Friday, July 8, 2011

Diet, Health, and Diabetes

I spent (as is my custom, really) some time today delving into the not-oft spoken of detrimental health effects of low-carb paleo diets (I am interested in them because they pit themselves 1. against veganism, my diet of ethical/health choice, and 2. as a wonderful way to manage type 1 or 2 diabetes). By diving head-first into the massive ocean of contradictory health claims, I am emotionally ready to be done with- for a while- the notion of health via a certain diet (this excludes veganism, which I desire to uphold mainly due to morality). I am quite willing, at the moment, to drift within my vegan parameters, eating this, that, and the other thing in the portions I desire and watching to see how I felt, looked, and weighed. Yet I cannot do so.

Why? Am I addicted to the control of my diet?

Maybe... Yet even if I am, there is a greater force keeping me from NOT worrying a bit: diabetes. I must count carbs, fat, fiber, and protein so as to guess when to take insulin and how much to take or when to exercise and how long to exercise. Thus, I am stuck examining my diet and worrying about whether it truly will wreck my long-term health to indulge in too many carbohydrates and take the insulin to cover or whether it would be best for my short and long-term health if I ate vegan low-ish carb (nuts, veggies, some beans, seeds, soy...).

In reality, I just want to enjoy food. I don't know how to fully do this with diabetes. Then again, the varying consequences of food choices have slowly been unfurling to my mind since my vegetarian conversion. (Rarely is a food without its negative effect, except, perhaps, home-grown "veganic" non-starchy vegetables. They seem like a safe bet.)

Anyhow, because this is something that shall not disappear, I must adapt to it. I don't want to begin to stress over something as hypocritical as what non-animal food to choose. I just want to be thankful for the food, savor it, and still have a good glucose reading. ;)

1 comment:

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