📝 Episode 012 - It won't happen to me...until it does

It happens, even in your 30's.  If you've been reading my messages, you've probably heard (or read, ha ha) that diabetes significantly increases your risk of a heart attack or stroke, even cancer.  It makes sense, right?

The excess sugar in your blood makes it thick like honey, increasing your blood pressure. The sugar and toxins also damage the inside of your blood vessels. To protect itself, your body stimulates the immune system which activates inflammation PLUS it covers the blood vessel damage with cholesterol.  Leading to your blood vessels narrowing, raising your blood pressure even more.

But it won't happen to me.  I know what to do - cut down on sugar and carbs, move more - I'll start tomorrow!  But tomorrow never happens.

We just heard that our friend's son, who is in his early 40's, had another stroke and heart attack.  Yep, I said ANOTHER.  When we met him a couple of years ago, he had already had a stroke and heart attacks in his 30's due to high blood sugar levels. He didn't want to take his blood sugar meds because they bothered his stomach and after his stroke, he couldn't move fast enough to get to the bathroom in time.  He used to find comfort in listening to music but after his stroke, he no longer could - it became overstimulating.  He even stopped going out with friends.  Sadly, when we first met him, he was not ready to take charge of his health and ended up with another stroke and heart attack.

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It's just a matter of time.  We met uncle, who was in his 60's, after he had a massive stroke.  We took oils to his family to support his body in its healing.  His A1C was above 14.  He knew he was diabetic but didn't think it would happen to him.  He was super active, a well-known coach for high school and club sports, active in church. It sounds like he was a powerful force, inspiring hundreds, if not thousands.  When we met him, we could see the frustration as this eloquent, inspiring speaker struggled to share his thoughts.

It won't happen to me, until it does.  In a second.  Your entire life turns upside down.  Physical, emotional, even financial pain and suffering.  Even though he had good health insurance, the retirement savings that he spent his entire life building is almost depleted.  His wife had to drop everything she was doing plus give up their retirement dreams, to take care of him full time.  If you have ever been a care-giver for a loved one, you probably lived in that constant love-rage-guilt cycle.  Having a stroke or a heart attack or cancer doesn't only impact you but creates pain and suffering for your loved ones, as well.  If you are on this path and choose to change nothing, you will cause pain and suffering to your loved ones, eventually.

If you're diabetic or pre-diabetic, if your waist is > 40" for men or > 35" for women, if you have aches and pains, if you are always thirsty and always peeing, these are your body's warning signals (like your car warning lights) that you're going to have a heart attack or stroke.  It's not if but when.  If you're lucky, it'll be 5, 10 maybe even 20 years from now.  If you're not, it could happen tomorrow.  It's way easier to CHOOSE to make better choices now vs. being FORCED (after a heart attack or stroke) to make different choices later.