Many of you have witnessed my physical transformation over the years, as I have slimmed down and gotten into better physical shape. What you might not know is that I have been a diabetic since my late '20s, and that this transformation has been part of my personal resolve to deal with Diabetes and maximize my health.

Diabetes is a disease in which the body does not produce or properly use insulin. Insulin is a hormone that is needed to convert sugar, starches, and other food into energy needed for daily life. The cause of diabetes continues to be a mystery, although both genetics and environmental factors such as obesity and lack of exercise appear to play roles.

There are 20.8 million children and adults in the United States, or 7% of the population, who have diabetes. While an estimated 14.6 million have been diagnosed with it, unfortunately, 6.2 million people (or nearly one-third) are unaware that they have the disease. I was one of those people.

For a long time, I ignored the signs. I was tired, losing weight, constantly drinking water, and going to the bathroom frequently. My assumption was that I had a stomach virus - but it was far more serious than that.

In order to determine whether or not a patient has pre-diabetes or diabetes, health care providers conduct a Fasting Plasma Glucose Test (FPG) or an Oral Glucose Tolerance Test (OGTT). Either test can be used to diagnose pre-diabetes or diabetes. The American Diabetes Association recommends the FPG because it is easier, faster, and less expensive to perform.

There are several types of Diabetes, including:

Type 1 Diabetes
Results from the body's failure to produce insulin, the hormone that "unlocks" the cells of the body, allowing glucose to enter and fuel them. It is estimated that 5-10% of Americans who are diagnosed with diabetes have type 1 diabetes.

Type 2 Diabetes
Results from insulin resistance (a condition in which the body fails to properly use insulin), combined with relative insulin deficiency. Most Americans who are diagnosed with diabetes have type 2 diabetes.

Gestational Diabetes
Gestational diabetes affects about 4% of all pregnant women - approximately 135,000 cases in the United States each year.

Pre-Diabetes
Pre-diabetes is a condition that occurs when a person's blood glucose levels are higher than normal but not high enough for a diagnosis of type 2 diabetes. There are 54 million Americans who have pre-diabetes, in addition to the 20.8 million with diabetes.

Like everyone, I have been blessed with good and bad genes. Health-wise, it is pretty obvious that there are some bad ones! At age 11, long before I became diabetic, I was diagnosed with high blood pressure. At such a young age, this was hard to deal with, and being diagnosed with diabetes years later begged the question: "why me?"

As a musician, these conditions were spoiling my groove and adding to the strain of my profession. Here I was taking several units of insulin each day. When traveling, I felt as if I could not stretch the umbilical cord too far from home.

It was very debilitating physically and emotionally.

It took some time for me to wrestle with this emotion and do what I needed to do to get these issues under control. But, I can say that with a strong personal resolve, it is possible to overcome some of nature's curveballs by nurturing a healthy lifestyle.

Though each person experiences and deals with diabetes differently, I have been able to minimize my need for insulin by losing more than sixty pounds through changes to my diet and a regular exercise routine.

This began with regular walks of two to three miles-per-day and a diet high in vegetables and low in heavy carbs. I now walk even more than that and have traded insulin shots for just two insulin pills per day. I feel great and have the physical and creative energy I need to write and perform music.

I just wanted to share my story with you as a reminder that you must listen when your body speaks. If something is wrong, be proactive about it and know that you can face it because you are not alone.

Here are a few links you can visit to know more about diabetes. These organizations benefit from donations to help stamp out this disease. I hope you will look into it.

Thanks for taking the time.

www.diabetesresearch.org

www.stjohnsmercy.org 

Very best always.

- Norman

-- Go to page 6 --