Diabetes runs in my family. My maternal grand father had it and passed it down to his 3 daughters.. to my mum and two aunts. When my younger siblings were diagnosed with type-2 diabetes too, I started getting very health conscious. I stopped taking sugar in my drinks and cooking altogether. My husband and I even had daily walks.

We stopped eating out at restaurants or had take out either. I prepared mainly healthy home cooked meals. Even our occasional takeout would be healthy choices. I used a natural sweetener if any of the desserts I made called for sugar. As a result of this, my tastebuds changed to not like sweet foods anymore. Even my all time favourites like milk chocolates became overbearingly sweet for me. Maybe this is also the reason why I now prefer savoury to sweet dishes. I managed to keep this horrid disease at bay all this while …up until 3 weeks ago. I guess I could not escape it forever being that it runs in the DNA of my family bloodline.

I recently read this very scary statement on the NHS site :

ANGRY!

The NHS reminds me to have a blood test every 3-4 months. This is a norm here once a person is above 55 in age and with family history of specific deseases. I called in for the previous test results 4 months ago. The receptionist told me ‘someone’ would call me back for the review. However, no-one called. This happened twice in a row and I just gave up. I thought that if there was anything serious, they would let me know. I then find out I am already a diabetic only by chance (after 5 months) due to some other medical issue. A GP on duty pointed it out to me during the medical appointment. While I understand that NHS is overwhelmed with the present situation of Covid, this should not have happened!

Mixed feelings rushed though me. Sad yet deep down knowing it would have happenned sooner or later…that which I feared and dreaded, had finally caught up with me. Peeved…no, ANGRY…that I had to find out about it by chance months after the last blood test. My diabetes review and further lifestyle changes could have started much earlier if I had been informed of it right after the results were in.

MR. GADGET

My darling husband, being the gadget man that he is, immediately researched on gadgets for me to monitor my blood Glucose at home. He found one that was pretty awesome which had bluetooth to connect to my phone and store a history of daily readings. My new gadget is a Blood Glucose Monitoring System called ‘One Drop’. The package arrived today and the box included a Meter, the Lancing device with cap, 2 vials of test strips (100 strips), 2 preinstalled lithium batteries and a very awesome leather compact carrying case. The kit included only 10 sterile Lancets, so we purchased extra Lancets separately, enough for a 3 month supply. 

MINDFUL EATING

Can I blame Covid for this too?? I know I let things slide a little when Covid hit us…it’s just my own lack of care and not being 200% mindful. 2 years of restrictions, quarantine, no travel and having to avoid gatherings since we were in the vulnerable age group. What else was there to turn to for comfort other than each other and food? I did not binge nor did I go for sweet foods but I did tend to have seconds during meals. It wasn’t so much the healthy savoury dishes but the match of carbohydrates that paired with it. The culprit was the white rice! No, wait..it was MY lack of willpower *bows head in shame*

I always wondered why my grand dad only ate par-boiled rice and chapati made from pure atta flour. Only as an adult years later, I understood why. This was when my mum and aunts were diagnosed with type-2 diabetes too. I took it for granted that it would not happen to me and I am sure my daughters are thinking the same now. Good habits with food and lifestyle are so important and this has to start from a young age itself. Many of us Malaysians find it tough to not eat out alot. It is tough to make healthy food choices when there is so much temptation in a country like Malaysia, dubbed as the 24/7 food haven of culinary delights.

HOPE AND THINKING POSITIVE

The negative of this is that I am already Diabetic. The positive side of it is that there is still hope yet for me. The GP informed me that she would book me in for a Diabetes Review with the Nurse and for guidance on lifestyle changes. Having to take medication would be for life and neither the Doctor nor I wanted that. She said things could turn around with lifestyle changes and hopefully keep my blood glucose levels at a manageable status without Medication. So my appointment is on Monday, the 20th December. Whoever reads this, I have a request. I humbly ask of you, please, keep me in your prayers. 

I BEGIN MY ‘UNWELCOMED’ NEW JOURNEY

Since I am now diagnosed with type-2 Diabetes, my recipes will be more diabetic friendly in future. An exception though with my heritage and childhood favourite recipes which I definitely will share here but not consume personally. I guess my neighbours and friends are going to benefit from this

I named my blog Sweet Sharings 15 years ago when I was still doing Cake Design and baking as a business, hence the name. Oh horror, the irony of it! I have no intention of changing the name and will just let it mean as sweet sharings of life instead. So now, my new journey of being a diabetic begins at the age of 61. May the Lord give me the strength to manage it well. 

If you have any comments, advice or suggestions…please feel free to share in the comment section below.

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So what is the meaning of this positive life in abundance? It is important to understand that a person who lives in abundance is one that has abundance of positive energy, joy, and love. 

Developing a mindset of abundance

With an abundance mindset you will come from a place of gratitude and appreciation. This abundance mentality will help you create more opportunity, more happiness and more fulfilment in Life. It will help you focus on making progress every day, and celebrating your achievements.

Creating an abundant mindset allows you to:

• Have the freedom to grow without limitations or restrictions
• See the world as full of opportunities
• Have greater clarity and focus around creating something bigger in the future
• Focus on gratitude despite the circumstances
• Create exponential growth rather than linear growth
• Feel plentiful, creative, and inspired
• Create memorable and meaningful life experiences

“The key to abundance is meeting limiting circumstances with unlimited thoughts”

— Marianne Williamson

If you choose to live a positive life in abundance you are always focused on the positive and are excited about the endless opportunities in your future. Do not take anyone for granted and do not allow yourself to be taken for granted either. In order to have goodness and positive abundance in life, always keep a positive frame of mind.

Share what you know to be good with others and avoid negative people and negative situations because these are what bring you down and in turn bring you a chain of negativities in your life. I know this to be true because I am speaking out of experience.

Wishing you a wonderful and positive day.

Nur Diyanah Magness

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