Nina Simone inspires us to be “RADICAL” about living with Diabetes

I love this quote from Nina Simone: “The distance between your dreams and reality is discipline.”

Many experts believe that effectively managing diabetes requires discipline in one’s diet, self-monitoring and lifestyle patterns. But the truth is that even under the best self-care circumstances things can still go wrong. ‘Being gentle with yourself’ might be the most ‘radical’ idea yet for managing your diabetes.

Let’s face it managing diabetes is like a three-way balancing act: The medications you take (insulin or pills), the food you eat, and the amount of exercise you get all need to be in sync. We’re all human so there’s always a chance that you may end up experiencing an unexpected high or low blood sugar.

It’s still not a bad idea to be disciplined about your diabetes. According to the Diabetic Discipline website, the source of natural health, there are several basic rules that disciplined people with diabetes follow to stay healthy:

Be aware of what you eat. Diabetics convert everything they eat, even fat and protein, into sugar. The more they eat, the more sugar they have in their systems. The answer is to curb eating indulgence.

Treat all infections promptly. Infections, dysentery, localized infections (tonsils, teeth, gallbladder) can worsen diabetes because of the increased burden they place on the body. Localized infections must be cleared and chronic constipation overcome by means of healthy nutrition. Teeth should be brushed after every meal. Gums require massage. Skin must be cared for, dry-brushed and washed with alternately hot and cold water. Extreme cleanliness and foot care are important. All wounds should be disinfected and bandaged immediately. Lungs, eyes and teeth should be examined yearly.

Get regular exercise but don’t overdo it. Exercise and breathing are important. They increase the “fire” of the metabolic process and lower the elimination of sugar in the urine. Sugar can then be better utilized. Insulin production increases because the circulation in the abdominal organs is activated. Daily outdoor activity is essential, including exercises, walking and deep breathing. Diabetics should go to bed early and get up early. Avoid fatigue!

Nina Simone’s words, music and authenticity inspired our Diabetes Late Nite podcast a few years back. During the podcast we talked about what it means to be ‘RADICAL’ about your diabetes self-care.

Since the term ‘radical’ means very new and different from what is traditional or ordinary we talked about taking charge of your diabetes! Statistics state that there are 8.1 million people undiagnosed with diabetes (27.8% of total US population with diabetes). Why not be radical? Open up about your experience about living with diabetes to friends, co-workers and family members. Your words might just help stop a diabetes health-related complication from occurring.

Tune in to March’s Diabetes Late Nite podcast inspired by Gladys Knight & the Pips on Tuesday, March 7, 2017, 6-7:30 PM, EST. Guests include Poet Lorraine Brooks, the Charlie’s Angels of Outreach, Stacey ‘The Diabetic Pastry Chef’ Harris, SleepyHeads Central and Mama Rose Marie. Our unique mix of music, games, prizes and expert advice hopes to encourage people who are afraid, angry, ashamed and/or in denial about diabetes to take the first step towards managing their diabetes health. GLAM MORE, FEAR LESS!