Chronic

I recently finished writing a series of blogs entitled, “Transforming Diabetes.”  It was a culmination of work I have been doing over the last 5 years dealing specifically with the process I have used in managing and, intermittently. mastering diabetes. If you are interested in reading about my perspective and what I have discovered in my 34 years of experience then click on Transforming Diabetes under the Categories section of this blog site. Start with Post #1 and proceed from there.  Diabetes is called a “chronic” dis-ease.  Webster’s dictionary defines chronic as –

1. lasting a long time or recurring often: said of a disease, and distinguished from ACUTE.  2. having had an ailment for some time (a chronic patient) 3. continuing indefinitely; perpetual; constant (a chronic worry) 4. by habit, custom, etc; habitual; inveterate  (a chronic complainer) – n. a chronic patient —chronically adv. —chronicity n.

SYN. – chronic suggests long duration or frequent recurrence and is used especially of diseases or habits that resist all efforts to eradicate them (chronic sinusitis); inveterate implies firm  establishment as a result of continued indulgence over a long period of time (an inveterate liar);  confirmed suggests fixedness in some condition or practice, often from a deep-seated aversion to change  (a confirmed bachelor);  hardened implies fixed tendencies and a callous indifference to emotional or moral considerations (a hardened criminal)”

At age 14 I was “given” this serious, complicated, dangerous and, often times, insidious, physical condition to address.  I guess it is called chronic because it is here to stay.  There is no cure.  Prior to 1921 any human being who “caught” this disease died in a matter of weeks.  And it wasn’t an easy way to go.  It is death by starvation.  Today Type 1 diabetics can live longer.  Some even make it past the current average expected life span of a human being.  We have injectable insulin and we have better tools to deliver it and to test our blood sugar levels.  The real chronic characteristic of the condition now is the constant monitoring of insulin dosage, food intake and blood sugar levels.  It is a 24/7 job.

In the past five years I have been working on “ways” to  assist others in confronting, understanding, integrating, mastering and transforming that in their life that they have become aware of as a chronic condition.  My intention in my service is to guide  and support them in discovering, experiencing, and practicing the “work” they must engage in and celebrating the outcomes they realize.  My experience with a dark and challenging physical, mental, emotional and spiritual chronic condition has shown me a path that has produced movement, softening, change and a “light at the end of the tunnel.”

Is life itself chronic?  It can be.

The Buddha, in his teachings, said;

Better a single day of life

seeing the reality of arising and passing away

than a hundred years of existence

remaining blind to it.

At the core of the Buddha’s teaching is the path to liberation from suffering by becoming conscious that we are, and for that matter everything in the universe, is constantly changing and impermanent.  “What arises is bound to pass away.”  And at the subtlest level the tiniest particles of the universe which make up everything are “arising and passing away at great rapidity.”  Quantum Physics is telling us that these tiniest particles are the most real thing there is.  In reality everything is a big vibration.

Continue reading Chronic

Type 2

I recently finished a series of blog posts called “Transforming Diabetes.”  It focused mostly on Type 1 Diabetes and I want to now take some time and talk about Type 2.

Type 2 is a different disease than Type 1.  The cause is different.  The treatment is different.  However, both are diagnosed from a high blood sugar result.  When someone finds out that I am Type 1 I will often hear, “Oh, you have the bad one.”   Neither are good.  And Type 2 can be as bad or worse than Type 1.  Whereas, Type 1 is caused by an immune deficiency response resulting in the destruction of the islet cells in the pancreas, Type 2 is caused by a change in the metabolic system functioning resulting in insulin resistance.  Type 2’s are experiencing high blood sugar because their insulin is not working as well or their body is resisting the insulin that is produced.  Type 2 has traditionally been diagnosed in adults over the age of 50.  More and more we are seeing younger people developing Type 2 Diabetes.  This is a result of the diet and lifestyle our culture has been engaged in for the last few decades.

The treatment for Type 2 is weight loss, exercise, low carb/fat diet, testing blood sugar and sometimes medication that increases the insulin efficiency or reduces the the insulin resistance.  The treatment is not as difficult of a balancing act as Type 1 but it requires hard work.  Most Type 2’s are over weight.  So, the first order of business is to transform the body and get it into shape.  Unfortunately, the vast majority of Type 2’s are unwilling to do this.  They have established a certain way of being and eating and to make a change is like turning a cruise ship around.  There is a lot of resistance.  Nevertheless, upon diagnosis of Type 2 I have seen several people effectively cure themselves by changing their approach to working out and their diet.  The “dis-ease” goes away and every facet of life becomes better.  In my opinion, this is the key to both Type 1 and Type 2.  It is all about the workout.

If I was diagnosed with Type 2 the first thing I would do is make my workouts the priority.  And I don’t mean a casual 1 mile walk.  I am talking about pushing it to your edge and expanding that.  Start by walking 1 mile if you have to.  Time your walk.  Do it every day.  Try to beat  your time each day.  Expand your walk to 2, 3,4 , 5 miles.  Walk hard.  Get to the point where you are jogging if your legs are capable of that.  Go to the gym or get weights.  You must build your strength.  The workout is the first and most important step in dealing with your condition.  If you are unable to exercise because of a physical condition then read on.  You may be able to pick up a few things that may assist you.  If you are unwilling to workout then stop reading this post.  I can be of no help. Continue reading Type 2

Post #9: Transforming Diabetes/The Art of Living

If you are this far along the path of Transforming Diabetes and have really done the work then you may have had a shift in perspective.

 

 

 

 

Diabetes is difficult.

Life is difficult.

Most everyone has something they are struggling with.

I am sure that the experience of diabetes is a bit different for everyone.

Those who are diagnosed as an infant grow up knowing no other way. Children diagnosed before age 12 will experience it differently than those diagnosed in their teens.  A diagnosed as an adult means more advanced coping mechanisms in place, perhaps.

We all have a path.

We all have a mountain to climb

There are different developmental stages with different perspectives, capacity and life experience.

 

 

 

 

We all have our cross to bear.

Continue reading Post #9: Transforming Diabetes/The Art of Living

Post #8: Transforming Diabetes/The Reward

You have been now been introduced to 4 of the 5 steps in a systematic developmental process with strong influence of yoga guided by a guy who has 40 years of experience living with Type 1 Diabetes.

First, we confronted the situation head on and determined our objectives.  

 

 

 

Second, we identified and started to understand the component parts of the system that we need to account for and the feedback we desire and require.

Third, we created an integrated system.

This system seeks to mimic, as best as possible, the system fatally damaged due to a diagnosis of diabetes.

The first three steps create the foundation.

The fourth step is the experience of illumination and mastery.  The Chakra associated with this step is accessed and begins to illuminate when we have done our work in the first three.  

We now have more clarity

We have shifted our perspective and have transcended what we have been immersed in.

We have become more accountable and more response-able.

There is one step in the process yet to discuss.

Continue reading Post #8: Transforming Diabetes/The Reward

Post #7: Transforming Diabetes/The Heart of the Matter

The chakras are energy centers that ascend vertically up the body.  There are anywhere between 7-10  sometimes more depending on what or who you read, talk with or listen to. 

The first chakra is called the base or root chakra and is located behind the pelvic bone.

It represents our grounding and is the energy center. 

 

 

The second chakra is located approximately 1 inch below the naval and concerns our emotions, sexuality and desires.

It controls our relationships and interactions with people and things. 

 

 

The third chakra is located just below the breast bone in the solar plexus.

It is the root of our emotional balance, personal power and metabolic energy. 

 

 

The first three steps of Transforming Diabetes mirrors the energy in the first three Chakras.

1. Goals/Objective/Seed Level  ******Root

2. Functions/Component Parts ******Relationships/Desires

3. Integrated System ****** Balance/Power/Energy

The intent in yoga is to open these energy centers and create alignment amongst them.

It is only when you open and align the lower three chakras that the energy moves to the fourth.

Most human beings have their energy stuck somewhere within the lower three chakra areas. Continue reading Post #7: Transforming Diabetes/The Heart of the Matter