I give Oprah two thumbs up for the intervention she attempted a few days ago on her Oprah Winfrey Show, "Diabetes: America's Silent Killer." She reached her arms out as if embracing the 80 million Americans who have diabetes and pre-diabetes, and declared it's time for a wake-up call. I hope it will be for the millions who struggle to manage their diabetes and for the six million Americans who have diabetes and don't yet know it.
By her side were Dr. Oz, heart surgeon and health guru, who got us "oohing" over a pink, healthy kidney, "tsk-tsking" over a crumpled diabetic kidney and brought us to near tears over a forty-four year old woman who's already lost a leg and is on kidney dialysis. Dr. Ian Smith begged a group of fried chicken-loving, pop-swilling diabetic church ladies to change their ways. Bob Greene, exercise physiologist and weight loss expert, put the feather-hated church ladies through their paces in the gym and roused them to their feet chanting, "exercise is non negotiable!"
I, like most of the rest of the world, bow at Oprah's feet for shining a light in our darkest corners. My small request is for a follow-up show to help people make the necessary behavior changes to manage diabetes. As Bob Greene said, "Behavior is the hardest thing to change and people have to rewire themselves." Meanwhile millions of Americans are eating their way into diabetes and millions with diabetes are eating their way to an early cardiovascular death. As Dr. Oz said, "People do not change their lives based on what they know. They change their lives based on what they feel." Ah, I agree.
One of the things I do, as a diabetes patient-expert, (that's a fancy title for someone who has diabetes, knows a lot about it, and is living successfully with it) is educate and inspire fellow patients. I speak at health fairs and conferences and do what Oprah did today, well without the guests and video footage. Watching the show, I remembered a talk I gave to about 50 patients last year where something surprising happened.
I was double-billed with a diabetes educator. The educator's talk preceded mine so I sat back and listened. For 45 minutes she talked about nothing but target weights, blood sugar, blood pressure, cholesterol and triglyceride target ranges, carbohydrate counting, portion sizes and how long to exercise. I saw people's eyes glaze over until the light went completely out. They had heard this a million times.
What they needed was the acknowledgment that diabetes can be tough to live with -- the encouragement that they can do it and a path, as Dr. Oz said, to changing their life because of what they hold most dear. I spoke into that empty space the educator left. After taking the stage, I first shared my own shock and fear hearing my diagnosis of diabetes thirty-eight years ago, my subsequent denial, and my diabetic complications from that denial. The room quieted. They saw I knew how they felt, sometimes confused, sometimes overwhelmed, often exhausted.
"When you're so busy testing your blood sugar every day," I said, "reading labels, counting carbs, taking your meds, trying to exercise, do you stop to think why you're doing all this work? Isn't it to see your grandchildren grow up, start that second career, grow prized roses, contribute something to the world or have another million days with your spouse?" People leaned forward and heads nodded. Someone understood and was acknowledging this piece of living with diabetes -- where their heart resides, along with their anguish and struggle.
People are dying, literally, to have their health care providers help them with the emotional stamina needed to live well with diabetes. Diabetes requires that we weather our health's ups and downs, day after day, forever, with no break, and that we have the emotional resilience to keep on keepin' on, and bounce back when times are tough. Unfortunately, most medical professionals have little to no training in this area. They are trained to cut and cure.
If you have diabetes ask yourself, "What makes it worth it to me to take care of my diabetes?" If you have patients with diabetes ask your patients this question. Most often this question is never asked, yet the answer often begins, and sustains, our commitment to our health.
Type 2 diabetes is preventable, treatable and for some, reversible. I hope, like Oprah does, that her show saves millions of lives, and I know that when you name that thing that's truly important to you, you will feel your reason to change, and save your own life.
Follow Riva Greenberg on Twitter: www.twitter.com/diabetesmyths
I was traveling and unable to see Oprah's show- but I did hear about it from a colleague that said patients were calling her practically in tears after watching the show. I hope it is not true that the focus was on all the terrible things that can happen to you when you have diabetes. Makes me think about Bill Polonsky's famous line- that complications don't come from diabetes, they come from POORLY CONTROLLED diabetes. Your job is to keep reminding people of that!!
Why do feathers hate church ladies? Can't we all just get along?
We need to talk more about, do more for, and spend more on diabetes care and prevention--for all types of diabetes and for all people with diabetes. Because diabetes, whatever your type, is a time-consuming, expensive, tiring, non-relenting burden. That's the glass-is-half-empty side.
But let me write, too, about the glass-half-full side: People with diabetes are amazingly compassionate. They care. They want to help each other live as long and as complications-free as possible. So do the health professionals I've purchased services from for the past 36 years (I was diagnosed in preschool). They're not all as smart about diabetes as I would wish--but neither am I.
If you live with diabetes and feel alone, please let your fingers do the walking right to one of the many compassionate social media networks devoted to the diabetes life (http://tudiabetes.org and http://diabetesdaily.com are two of my favorites). Diabetes is the hardest job you'll ever have. But you're worth working at it.
Finding a cure through medication would be helpful, but as you know, a lot could be done
by all of us thru proper diet and exercise. Self discipline however can be tough. But if
circumstances exist whereby medication is needed, I wanted to possible help some people
out there by letting them know about a site that few people know about, but can
help greatly in paying less for all their medications, diabetes included. I have known
several people it has helped, some diabetic, some with other prescriptions they get, and
hopefully this will help get the word out. The site is www.medpap.ws and tho the
printable savings coupon is "free," the "catch" is that they want you
in their store hoping you will impulse shop and pick up other items while you are there.
Just be smart, enjoy the savings, and don't buy anything else you don't need.to beat the
system. There also is a short 1 minute video to explain how it works. It is a good
program that saves you money so I hope people take advantage of it.
*jeep!
--Grandpa Chet
It's wonderful that Oprah aired this show, but it's important to remember that she's selling a SHOW--not necessarily the absolute truth about diabetes. For life-changing information that stays the course, read Riva.
Thanks for all you do. I love to see how you've taken on your diabetes for you and for others. Yes, it takes learning to love youself to take care of yourself. This in itself, as you know is a deep subject.
Thanks-Love-EnJOY!
Joy
I agree with Jerry, we should pay no attention to some of the people talking about diabetes
somehow Dr. Oz did this whole show focusing on type 2 diabetes without mentioning insulin resistance. Bob Greene talks about it, and seems to understand it, but not Dr. Oz.
Dr. Oz also did not mention carbohydrates except to say that sugars are also referred to as simple carbohydrates. Neither did he mention the glycemic index.
There was no endocrinologist on this show about diabetes.
He talked about the myths of diabetes and actually reinforced these false myths. Myth: If you have type 2 diabetes and your doctor says you need to start using insulin, it means you’re failing to take care of your diabetes properly.
Fact: Using insulin to get blood glucose levels to a healthy level is a good thing, not a bad one.
I hope you will be able to share with the public on an upcoming Oprah show.