Good morning everyone, this is Dr. Kenny.  Usually most of my post on our website are happy, upbeat and are usually about healthy and delicious recipes, how to lose 2-5 lbs a week, weight loss exercise routines and information on some of the newest research on the weight loss, health and wellness.

But today this post is going to be more personal. If you are one of  our patients you know that Dr. Duffield, myself and our staff are very friendly and personable. And in fact many of you know just as much about us as we know about you.  And this is the way we like it.

Everyone knows that Dr. Duffield’s son is doing research at Drexel medical school, his daughter is in college and wants to be a teacher and that his younger son is a hockey superstar.

And that my older son and daughter are both in law school and my youngest son is a senior in high school and is trying to decide between attending Penn State University, Maryland University or Boston University.

In our weight loss practice we think of everyone as part of our family and this creates a warm and nurturing environment. This type of environment is not only beneficial to you our patients but it’s also beneficial to us. Each and every day we have the opportunity to assist people to not only  lose weight but to help them improve their overall health.

It is extremely gratifying to help a person lose 30 pounds and have them tell us that they have never felt better in their life, that they are taking less medications and conditions like diabetes, high blood pressure and hyperthyroid are improving.

 Now with all of this being said I am going to tell you that at the young age of almost 51 years young I have been diagnosed with type II diabetes. It seems that genetically the cards were stacked against me.  My Mother has diabetes.

 As good as my diet has been it has not been perfect. And because of slacking in my diet and my genetic predisposition, I am now diabetic.

But there is a silver lining in this cloud. With following the proper diet and taking one tablet of metformin a day my blood sugar level has decreased over 150 points in just 1 week. And I have lost 7 pounds. Surprisingly even my complexion has improved and people are telling me that I look younger.

So being diagnosed with type II diabetes was probably a blessing in disguise. It was a wake-up call that I had to start making the time to take care of myself.

To exercise a little bit almost every day even if it is just a quick walk and to start following the proper nutrition and diet program.

You see for the most part I was following a pretty good diet although I confess that I probably did over indulge in my breads, pastas, rice, beans and of course pizza.

I knew that I was a good 15 pounds overweight but I figured that I am almost 51 years young so I convinced myself to be comfortable with the way I looked and the way I was feeling.

Even though I was not feeling my best. I just convinced myself that this is the way 51-year-olds should feel, and that I was getting older.  Sadly I just accepted all of this and really did not put forth any extra effort to eat  100% right and get more exercise.

So being diagnosed with diabetes was indeed a blessing.  It was a punch right on the chin that knocked me out.  But to quote a phrase from the last Rocky Balboa movie “It’s how many times you get up after you have been knocked down that makes you a champion, that makes you a winner.”

I have decided to get up from the diabetic knockout punch. I have decided to follow the proper diet to reduce the sugar levels in my blood, the proper diet that will decrease insulin spikes in my blood and the proper diet that will help me lose weight and be not only more thin but more importantly, healthier.

It’s surprising that this diagnosis came a week before I was a guest on a local radio show, “Did You Know” with Bryant Greene on 900 AM, and one of Mr. Greene’s questions was, “Does diabetes decrease your life span?”

Shockingly diabetes does decrease your lifespan by as much as 8.5 years. This is because diabetes can cause other health issues like high blood pressure, stroke, neuropathies, heart attacks and even blindness.

So many people called into the radio show with questions on diabetes. Questions like, “What is the best type of diet for a diabetic and what is the best type of exercise program if you are diabetic? “

It totally amazes me that there is so much bad information out there on diabetes. Even information that is on some of the websites of supposed authority organizations  is wrong.

This is why diabetes is killing people. This is why people are having to take increasing dosages of medications and insulin injections for their entire life.

Now, please do not misunderstand me, medication is needed especially when you are first diagnosed with diabetes. Medication is not a bad thing.

But you are doing a disservice to yourself if you are not going to make an effort to follow the proper nutritional plan to help decrease your sugar levels and get your diabetes under control.

When I was first diagnosed, my doctor told me that I would probably need to be on 2 or 3 medications and eventually insulin injections.  But now he is not so sure about that. He’s totally amazed how quickly my sugar levels  have decreased with taking just one medication and following my  anti-diabetic nutrition plan.

My anti-diabetic nutrition plan is strict,  but it is effective, for not only myself, but also for other patients that have consulted with us.

I know that this has been a very long  article and I do apologize for its length. I have written this in the hopes of helping others who suffer from diabetes and just don’t know what to do about it.

It’s very surprising that following the proper nutrition plan can help with health conditions and diseases like diabetes, hypothyroidism, high blood pressure etc.

If a friend, family member and/or loved one suffer from any of these conditions please have them read this article and I do hope it inspires them to take their health into their own hands.

And if they need help have them call us at 215-821-7336