Hello

[stellaartist]

I am new to the forum, I don't want to "post a topic" but just to say hello to everyone. I am 52, from Bristol in the UK. I've had type 2 diagnosed for 6 years, and with medication & diet (vegan)I have it under control, but strongly suspect I had symptoms for many years previously, even back to childhood. My mother had it, so in my case it is hereditary, as I had an active manual working life and never ate sweets or sweet drinks or had a fatty diet. I am of the opinion, (having read a book about this,) that diabetes is not a disease as such but a syndrome, and is the bodies reaction, or adaptation, to climate change,as diabetic symptoms exist in hibernating animals. This theory says that it developed during the last ice age when everyone had much shorter life spans, so that the damage to eyes, kidneys etc didn't show up , unless people then were lucky enough to live beyond 40.This is why it varies so much from person to person, why it is more prevalent in the colder Northern hemisphere, and why it can be halted and reversed. There is a possibility that the climate change of global warming (increased precipitation) is mirroring the conditions prior to the ice age. Yes I know that diet, exercise etc all play their part as well, as they do in controlling all types of illnesses and disabilities. I am not obsessed with testing, and prefer to rely on my excellent diabetes nurse at my 6 month check-ups. I am confident that medical science is progressing all the time, so that the damage to eyes & so on can be dealt with as we get older. I am not interested in taking part in local meetings or self help groups, as I have many other health problems of which diabetes is only one, and I do not think we should define ourselves by what diseases or disabilities we have, but by our personality, abilities, and successes in life. I wish everyone on diabetes.co.uk forums all the best in coping with their life and health. I'm an artist and you are welcome to look at my website: www.spanglefish.com/stellaillustrator

 

[Mileana]

Welcome to the forum.

I may not agree entirely with your viewpoint on diabetes but that is the beauty of online forums that everyone contributes from their own perspective.

I wish you good health and that your diabetes remains well controlled.

Feel free to ask questions if you have any - most people are happy to answer with opinions and/or scientific data.

-M

 

[borofergie]

I am of the opinion, (having read a book about this,) that diabetes is not a disease as such but a syndrome, and is the bodies reaction, or adaptation, to climate change,as diabetic symptoms exist in hibernating animals. This theory says that it developed during the last ice age when everyone had much shorter life spans, so that the damage to eyes, kidneys etc didn't show up , unless people then were lucky enough to live beyond 40.This is why it varies so much from person to person, why it is more prevalent in the colder Northern hemisphere, and why it can be halted and reversed.

It's an interesting theory - I'd be interested to hear the evidence behind it.

It would be fairly easy to search for a correlation between the incidence of diabetes and latitude, although I've been looking at the Interactive Diabetes Atlas recently, and I can assure you that most of the highest rates are for people living in the middle-east. African-Carribean populations also have a very high incidence of T2 diabetes.

It's also interesting to have a vegan on-board. How do you find a vegan diet helps with your diabetes?

I'm from the opposite end of the spectrum - I'm a very-low-carb paleo kinda guy who survives mainly on meat and dairy.