[WackySam]

FRiend, I am a woman, 5’9”, 126.8 pounds, and I exercise a LOT. I hike for miles through woods and hills in the a.m. with the dogs, do stable work, ride my horse (jumping and dressage) until we’re both tired, then walk/run a few more miles with the dogs at night. Also do some spot exercises, yardwork, wood splitting, etc. I don’t eat anything white anymore. But diabetes is still creeping up on me. So it’s not just a matter of getting off your ass, exercising, and not eating carbs. I’m really frustrated.

You are one of those rare persons who does not fit the mold when it comes to Type II Metabolic Syndrome. I did not mean mean to offend you, and I sincerely apologize if I have done so.

[ottbmare]

I wasn’t offended by your words, because for the most part they are accurate. The fact is that the majority of diabetics really are fat, don’t exercise, and eat a lot of carbs. But it’s not invariably the case.

A very dear man who was a former manager at my workplace got in the shower one morning and saw blood running down the drain. It was coming from his foot. He thought he had accidentally stepped on something and cut himself, though he couldn’t feel a cut. He lifted the foot and found that the bottom was completely gone—it fell off. There was no pain because diabetes had destroyed the nerves in the bottom of his foot. He had no idea that he had diabetes because he was slender, walked a lot, and ate a healthy diet. His foot was amputated.

Another man I know has had something similar happen. Again, he is slender, fifty, and fit. He has spent months in the hospital struggling with this but fortunately hasn’t lost his feet yet.

It’s disturbing. What’s causing this? One feels so helpless. What on earth else can I do? I swear I don’t have one unhealthy lifestyle trait.