Diagnosed with diabetes from a simple cut

My mother was diagnosed with diabetes 9-10 years ago, in her early 40s. She contracted the disease even though she was a young lady who was otherwise physically fit.

The diagnosis came as a shock to all of us, and caused tension among my family, particularly for my mother who was the main victim. Naturally, she started thinking about her family members who were already suffering from diabetes.

My mother’s diagnosis

My mother was diagnosed with diabetes thanks to a simple cut on her finger.

The cut was very painful and taking too long to heal. She’d tried to treat it at home using ointments, but they weren’t helping. So after several days, she decided to see the doctor. The doctor examined her finger and asked her about her family history of diabetes. He then suggested she get a diabetes test.

When the test result came back, it showed her sugar level was quite high. My mother insisted it could be because of a dessert she’d eaten before the test, but a few more tests and examinations confirmed she was a diabetic.

Condemned to be diabetic by our genetics?

After her diagnosis, my mother sat in despair. She couldn’t stop thinking that maybe our genetics were to blame, and so I (her son) would also be diagnosed as a diabetic at some point in my life.

The evidence was certainly there – We have 7 family members already suffering from diabetes, including my maternal uncle, grandmother and cousins.

It’s a prime belief that diabetes is caused by consuming large amounts of sugar. Because of this, my grandmother, a diabetic in her 80s, forbids us from eating sugar. We used to laugh it off – “Diabetes runs in our family, so consuming sugary food won’t make a difference.”

However, I have seen diabetes patients living healthy, normal lives thanks to changing their lifestyle and a few of their eating habits.

My mother, for example, stood firm. She faced the challenge of her diabetes head-on and never complained about her health. She adjusted her lifestyle. And she became a role model for all of us, controlling her health issues by following a well-defined daily routine and diet plan.

Tips and tricks

Here are some tips that my mother follows to control her blood sugar level:

• Adopting a healthy daily routine
• Following a medication schedule
• Tracking her blood sugar level
• Taking Asian home remedies
• Maintaining a controlled Diet

Adopting a healthy daily routine

Managing our household and going for regular morning and evening walks keeps my mother healthy and active.

In the early days of her diagnosis, she stopped walking and stayed home to rest. However, that just made her feel tired and anxious.

As soon as she started walking again, especially in the morning, her blood sugar levels improved. This not only gave her more energy but also improved her mood – She was happy not to miss her daily exercise.

Following a medication schedule

Taking proper medicine regularly is crucial to keeping blood sugar levels in a normal range.

My mother only takes medicines prescribed to her by professional doctors, never misses a dose, and avoids self-medicating.

At one time, she did take medicine which resulted in a low blood sugar level, but she reported it to the doctor and they changed it to another.

Tracking her sugar level

My mother keeps a clear record of her sugar level, checking it 3 times a week - Once before breakfast and twice after.

This allowed my mother to diagnose how exercise affected her sugar level as well as the effects of different foods.

Because she has such an accurate log and knows her sugar level exactly, she’s also able to consume some sweets.

And she always keeps a blood glucose monitor (a device used to measure blood sugar level) with her. This lets her immediately track her sugar level and take any required action.

Taking Asian home remedies

In Asian culture, there are home remedies to cure almost every ailment.

Although you can’t cure diabetes with a home remedy, some can help keep your blood sugar level in control. For example, jamun (a.k.a. rose apple, Java plum, and Indian blackberry) are considered helpful for this.

My mother uses these seeds as a home remedy to help keep her diabetes in control. She finds that drying the seeds, grinding them into a powder, and eating a small amount with water every morning helps keep her sugar level down.

Maintaining a controlled diet

For a diabetic, diet of course has a great impact on blood sugar levels.

My mother follows a diet that incorporates fiber, fruits, vegetables, pulses, meat and eggs in her daily meals.

She tries to avoid fruits and nuts that have high sugar content, and stick to things like apple, guava and peach (which are better for sugar patients).

Dealing with the symptoms of her diabetes

Every diabetic, based on age and health, has to deal with some symptoms of their diabetes. My mother found that her wounds heal more slowly, her eyesight is weaker, she needs to urinate more frequently, and sometimes shivers.

However, she faces all of these with the same strength she’s applied to her lifestyle changes – She manages each one head-on and takes whatever actions she can to address them.

Final thoughts

My mother has shown me that dealing with diabetes is not a big deal, and by taking the right steps you can avoid serious health issues.

Simply by adopting a few healthy lifestyle habits, it’s possible to cope with the disease and lead a normal, healthy life.

And as family members, we’re responsible for showing support and care to the patient. That way we can all stay happy and healthy together.