or food. I mean, as long as it’s coffee, I would be cool with it. I was probably on my way getting diagnosed with type 2 diabetes if I continued it for another year or two.

The first truly wake up call was when my biological father passed away, then a few months later followed by my grandma. Both of them has the same problem, only they think differently when it comes to their diabetes, one is stubborn in their ways and in denial, my grandma accepts and recognize it ever since her first diagnose of diabetes. She changed her lifestyle and lived until her mid-70s.

Now, I am seeing another denial patient. Denial patients that I know of, who barely changed their ways and habit don’t really make it long. This is my second and final wake-up call as now I am more seeing it in my day-to-day life how excruciating the pain could be and how not only it affects the patient but also the people around them, like myself and my mom who essentially are the caretaker.

People have told me to be patient, to let go, and all that sort of thing, the thing is I do.

Seeing my adoptive father didn’t change his ways after being diagnosed with it, the chances are slim for him to stay alive for another year. His diabetes has progressed faster that it really damages most of his organ, which is the layers of diabetes complications. So, at this point, that is beyond to repair. If it were a house, it needs to be demolished and rebuilt anew but our body isn’t something that we could simply demolish and rebuild.

Should we blame it all on sugar?

I do not think sugar is the ultimate enemy as some professional said all around. It is excessively consuming them that is the problem. On top of that, these days we can’t seem to escape it. Almost everything that we eat in our modern diet has added sugar or some type of refined sugars. Think of sweet iced tea, Bobbas, any Starbucks drinks that has added syrups to it. Then there’s other layers as canned food, fast comfort ready meal, instant meal, etc, they all have things that are harmful to our body yet we still consume them out of convenience. Since it’s perhaps extra challenging to avoid all of them, being mindful about our sugar consumption could help us prevent diabetes.

The journey to live a healthier life…

Since late last year, I’ve audited the way I run my life. I wouldn’t lie that somewhere around November- December I ate things I probably shouldn’t excessively. I was opting for convenience where high processed food and sugar got into my plate. When I get busy, sometimes I don’t care about it all but noticing how it made myself miserable, these days I’ve found ways combating an extremely busy day. Rather than opting for instant convenience meal, I just make the simples meal that I love which is overnight oats or Gyeran Bap which has just about 320 calories (it could be more if I added more eggs) but they are my go-to these days when I have no brain cells or energy to cook complicated healthy meal.

These days, I also opt for americano and any filter coffee more than lattes and sugary beverages. The sweets have become my occasional treats that I enjoy in moderation.

It's March now, and it’s been a week since I am reverting to low sugar and high protein diet again. I’ve noticed some significant changes into my life that I feel way better. My main goal has shifted from more than just losing weight but also preventing and avoiding Diabetes considering I’ve seen first hand the horror of what it can bring to us.

Have you been having any check-up lately or have concern about diabetes? If you haven’t audited the way you eat, it’s really time to do so.