Who? Me? Not On Your Nelly

[barry1010]

I've had a great laugh this morning. My GP surgery has asked me to give a 'motivational' talk to a group of type 2 diabetics to 'encourage them to accept their diagnosis and make lifestyle changes'.

I am the last person any diabetic would want to listen to. Just because I have lost a lot of weight, stopped taking the drugs and now manage the diabetes by diet doesn't mean I have empathy or sympathy for others. Listening to somebody like me bang on about 'taking responsibility' and 'eating healthily' wouldn't have encouraged me to follow their lead, it would only have made me feel inadequate and resentful.

Same thing with the non-diabetic fatties who have asked me how I lost so much weight. As soon as I tell them (diet and exercise) they lose interest. They want to hear that I took a 5p magic pill every day and lost a stone a week without side effects and could eat as much as I wanted.

Still, the invitation gave me a chuckle and my wife is still laughing

[Sqad]

LOl......well done.....go for it.

Entertain them as well as educating them and then you will have done your job.

[jennyjoan]

think you should do it Barry - you must have made a great impact re diabetes, otherwise GP surgery wouldn't have asked you to do it.

It would give you a little something else to do and look forward to.

My cousin attends a little class re diabetes via zoom every other Tuesday night and says it is very informative.

There's your chance to become a diabetic lecturer LOL

[ladybirder]

A neighbour of mine did exactly that several years ago Barry, diabetic no longer and he's kept it off for over ten years. Well done you and him.

[Bazile]

Don't forget to negotiate your fee

[jennyjoan]

just that last post. When you lost all your weight - did you get rid of the diabetes.

[Ken4155]

I wasn't asked to do any talks when i lost all the weight, Barry, but i was asked if i would allow my details to be entered on a national Diabetes register as one who had reversed the Type 2 with diet and exercise. I gave my consent and was contacted a few months later to explain, in brief, how i managed to do so. I replied by email, received a 'thankyou' reply and, thankfully, i've heard nothing since.

[Hopkirk]

Perhaps you should do it, and help them face the hard truths.

[Ken4155]

Hoppy, surely they face the truth every time they see themselves in a full length mirror or walk a tad further than the distance from their front door to the car.

[barry1010]

JJ, I have reversed the diabetes but still have to go for regular check ups.
I like the idea of the National Diabetes Register, Ken - never heard of it.

It's the hard truths that gave me a kick up the bum, Hopkirk, not motivational claptrap. I saw a documentary on tv about obesity and diabetes and there was a chap in a hospital bed, younger than me, being told that his leg had to be amputated. He just shrugged as if it were nothing. That frightened me half to death.
Another documentary shortly afterwards showed a fat man in his 40s stood in his living room, supported by a zimmer frame, having his backside washed by a carer because he couldn't reach round to do it himself. He thought it was quite funny.
I was already struggling to cut my toenails - enough was enough.

That is what people need to see, not photos of salads, porridge and healthy dinners.

[barry1010]

Ken, do you live in Scotland?

[pastafreak]

I think you should do it Barry. If I'm not mistaken, you've followed a low carb diet. Many doctors...and even dieticians...are not up to date regarding diet and diabetes. There's still too many being advised to eat plenty of carbs, when reducing them has been shown to help immensely. Tell your story...include those moments that shocked and scared you. Stand in front of them as an example of what they *could* be. Just do it!

[Ken4155]

Barry, Scotland? No, Burnley-by-the-canal in good old England:-)
The register thingummyjig was about 6 or 7 years back and i think it was more of a case-file than a register. It was explained to me that research was being made into just how many people had reversed the Type 2 and how they had gone about doing so. It may have been a short-lived project for all i know?

[Sqad]

pasta

//Many doctors...and even dieticians...are not up to date regarding diet and diabetes. There's still too many being advised to eat plenty of carbs, when reducing them has been shown to help immensely. ///

Really?.............never met any.

[Ken4155]

I thought Barry still ate pasta as part of his diet, as do i - at leat once a week. In moderation, pasta is ok for Type 2 as it is low in Glycemic Index.

[barry1010]

I eat porridge every morning and have one portion of carbs with every evening meal ~ potatoes, rice or pasta. I eat beans, broad beans are my favourite. I eat two slices of bread every 10 days.

So not particularly low carb.