OK – in my regular reading of Type 2 diabetes research, here’s one I have NOT seen before: “In people with type 2 diabetes [who are] overweight…modest weight loss improves glycemia and reduces the need for glucose-lowering medications…greater weight loss substantially reduces A1C and fasting glucose and may promote sustained diabetes remission…”
Let me interpret this as I unpack it. First of all – I’ve been diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes for several years now. (CHECK!) My ideal weight for my height and age? Hmmm…never looked it up/used a tool. So, here goes: I’m 69, about 5’10”. My ideal weight should be between 132-173 pounds. My ACTUAL weight as of this morning? “Nunnayerbeezwax!” OK…fine, this morning I weighed in a 237.2 pounds. Even on the HEAVIER end of the ideal, I’m about one 7-year-old grandchild overweight…
OK – I’m feeling guilty! So what am I supposed to do? Here are their recommendations:
“Metabolic surgery, which results in an average >20% body weight loss, greatly improving glycemia and often leading to remission of diabetes, improved quality of life, improved cardiovascular outcomes, and reduced mortality. Several therapeutic modalities, including intensive behavioral and lifestyle counseling, weight management pharmacotherapy, and metabolic surgery, may aid in achieving and maintaining meaningful weight loss and reducing obesity-associated health risks.”
Translations are hereby ordered: “metabolic surgery” = removal of a portion of my stomach. Medically? Nah…equally incomprehensible. How about in “normal man language”? Here we go! “A large part of the stomach is removed, leaving a banana-shaped tube…” OK…here’s a ROCK HARD PASS!!!!!
NEXT! “…A small pouch is made from the stomach and connected directly to the small intestine, skipping most of the stomach and first part of the intestines…” iow: food you eat skips the stomach and guts to get shit out unchanged…That’s disgusting even to me as a science geek/former science teacher (I taught all of them: life science, earth science, physical science (chemistry+physics), biology, chemistry, and physics; levels special-education to English Language Learners to “average students” to International Baccalaureate students.) Once again, ROCK HARD PASS!!!
In the end? “Metabolic surgery goes beyond just eating less; it changes the body's internal biology to fight obesity-related diseases, with studies showing it can be more effective for diabetes and long-term weight management than lifestyle changes.” OK – let me translate: “with studies showing it can be more effective for diabetes and long-term weight management than lifestyle changes” this obviously means that DON’T BOTHER TRYING TO CHANGE YOUR BEHAVIOR! GET EXTREME AND EXTREMELY EXPENSIVE SURGERIES THAT DO NOTHING TO CHANGE THE ROOT CAUSE OF YOU BEING OVERWEIGHT (and as a fat person myself, I am evaluating this in light of what such drastic surgery would mean for me. Maybe I just have a weak personality and an aversion to supporting an industry that makes certain people wealthy by convincing me to “DO THE EXPENSIVE THING, IT MUST BE THE BEST!”
OK – so what if all of the above “suck the big one!!!!!”
Is there something ELSE I can do? Here’s one: “intensive behavioral and lifestyle counseling”. Translation? “They go beyond handouts with health tips. The programs engage with your family to provide face-to-face opportunities to practice healthy behaviors. An IHLBT (Intensive Health Behavior and Lifestyle Treatment)program helps you change behavior in ways that are individualized… utilizing community health educators, dietitians and exercise specialists. They can take place within normal community-based organizations. It ALSO includes
non-judgmental activities that boost your self-esteem by focusing on health, not weight. Activities focus on physical activity, healthy nutrition involving the whole household to join to thrive in a healthy environment. There is a strong focus on changes to ENJOY and keep up after the program has ended. ALSO – encouraging time spent on activities, and changing routines and habits. It CAN’T happen overnight, and IHBLT programs work best when they offer plenty of time—26 hours or more, over 3 to 12 months working to help people along with their families – succeed.” [Adapted for my own life based on an article posted here:] https://www.healthychildren.org/English/health-issues/conditions/obesity/Pages/what-is-intensive-health-behavior-and-lifestyle-treatment-IHBLT.aspx?gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=69654055&gbraid=0AAAAADyMpZG8kPPcbF7zA1ZXQPb5UZT7b&gclid=Cj0KCQjw77bPBhC_ARIsAGAjjV_pyGT3IxIweAYV7Xn9C21WV0jI235z_oCBVEBc0Ft94SzbFJmE7BIaAjzCEALw_wcB
THIS is something I can get behind and work at! Look for comments on this change in my own lifestyle and whether I’ve been able to implement them in future posts!”
Source: https://diabetesjournals.org/care/article/48/Supplement_1/S167/157555/8-Obesity-and-Weight-Management-for-the-Prevention
Image: https://www.hcd.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/living-well-with-/diabetes.jpg
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