How does chronic disease inspire me? I love my life, regardless of the type 1 diabetes I’ve shared my life with for the last 46 years. Yet, there are a few things about type 1 diabetes that I do mind:
I have to carry my supplies around with me wherever I go.
Even when I’m working really hard at having good blood sugar some times I go high or low and can’t figure out why.
And if I work out hard my blood sugars sometimes go high or low
Ok that’s it, the rest is inspiration…
What inspires me about a chronic disease? Being diagnosed with type 1 diabetes at 16 sent me on a whirlwind life mission to become the healthiest I could. At age 22 I became convinced that all diseases could be healed. I started reading everything I could find on natural healing, studying diet, exercise, herbs, supplements, natural therapies etc. Thinking that of course I’d to able to “get off insulin” and heal from type 1 diabetes. I used all this new knowledge I was learning to become the healthiest I could become. In 41 years of healing protocols I still take insulin, but I am the healthiest I have ever been in my whole life at the age of 63.
What inspires me? Learning to be happy in spite of type 1. Creating happiness is an internal program, it has nothing to do with what’s outside yourself. I have discovered that learning the effects of food on my blood sugars, the effects of mood, exercise, stress, and excitement has become a joy, because I find it interesting. And because my health has improved so dramatically, I’ve realized that because of the diet I find myself on, I can expect the best blood sugars and health for a person with type 1 diabetes. It also happens to be a ketogenic diet. Everyday I find a new health guru who has become a ketogenic diet enthusiast. Who knew?
So, now in reverse, I find creating the best health for a regular person is the same for creating the best health for a person with type 1 diabetes. Type one gives me the reason for my studies, gives me reason to exercise, eat organic, study nutrition, and study happiness. Weird right? It’s been about finding the art of living this life.