As a teenager I ate, drank and smoked whatever I wanted. My parents would caution me about using six packets of sugar in one cup of coffee. I had a sweet tooth to say the least. On top of that I loved junk food, especially ‘Mountain Dew’ and ‘Funions’. I was smoking cigarettes at age 12, I could steal them anytime from my grandmothers, father and stepmothers.
All of this time I never considered my kidney damage from birth defects or the chronic kidney infections I developed because of my diet and lifestyle choices. I simply continued to take the antibiotics with each infection. The damage was insidious and even though I felt great for years it did eventually catch up with me.
By the time I was pregnant with my third child I was already diabetic. The doctors informed me of that later. I had no clue, yet I was feeling very bad and I had gained a lot of weight. I had no health insurance so I was on my own in dealing with the symptoms. Of course I ignored them as much as I could like any person would who was raising a family while working and going to college.
Throughout the rest of the pregnancy they had me testing my blood and injecting insulin six times a day. My blood sugar would rise very high even when eating a carrot. The Gestational Diabetes was well established by the second trimester.
So I went to a Diabetic Nutritionist on a weekly basis. She helped me track what I was eating and begin to understand the fluctuations in blood sugar due to certain foods. I began to understand what I needed to do to help control my blood sugar. I was able to maintain my weight and keep my blood sugar balanced through the end. Even while working, going to college and taking care of my family.
Once the pregnancy was over they said I would have to continue to test my blood and inject insulin. Honestly I am terrified of shots and was not willing to continue injecting myself. Plus I still had no health insurance and Diabetic testing supplies and insulin are an enormous expense. There was no way we could afford it.
So I did what I could and watched my diet somewhat. Eventually it all backfired and after splurging on a dinner of a fast food hamburger, french fries and soda I found myself on the floor. I had almost blacked out and slid to the floor. The room was spinning as if I was drunk. My family was watching, helpless.
I did some research after I regained my feet and found that I was on the verge of a diabetic coma. This is when the blood sugar is so high it affects the brain and nervous system causing damage and eventually shut down. This is the main cause of Diabetic Neuropathy. This scared me so much I immediately began looking in to what more I could do to stop this from happening again.
The first thing I found was Chromium Picolinate. Chromium is the main nutrient utilized by the pancreas to create insulin. With Type II Diabetes the pancreas becomes overloaded and slows production of insulin and other related hormones. I began taking it once a day while I worked to change my diet and develop a fitness routine.
I was not physically fit because of desk jobs and sitting for school. So I began with Yoga. Back then Oprah had the Fit Channel that had multiple exercise shows. I started watching Hatha Yoga. Through the videos I learned how to do the poses and proper breathing. This caused me to decide to change my major in college to Integrative Therapies.
From 2007 to 2012 I learned everything I could about holistic wellness and healthy living. Courses included Anatomy and Physiology, Aromatherapy, Ayurveda, Herbal Remedies, Homeopathy, Pathology of Disease, etc. I earned a Bachelor of Science in Integrative Therapies with a minor in Health Care.
During this time I also gained control of my blood sugar and lost eighty pounds. Using what I learned I was able to quit smoking and finally end that awful habit as well. All while continuing to work and take care of my family. I was fit and healthy again, like in my twenties.
Now I am in my forties and a grandmother. I do still have to work to maintain my weight and blood sugar. There are times I slip and I really regret it. Then it takes a little time to get back on track. I am grateful to have the tools and experience to know when I am slipping and how to take action to bring balance again.
Now if you have been trying to find a way to improve your health and reduce your reliance on expensive medications I am here to help. I can help you make change using my process or I can help you to develop your own. I also offer a wide assortment of natural products to help reduce the chemicals in your environment.