SAD= Sugar Addiction
Disclosure
Part of this article is very sad and hard to write, but I feel it’s significant to do so. My repeated assertion is that helping one person gain control of their health justifies sharing my private health data (weight, measurements, blood pressure, and blood sugar). The same goes with sharing the story of my mom’s last days.
90 day Carnivore Journey
It’s official, I have been eating animal products for 90 days. The health results are astounding. I weighed approximately 160 pounds before starting my 90-day carnivore challenge. I’m not 100% sure of this data, because I didn’t have a scale on the boat. I am using the data from the last time I weighed myself.
Family History
ALL of my immediate family (mom, dad, two brothers, and a sister) are/were diabetic or pre-diabetic. And like most, we ate the Standard American Diet (SAD) for most of our lives. ALL of my family members are/were on some form of diabetes medication.
My mother died from complications of diabetes at 71 years old. Mom lived on a SAD (Standard American Diet) her entire life. And it killed her.
Biscuits= Carbs= Sugar
Gravy= Carbs= Sugar
Potatoes= Carbs= Sugar
Rice= Carbs= Sugar
Beans= Carbs= Sugar
Pasta= Carbs= Sugar
Hamburger helper= Carbs= Sugar
All the above were some of the staples in my mom’s pantry. Along with the so-called heart healthy canola oil.
The Cycle
Addiction cycle relentlessly grips its victims. My mom’s addiction to carbs/sugar was extreme. Much like a heroin addict who is physically addicted.
The addiction drives everything. You eat sugar, then your blood sugar spikes. Your body then dumps insulin (if it can) Then you crave more sugar. You give into your cravings, your blood sugar spikes again. Your body responds and dumps more insulin, so on and so on. It’s a vicious cycle, and with each cycle, the cravings are stronger and more intense.
DNR
The decline of a loved one’s health is heart breaking. After decades of SAD, mom was diagnosed with diabetes and heart disease. September 2005 she had open heart surgery for a quadruple bypass. While under anesthesia, she suffered from a stroke.
After several weeks, she was released to go home. Her broken body wasn’t responsive to insulin any longer, and her blood glucose levels were close to 600mg/dl.
March 2006 she was admitted to the hospital and was in and out of consciousness. She suffered from another stroke and only 10% of her heart was functioning (alive).
My Dad, sister and I were at her bedside when she had woke for a short time. The hospital needed her DNR (do not resuscitate) instructions. My dad’s inability to tell my mom left it to her daughters.
The look in my mom’s eyes was haunting. She didn’t know what DNR meant. When I explained it to her, she was so scared, but she refused to be kept alive by a machine.
As I was standing next to the bed, I kept smelling a rotting odor. The incisions on her lower legs from the open heart surgery never healed and was infected. I became unhinged by the hospital staff, in particular with the doctor, with the lack of care. Her bandages were changed and after receiving the DNR, the hospital moved her to a convalescent hospital.
My sister took the first night duty, as I had been away from my family for more than a week. That night, mom passed away. I was devastated that I wasn’t there, but very grateful that my sister was.
The Beginning
Back to the beginning of the 90 Day Carnivore Challenge. I wasn’t officially diagnosed as a diabetic or pre-diabetic, but my numbers showed I was pre-diabetic. And I had borderline high blood pressure, but in actuality I had high blood pressure because my blood pressure usually runs low.
I also suffered from severe inflammation. Most joints were painful and hurt all the time. Sleep was almost nonexistent. And I was heavier than I had ever been at about 160lbs. Being thin most of my life and then becoming heavier, I just wasn’t comfortable in my own skin.
Why
If I had to point to one reason for beginning the Carnivore Challenge, I would say it’s because I don’t want to end up like my mom. My blood sugar was at “Pre-Diabetic” and it was a wake up call. Remembering how my mom had to have multiple insulin shots a day scared the hell out of me.
Not to mention all the other benefits that come with a Carnivore Lifestyle. My sleep is the best its been in years. I have my energy back and I don’t hurt all over anymore.
Letting it all hang out
Week One Blood Glucose- 130 (fasting)
Blood Pressure- 134/88
Waist- 35 inches I measured at high hips, 1.5 inches below the belly button. (D in the image below) Largest circumference. Weight- Unknown (I don’t have a scale on the boat)
90th Day Blood Glucose- 90 (non-fasting) Blood Pressure- 114/71 Waist- 30 I measured at high hips, 1.5 inches below the belly button. (D in the image below) Largest circumference.
Smart scale
My brilliant scale said I was five pounds from my first goal on the 90th day of the Carnivore Challenge. I was really hoping I would make it 140lbs by the 90th day but none the less, I’ll take it.
Measurements
What’s Next
I am overjoyed with the results of the 90 Day Carnivore Challenge. And if you are wondering if I am quitting and going back to my retirement party on lifestyle. Absolutely NOT! This is no longer a 90-day challenge; it’s now a lifestyle. Besides, I still have work to do, I haven’t quite made it to my first goal.
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Michelle Wishart
Bell
