When the diabetes nurse took my glucose levels, her reaction was immediate. “You should be in a coma,” she said. They read 23.5
I was raised by my mum, who is European, and my dad is Tongan. I met him later in life. Growing up, we were taught to eat what was put in front of us, and we weren’t allowed to leave the table until we were finished. If we didn’t like what was served, we missed out.
If we went to someone else’s house for dinner, we had to eat whatever was put in front of us as it was classed as rude not to. Meat, potatoes and bread were our staple diet. Whatever was cheap, we would eat.
My eating habits and lifestyle certainly caught up on me!
In August 2016, I was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. There is an eating lifestyle history in the family, so it was not a surprise to me, however. I still refused to tell any of my family or friends.
Living in denial
I continued living my life eating, drinking, and smoking and was in denial. I had diabetes to the extreme. I refused to check my levels daily and threw out the glucometer my nurse gave me.
At that time, my doctor and nurses struggled to get hold of me for regular check-ups because I would always make up excuses not to go. I hesitated to go to the doctor’s because I always felt judged. This carried on for a few years until a close friend of mine, a nurse, convinced me how important it was to get my bloods done.
I finally went, and on January 25th 2019, my HbA1c was 105. I knew that I was in the danger zone, but the nurse was amazing. She did not judge me or growl me. She was so supportive and said to me, “we are on this journey together”. She made me feel so comfortable, and I was encouraged to try and change my life.
I tried to eat healthier and exercise, but it was not consistent. Months passed, and my next two HbA1c results were still in the 100s. I knew I wasn’t disciplined enough and needed to really change my lifestyle.
But I was over-trying, and my levels were not improving. I would check them every morning, and they were ranging from 12-18. It was so discouraging, to the extent I wanted to chuck it all in and go back to my old lifestyle.
Health expo help
Then, on July 21st, 2019, my older sister was going to Auckland for a free health expo, and I decided to go with her. This is where those words “you should be in a coma!” came from. I shrunk in my seat when the nurse said that to me. My glucose levels were 18.5.
She said to me diabetes is a “silent killer”. You may look fine and feel fine, but your insides are rusting away. This really sunk in and gave me a bit of a wakeup call.
The last thing I wanted was to end up in a coma or have limbs amputated, especially when it was my fault that my health was in this situation. I never wanted to burden my family, so I really needed to take my health seriously.
So once again, I got back on my health journey and tried to get healthier. My levels started to come down between 11-14 but still needed to be in the 7’s. My next HbA1c was on October 29th, 2019, and it was still 104. By this time, I knew I had to start praying harder to God.
I always prayed daily for victory over appetite, but I never fully surrendered it all to Him. So, I started to pray each morning and fully surrender it all to Jesus, saying I need you. I have tried doing this on my own, and you are the only one who can help me through this.
Started with a detox
So, during the first COVID-19 lockdown on April 28th, 2020, I began a 10-day detox and a sugar fast. I was vegetarian at that point, but I decided to go plant-based. I had to give up bread, as that was one of my biggest weaknesses, and it was not good for my glucose levels. I began eating two meals a day and exercised at least four times a week – mainly walking on the treadmill in my garage.
Lentils and chickpeas were my main source of protein, along with plenty of vegetables and salads. I enjoy the plant-based substitute meats in Chow Mein, casseroles and curries. I do not eat a lot of fruit because of the sugar content, so I mostly eat vegetables and salad.
My sisters have been plant-based for years, so it was not hard to adjust to a plant-based lifestyle with their delicious plant-based cooking and baking.
Two of my successful diet changes were:
Exchanging sugar with date puree. I would use date puree in my cooking, baking, on my cereal and in desserts.
Exchanging bread with corn thins. I would have corn thins for breakfast as my toast and even used corn thins as buns for when we had home-made burgers.
Two meals a day
I began eating only two meals a day. So, I would have a big breakfast at 5:30 am, lunch at 12:30 pm, and that was it for the day. If I needed to eat something at night, it was corn thins.
Eating two meals gives your stomach the chance to digest the food fully.
I had a lot more energy in the mornings compared to eating dinner late and sleeping on a full stomach. I felt the difference, and it contributed to my glucose levels decreasing and weight loss.
My new lifestyle, with prayer, was working because my glucose levels had dropped under 8. I was fully in the zone, and through God, I was given victory over appetite, especially bread. Bread had always been my biggest weakness, and going from 6 slices a day to none, I knew God had his hand all over it.
On July 5, 2020, my nurse rang me excited to tell me my HbA1c had dropped to 66 from 105. I was ecstatic to hear the news, and she just said to me, “Whatever you are doing, keep doing it”. I told her all Glory to God! Not only did my levels drop, but I had lost 8kgs. Losing weight was a bonus.
I stayed on my healthy journey and started sharing my testimony with my staff, customers, and church. Through this, I encouraged many to jump on the health wagon.
Lifestyle change and prayer
My lifestyle changes and plenty of prayers were making a difference, especially when I got my next HbA1c results on September 3, 2020. My levels had dropped to an amazing 51, which is 2 from being pre-diabetic. Once again, my nurse and doctor were blown away by my results.
My glucose readings were now between 7-8.
On October 25, 2020, I had the opportunity to attend the same health expo in Auckland, where I had another health assessment. The results compared to July 2019 were as follows:
- My glucose went from 23.5 to 6.9.
- I had lost 9.6 kgs.
- I had lost 14cm off my waist.
- My health age went from 55 years old to 44 years old, which is 4 years younger than my current age.
I never thought this would be possible, but it worked once I gave it to God. I know all things are possible if you surrender all to him. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. (Philippians 4:13).
Suggested toppings for corn thins
Make them savoury
The topping options you can have on the corn thins are almost endless.
- Try cutting a few cherry tomatoes, add some green
- and a little pepper, perhaps.
- Banana, peanut or corn butter work well too.
- And then there’s always the sliced or mashed avocado option. Yummy!
Make them sweet
Of course, the thing about corn thins is that they’re an anytime option. Who says you can’t have one for breakfast, after school or later, too?
- Open a can of peaches and arrange a few slices with crushed nuts and bananas.
- An old favourite is to mix up a little avocado and Marmite. Try it with pine nuts on top.
- Sliced plum and blueberry is another option. Or, maybe some diced apple and cinnamon?
Please Note:
Even something as simple as rice thins can still pack a high-calorie punch, and eating more of them in a day won’t do the waistline any favours. Choose carefully if you are reducing your diabetes profile or have heart issues. For those with medical conditions, we would recommend toppings such as corn butter or our no-oil chickpea and butterbean hummus.
If you aim to reduce weight, check out our calorie and fibre table and build meals mostly from above the red line on Page 2. Consider what you eat in relation to the amount of energy you are putting out. What works for a more sedentary lifestyle won’t work for someone actively engaged in sports or a structured exercise program such as weightlifting.
Remember, food first, then exercise.
