Ok, So Goodbye, Old Friend.....

So, I didn't get a chance to talk about this on the podcast we taped last night (93, people - it's up, go download it), but I had my quarterly check-up today, and while still grossly unhealthy, I was pleased to find out that the medicine I take for the diabetes is working. I am on a combination of Januvia and Actos+Metformin (which if I didn't have insurance would be 600.00 a month...that's just gross....)  Anyway, my doctor said that my A1C (which for those of you not in the know) is a lab test where they can tell what range your blood sugars have been averaging for the last three months or so.  The average non-diabetic has an A1C of 6.5 or below.  Three months ago, when I was not taking my meds regularly, and not doing any sort of exercise, my A1C was a 9.4 (so my sugars were averaging around 300, which would explain some of the mood swings, headaches and sudden fatigues that would set in about an hour after eating crap.)

I decided that I was going to start taking my medicines after a particular come to Jesus talk that my doctor had with me where she pretty much told me that I was on the fast track to a.)blindness, b.) kidney failure and/or c.)losing a leg or two not to mention a little thing we like to call death.

So, in actually, you know, taking the medicine I was supposed to, my A1C went down from 9.4 to 8.4.  Now, yes, I know that is still a shitty number, but I know part of the issue involves the changes, or lack thereof, that have happened with my diet.  In fact, with the holidays and my birthday and a stressful couple of months (all excuses, I know), it pisses me off (i.e. motivates me) to do better, diet wise.  So, the first place I am making changes is with soda.

I love soda.  I've drank it since a kid and certain flavors remind me of certain times in my life.  But I also know it is one of the worst things you can put in your body and there have been times where I can say I think that soda was the cause for a major jump in my sugars.  So, effective immediately, I am going to see how long I can go with no soda.  No more Cherry Coke, no more Moutain Dew, No more Barg's Root Beer.  I plan on reporting back here as a way of keeping myself honest if I drink any sort of carbonated beverage.   I know I've done stuff like this before - sometimes it worked, sometimes it didn't.  But I figure that the whole "I'm going to change everything about my lifestyle..on Monday" thing doesn't seem to be working for me, and hopefully, this baby step style that I have inadvertently started with taking my medicine will put me on the right path towards a healthier lifestyle.

Thank you for indulging me in this little emo-moment....An emoment, if you will....