How Diabetes Almost Stole Christmas

My father and I don't talk a lot, at least not as much as we should. Our phone conversations are short and to the point. But we share a common interest in a nice game of chess. We sit down to play every time I go home.

Photo: encierro@shutterstock

My father and I both have diabetes. His is more advanced than mine, and he does not control his blood sugar properly. He is the type of diabetic who will pile on the potatoes and dinner rolls but "only" take a half-slice of pie because it's "too much sugar."

In recent years, I've begun to notice the increasingly grim health effects of his condition. It started with the constant lethargy after meals... the pains... falling asleep in the middle of the day.... but most notably, I have started winning at chess. This never used to happen. Perhaps some of that is the fact that I've gotten smarter or more attentive... but I think that most of it, sadly, is that my father is losing his mind to diabetes.

A few minutes after we finished what was to be our final chess game of my visit, around 2 PM, he began complaining of pains in his legs and back. I recognised it immediately; neuropathic pain is a notorious complication of uncontrolled diabetes. But it got worse. He began to cry uncontrollably at the pain. He became embarrassed and tried to get up and "walk it off", and when that happened, he lost consciousness. My mother and I luckily caught him and had to carefully lower him into a chair. He was "out" for almost a full minute. For a second, I thought we were about to lose him. It was scary.

I scrambled for my glucose meter-- he doesn't have one...-- checked his blood sugar, and sure enough it was through the roof. I asked him what he had eaten that day. He said that he had only eaten an egg and had taken his medications and insulin as prescribed that morning.

He was trying to tell me that it didn't matter what he eats, that it's always high. I tried to explain to him, as I always do, that diabetes is effectively a positive feedback loop of carbohydrate toxicity; that there is a buildup of carbohydrates in his system that is keeping his blood sugar constantly high, because his cells are ignoring the flood of insulin. I tell him that if he would just cut down his carbs, like me, he too could feel better. But he keeps eating a carbohydrate-heavy diet. I fear the worst. After that display, I don't know if he will even make it to next Christmas.

Please, if you have diabetes, stop eating carbs. You don't need them. We don't need them. No vitamin or mineral is only found in bread, crackers, or orange juice. There are no "essential carby acids". Every bit of energy you get from carbohydrates, you can get from fat. Our bodies don't need carbohydrates; in fact, they're killing us.

Please, if you have the time, watch this video:

This video was instrumental in my decision to pursue keto as a lifelong lifestyle choice. Because my mind, my family, and my life are more important to me than food... and there is plenty of delicious keto food anyway.

I wish you all a very happy and healthy New Year.