Bit ironic that the thing that is so deadly has been the best thing l have had health wise for years given how it has made me improve my life and lifestyle. Either that or l am to stupid to realise how bad it is which is also a possibility :-D
I agree that having Diabetes can give all of us the right incentive to live a healthy lifestyle.Since quite young, I've been vigilant off and on about maintaining good health/weight,:now I have no more hesitance about doing the right thing. Knowing that I now have an actual DB Dx also gives me psychological advantage when eating differently from other people in a social setting.
Prior to this, I think that I always felt somewhat awkward while eating and drinking what I knew to be best for me, because there had never been any medical practitioner advising me to be careful. I just think that I have known instinctively what was best for me, including having had the knowledge that there had been Diabetes amongst close blood relatives.
Usually, when in a social setting, if people had remarked on what I was eating, I would just say that I have obesity in the immediate family and have to eat healthy. However, this often led to discussions on weight-lose diets and lots of 'trendy" stuff which would annoy the heck out of me. It disturbed me to be considered just someone who was (mindlessly )following current diets in order to "fit in".
Fitting in ,as the reason for following a diet and lifestyle which worked for me, had never been the reason. I also think that what one eats is a purely personal matter and I find intrusive questions about what and why I eat the way I do, to be rude. So, having the diabetes label helps me in my own mind, to just ignore other's comments and stick to what is best for me. Knowing the disastrous consequences of not doing the right thing is enough impetus for me.
Basically, I have known my whole life how and what I should be eating and drinking, and that I should maintain healthy weight and have a consistent and "do-able" exercise regimen. Now dealing with the results of having had often strayed from the good stuff proves to me that what I have known instinctively, and through common sense, and basic knowledge, had been correct. Medical practitioners had not warned me, up until recently, nor, had they paid ample attention to fluctuation BG levels, nor, other 'red-flags', .
What this means in the bigger picture is that I have to be 100% responsible and proactive for my health. Others' cheeky opinions on what I do to benefit myself have to be ignored, including my own feelings that I am being thought of as trying to be merely "trendy".