“Obsession” with Glycemic Control?

“Obsession” is a word that frequently resonates among my companions, or that is said to other people who want to better manage their diabetes. If we want to constantly measure our blood glucose, or continue learning more to have better control (a word that is sometimes unpleasant) of our diabetes condition, they call us “obsessives,” or make us understand that this “obsession” is negative or inappropriate. I want to dismantle this belief: it is true that diabetes management should not become a source of poorly managed stress, nor a stress that causes us more problems than it solves; but also present the idea that this “obsession”, carried out in the appropriate way, is a reflection of our desire to learn, to live in health and well-being!…

Critical comments about “obsession” and its supposed evils resonate more in our context of Spain and Latin America than in other countries. Perhaps it has to do with the fact that, culturally, there are more tendencies among people in our countries to put things outside of our own responsibility, or simply “let them be.” So, when we begin to want to learn more about diabetes, and to measure our blood glucose more times a day, we are told that “we must not become obsessed”, “be careful not to become in obsession”… First of all, choosing to use this word (“obsession”), and secondly, assuming it as something necessarily negative or harmful. And although we have to know how to keep a balance in our lives – and know which things we can control and which we cannot –, when we live with diabetes, sloppiness will not help us!… And instead this “ obsession”, managed in appropriate ways, and contained within an empowered and appropriate social support group, can be our great health ally.

“There is more wisdom in your body than in all of philosophy.” –Friedrich Nietzsche

We can also refocus this topic of “obsession” and why so many people see it poorly as “learning to listen to our own body.” If I want to measure my blood glucose (glycemia) several times a day, it is because I want to listen to my own body, and for that I need to measure my blood glucose and “listen” to it with its changes throughout the day!…</ strong>Well, without this information, it means that I am going blind and without knowing the reality.

And the fact is that the majority of people still approach health from an irresponsible and victimized position, certainly more comfortable than when we take health as our own responsibility, this is true and it has to be said , although it sounds bad to some. We tend to see the doctor, health worker or health professional as “the authority”, unquestionable and who will be in charge of ““taking away diabetes”. And this attitude will never bring us real health and well-being!… Well, not only are health professionals often outdated (and uninterested in continuing to learn), but even the most capable and professional among all of them will not be able to manage life and the health of another person, let alone several. And furthermore, it is not his or her responsibility, but yours!… It is in your hands to take ownership of your diabetes condition, empower yourself with your health, and become href=”https://diabetesbien.com/quien-debe-ser-mi-especialista-en-diabetes/”>captain of your own ship. And this is what many call “obsession”;I call it “empowerment.”
Conventional medicine has always been very effective in treating acute crises, serious accidents, or any situation where something external causes us sudden damage (for example a sudden infection by viruses or bacteria), and where a quick, effective response is needed. and (above all!) temporary.

But this conventional medicine is incapable of giving us an adequate response to chronic conditions, such as diabetes. It is not good for prevention, nor for really managing health, but only the acute crisis. We no longer live in times when our greatest enemy was infectious disease caused by viruses or bacteria; but now we are paying a very high price for the comfort and abundance in which we live: for example, the abundance of inadequate and incoherent foodstuffs with our genes. We live longer now, but we spend much more time sick and with mobility restrictions than just 20 years ago.
Our worst enemy now is ourselves!… And that is reflected in health conditions that are chronic, endogenous and/or autoimmune: migraines, back and muscle pain, digestive disorders, type 1 diabetes and 2, thyroid dysfunctions… Here what you have to understand is: whether you live with diabetes or not, your health is only in your hands. Genes are also programmable (epigenetics). So the vast majority of modern health problems come from the disconnection between what your body requires and what it receives through your habits. I have spoken before about the coherence in our health Seek to learn, and change our habits towards coherence with our genes: improving diet, physical activity, relationship with light and darkness (circadian rhythms), play and belonging to an appropriate social group, managing emotions; All of this is much more important than access to the best medicine in the world. Health is achieved by respecting the genetic rules that govern our body and metabolism.

For other people, however, measuring blood glucose can cause anxiety or stress for a variety of reasons. There are several ways to overcome this anxiety, like these shared with us from the site Beyond Type 2:</em >

Remember it’s just a number.

Blood sugar numbers are not “good” or “bad.” This may sound contradictory. Although proper care and management of blood glucose is essential in diabetes management, at the end of the day this number gives us information and we will act accordingly. It helps to see this number as an educational and management tool, it should not become a source of guilt and anxiety, punishment, fear or stress, etc. It simply gives you information about which behaviors should be modified!
The numbers are then not in themselves “good” or “bad”… in what context? With respect to what?… Or for example, have they been generally decreasing or increasing? Only then, with much more information, can we use these numbers as an educational tool, and not as a value judgment about the person.

Ask for help, but set limits.

It can be valuable to ask for support from a loved one, or from a group that lives this same process with you. This support can be in the form of small daily ways of “accountability” (if this suits you). works, and if you decide so), emotional support, help during the process of getting used to “pricking” your finger, etc. However, always inform your companions that you are in charge of your diabetes.

Secure diabetes supplies ahead of time.

Having good organization of your diabetes supplies helps save you more anxiety from the process of testing your blood sugar due to lack of adequate supplies or financial reasons.

Try with new equipment.

You may not be using the most appropriate equipment, or the appropriate or accurate monitoring devices. In my programs I help you choose, according to your circumstances, the best blood glucose measurement system that is appropriate, necessary, affordable and effective for you.

Find support from other people living with diabetes.

There are many people online who live with diabetes!… And if you know where to look, nowadays with the networks it is easier to find a “tribe” or a community of companions who live with you condition. This is precisely a crucial objective of my accompaniment programs: to be a group where, among equals, we learn and we support each other in the management of our diabetes condition. Reach out to people who may have tips to reduce the anxiety and stress of glucose testing.
In conclusion, there are people who see wanting to “have control” of diabetes as bad, or who see my methods and my ways of managing diabetes (my own and also my ways of accompanying people in my programs) as something “obsessive”, which is also understood as negative… I encourage you to question the reason for this interpretation. Why this supposed “obsession” as something harmful, instead of interpreting it as “I want to learn more, from my power and my responsibility!”. I personally live more peacefully if I can check my blood glucose all the time, whenever I want; This, far from generating more stress, helps me be calmer with my condition.

Let us then dismantle this interpretation of “obsession” as harmful and stop generalizing it for everyone in the same way, we share this condition in common, but then the way we respond to it and interpret it is individual and personal.This is subjective and is related to the person themselves, their character, how much they blame or blame themselves (learning should not be about that, but about becoming a useful tool for health), and this depends on the character of each one. My ways of doing things obviously won’t work for everyone, nor are they for everyone. But I would like to dismantle this interpretation of the supposed “obsession” as negative, when I see it and interpret it as “empowerment”, “learning” and “being in sync with my body.”
For that reason, and because of how very individual all of this is;When I accompany people in my programs I look at the person’s character, and based on that I “press” according to how they ask me what they want to learn. I am very individual in that and I go according to each person’s rhythm. There are those who get overwhelmed or see it as an “obsession”; But if by looking at myself ten times a day I am “obsessive”, well that depends on how each person interprets it. If I use it to learn, then it is not “obsession”, but rather a desire to learn and know myself more: it is my way of knowing myself and taking care of myself better. We have classified it as positive or negative, when in reality Emotions are not positive or negative, they simply give us information about our environment and how we are reacting to it. If I don’t constantly look at myself I don’t know reality, and then it’s like living blind… In the end it is about weighing each person’s priorities!

Some time ago I was Director of the Diabetes Safari Camp: a low-carb camp for children with diabetes, where they had strips to measure their blood glucose “Ad libitum” that is, they could check their blood glucose whenever they wanted. In this study, we compared the number of daily check-ups that they did, comparing between the “first-time” campers and the “repeaters” as shown here: