Anita Callfield speaks about taking action.

At our Aug 28 meeting, Anita Callfield spoke about her lifestyle changes after she was diagnosed with diabetes. At a routine check up, Anita’s doctor noticed that she lost weight without trying, had “fruity” breath, which is a sign of ketoacidosis, and general malaise. Her blood sugar and A1C were at dangerous levels and she had to start taking insulin injections immediately. She described herself at the time as an “out of control” diabetic. She knew she had to start making changes out of fear of diabetic complications. “Fear is a great motivator,” she said.

Anita started following an “Action Plan,” which consisted of changes in diet, exercise, managing stressors, and regular medical check ups and testing. Specifically, she suggested the following:

Anita’s Action Plan

• See your doctor: Have your thyroid function, vitamin D, etc., checked.
• Eat 6: Eat three small meals and three snacks each day.
• Eat right: Eat 1/2 vegetables, 1/4 protein, and 1/4 carbs. Eat good fats–nuts, olives, avocados, etc.
• Walk: Walk at least 20 minutes without stopping every other day. Start out with 5 or 10 minutes. Gradually do more time. Start out slowly. Increase speed over time until you are walking like you are very late. Wear shoes that have a good arch support.
• Relax: Learnto self-calm during stressful times. Use prayer, mantras, etc., to calm down when you feel the stress, and do it immediately to try to limit the cortisol dump.

As Anita mentioned, exercise can help regulate blood sugar. Regular exercise increases your body’s sensitivity to insulin, and since insensitivity to insulin is the cause of type II diabetes, can help fight the disease.

You may have also been surprised to hear that relaxation can have a positive impact on the health of diabetics. Stress reduction and relaxation can help one maintain a healthy weight, which, of course, is essential to both diabetics and non-diabetics alike.

Here are the titles of the books Anita referenced in the program:

60 Ways to Lower Your Blood Sugar — Dennis Pollock
The New Bible Cure for Weight Loss — Don Colbert, MD
The Bible Cure for Weight Loss and Muscle Gain — Don Colbert, MD
The Glycemic Load Diet — Rob Thompson, MD
Wheat Belly: A 30 Minute Summary — Dr. William Davis

Anita presented a very interesting program and gave us a lot to think about. Thanks Anita, and thanks, Tammy, for arranging the program.