“As you go through life you’ll see that there is so much that we don’t understand, and the only thing we know is things don’t always go the way we planned.” – The Lion King
Another week has passed and I am still waiting on the appointment from the Eye Clinic/Specialist.
Waiting only adds to the apprehension of what might be and although I have decided to be positive and take everything in my stride, nerves have set in as more time goes by. It is a natural reaction and so one that I cannot tame and if truth be told do not wish to tame! After all if I had no emotion about such a situation; what hope is there that I stabilise myself and hold onto my generally good health? In Diabetes there is no room for complacency.
I have, in the past week, taken it upon myself to research what has been trialled in the field of retinopathy (diabetes related eye disease). One truly interesting piece of research which cropped up time and again was the effects of the ancient Tibetan Goji berry on prevention and stabilisation of retinopathy. The Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF, 2012) state on their website “the researchers found that the taurine in the Goji berry activated a protein called PPAR-gamma, which plays a crucial role in regulating retinal cells. The protein protected against the death of cells caused by high blood glucose levels, thereby helping the cells that provide a protective barrier to the retina”. This lends hope to millions of individuals living with Diabetes and those who already are afflicted with retinopathy, with further studies to hopefully take place into the miraculous properties of these ancient berries on human participants. Taurine is best and most clearly defined as “an organic and abundant amino acid in the human body” (Binczewski, 2012). It is already well known as a natural high blood pressure remedy, a co-morbidity of Diabetes.
I have, therefore, stocked up on all things Goji in my quest for a clean bill of eye health! Here are this weekend’s pickings:
After reading another #DOC member’s blog from Michael Aviad on ‘A Sweet Life’ I have truly accepted that I am indeed lucky to have been given a follow up review. If there is something that requires laser treatment then I cannot deny that finding it so incredibly early will only better my chances of stabilising it from today onwards. In fact I am already on the way to reducing my high glucose levels effects on my eyes, I have dropped my HbA1C by an amazing .4% in six weeks, a reduction which is considered to be within safe limits so as not to cause further damage. Hurrah! As @AnnieCoops tweeted me early last week, a drastic reduction in HbA1C can cause as much damage as running at high levels over a prolonged period of time and not many people realise that.
“HAKUNA MATATA” – (No worries) The Lion King.
Above is a wonderful and inspirational quote from The Lion King, a new phrase which I have taken to heart and very much believe in. There is no point in me sat worrying over something which may already have taken place but what I can do is make sure I minimise the effects by slowly reducing my daily BG results and tightening all aspects of my Diabetes, as my lovely DSN said on Thursday “retinopathy isn’t an inevitable downward slide, it can and will be stabilised. It can start and end there”.
Good Luck to everyone who is currently in the same position as Michael and I and thank you all so much for your kind words of support! I will leave you with this final thought:
“The way I see it, you can either run from it or learn from it” – Rafiki.
