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To Assist Persons with spinal cord Injuries and other disabilities to achieve independance, self reliance and full community participation. Learn more about us.
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Staying Healthy
Staying Healthy
Typically I am the person who is encouraging others stay healthy and get active especially in my role as a peer supporter however I am also the last person to listen to my own advice. I recently learned the hard way how truly important staying healthy is as I received the news that I am a diabetic. Over the years since my injury I never really looked after myself as well as I could have I didn’t eat very well and did not get enough exercise. I never paid much attention to the scales and at one point found myself at my heaviest; 246 lbs. This was quite a shock for me as I was used to fluctuate between 190-215lbs. I never really noticed the weight I was gaining as I still managed to do everything I needed to and get where I needed to go. The main thing I didn’t realize was that my body couldn’t keep up with this unhealthy life style I was leading.
In January 2014, I was feeling very ill and had been attending many doctor visits to try to find out what was wrong with me. I was experiencing a lot of headaches I had no energy and was just feeling all around blah. After three months of being treated for a variety of things that I did not have. I was tested for diabetes, when I got my results my blood sugar levels were extremely high. In fact they were higher than my doctor had ever seen before and I was told it was a shock that I didn’t suffer a diabetic coma. I discovered that I should have been diagnosed a year prior but the test results from that previous year were overlooked. I was advised to go straight to the drug store and start medication consisting of pills and insulin. The doctor told me I would be insulin dependent for the rest of my life! As you can imagine this news didn’t sit too well with me; as I wasn’t fond of the idea of giving myself needles and defiantly was not fond of the idea of a carb counting diet. All suggested treatment that the doctor gave me for my current health state.
Although this was not welcoming news I took it seriously and it was what I needed to make a life style change to become healthier. I changed my diet slightly and began to choose healthier options. I cut back on my sweets and in January 2015 I joined a gym and to my surprise I have stuck with it. In April 2015, I was waiting in my doctor’s office to get my A1C test results back (test I have to get done every 3 months to check my sugar levels) I got quite the shock. My doctor came in to see me quieter than usual, and then she sat in front of me with a puzzled look on her face. She let a big smile and said “I am not sure what you did or how you did it, I never thought it was possible but your levels are at a point where they are better than most people who have never been diagnosed with diabetes”. I was so relieved I couldn’t believe I had gotten such wonderful news! My doctor told me I could stop taking my insulin and that I was the first person she had seen come off insulin. This was especially surprising as my sugar levels were so high.
Currently I am down 57lbs and continuing my new found healthy lifestyle! Not only am I feeling great but I have a lot more energy than before. I am committed to staying healthy and still have weight I would like to lose. Though, ultimately to me it is more about feeling healthy. Although I have talked mainly in this blog about staying healthy physically, it will also benefit your mental health. As you will feel better about yourself and you will have more energy to do things you enjoy. Diabetes is only one of many complications that can come from being unhealthy. Slight changes like choosing a healthier meal or snack option can be very important to your overall health. Even though I don’t always eat the healthiest I do try to choose the healthier of my options. Plus it’s okay to have a little treat every now and again.
When trying to stay healthy it’s not just about choosing what you eat but also making the choice to exercise. It doesn’t have to mean that you join a gym if you don’t want but it can be as simple as exercising at home or joining a recreation league. Many reports say that wheeling your chair can burn 70% of calories as someone who is walking. So it is a good idea to get out and get as much wheeling in as possible. An arm bike no matter if it’s mobile or stationary is a great way to get in cardio. Don’t forget it is also important to fit in some weight training to keep up your strength. You can do this with weights at the gym or free weights at home. Days when I just don’t feel up to hitting the gym I’ll do things around the house to stay active like washing dishes or folding some laundry. It was difficult at first to get into a regular exercise routine however now it’s a part of my daily routine and I miss it when I don’t work out. Even on those days when I just don’t feel up to it, I always feel better after getting my workout in.
Like me, most people wait until it’s too late before we make the change to a healthy lifestyle, I have been very fortunate so take my story as a warning. So for anyone reading this I encourage you to make the start now, also encourage your friends and family members to start with you. It’s never too late to choose to be healthier.
Dion Regular
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About Dion Regular
Dion Regular grew up on the Baie Verte, Peninsula where he lived for 23 years before moving to St. John’s. In 1999 Dion became a husband, father and had an accident that would forever change the course of his life. In December, he fell from a boat in dry dock; he broke the C5, C6 and C7 in his neck and ended up a quadriplegic. Though he was told he would never walk or even feed himself again he was determined to be independent. With hard work and perseverance, Dion has regained strength in both his arms and legs. He became a volunteer with the Spinal Cord Injury NL (formerly Canadian Paraplegic Association) in 2008 and spent as much time as possible being a peer for others who were going through or had met the challenges that he had. In November 2011, he became employed with the Spinal Cord Injury NL as the Peer Support Specialist; he continues to offer the support and services needed to his peers. He offers support to those with similar injuries cope with their emotions and daily challenges while getting back into the community and participating fully in daily activities. Dion is also a single dad, who enjoys spending time with his two children. He also likes going for coffee, bowling, watching movies, going to concerts and sporting events or sparking up the fire pit in his backyard.
