Throwing punches: Beating diabetes
Read Time:3 Minute, 29 Second
You can overcome diabetes but it takes hard work
For those of you to whom this is a new story, 5 years ago I almost died. I was brought into the Emergency Room at Leahy Clinic in Burlington, MA, where I spent 10 and ½ hours. My Blood pressure banging, like a knotted fire hose, pulse rate in the low 100s, kidneys in shutdown and glucose hovering around 600, I had been in acute Diabetic shock for about a month.
While the doctors and nurses were scrambling to keep me from dropping into a coma, they were telling my wife that she needed to start “making arrangements” for me.
A full 3 bags of saline, ½ a dozen insulin shots, and countless sugar readings later, they finally deemed it safe to release me. They insisted I go directly to a Diabetes Educator. There, I was told how to do little more than prolong my existence as a Diabetic. I was handed sheaves and reams of paper, consisting of prescriptions, and directions. I was assigned an Endocrinologist, and put on a drug called Metformin.
If I wasn’t sick already, the Metformin made me deathly ill. I was in a perpetual state of nausea, incontinent and dehydrated. I was constantly hungry, but couldn’t stand the taste of food. I was dizzy, puffy and my vision was blurred.
I decided, that with a little reading and a little insight, I could create a diet and an exercise plan that would allow me to beat this disease, without needing the medicine. The first step would be to join a gym and start exercising.
After about a year of pounding the treadmill, and eating the specialty foods I cooked myself, I began to see an improvement. By the end of the 2nd year, I was ready to take the next step.
One day, at the gym, I saw a sign that said, “Learn to box from a former European Heavyweight Champ.”
I’ll be honest. I was expecting another cardio-kickboxing class, where bunches of people – standing in lines – punch at the air for 45 minutes. When my trainer told me I’d be sparring, I had trepidations.
What would you say if I told you I love this? It isn’t exercise – it’s fun. Every week, as well as all the other training and working out, I climb into a ring and get the bejeezus beat outta me. And, I love it.
A single, 2 minute round is more intense cardio than 20 minutes on the treadmill. My muscles burn hotter than they ever did, throwing around the iron. The roadwork made a runner out of me. But, above all else, it’s the confidence. It’s how you feel about yourself as a person.
It takes 4 years to build a fighter. Four years to master the skills, four years to develop the physical strength and stamina, and four years to find the courage to face another man – who’s looking to hurt you – and to know that he can’t. To know that you won’t let him. I’m just now, finishing my 3rd year.
One can beat Diabetes without medicine. One can reverse the effects of years of bad living. I wish I could tell you that you’ll be able to do it through taking baby steps. I wish I could tell you that 20 minutes a day of walking were enough. Alas, that is not the case. It requires a dogmatic attitude about both diet and exercise. As to the latter, only the most strenuous, and exhausting will do.
Doctors will tell you that this lethal condition is incurable. They will tell you that only through a protocol of unnatural and unpleasant drugs, will you be able to survive at all – and even at that, the final prognosis is premature death.
Well, I’m here to tell you that they’re wrong. You can overcome this condition, but you have to put in the work. And, the work is strenuous exercise. Boxing gives me that exercise. It’s the most challenging thing I’ve ever done – and the most fun.
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this was an awesome read-i have been thinking about taking jiu jitsu or some other contact sport rather than the tai chi that I have been doing for a few years now-and am glad that you are sending a message that there are alternatives to conventional and often deadly medicines.
I’m glad you enjoyed it. I hope to be writing more for MadMike. As to Jiu-jitsu v. Tai Chi, I’d say – why not both? Tai Chi is a marvelous exercise form, and far more difficult than it appears. I find the breath control aspect almost impossible to master. On the other hand, it does not provide the intensity or the combat aspect of a contact martial art. Practicing both would allow each to enhance the other.
This was a fascinating story. You clearly made a decision to get well naturally and get well you did dude. Congratulations and welcome to the Mad House 🙂
I thought I replied to this, but apparently not. Anyway, thank you and I’m glad you enjoy my work.
Great piece and inspirational David. I did notice that you didn’t mention your age. I have always been fairly active and I am borderline with the diabetic problem. I have been controlling it with exercise and diet. While I still work out with a martial arts group it isn’t what I used to do. At 68 the body simply cannot do what it did even ten years ago. I would hope that anyone would get a physical before going from 0 to 60 overnight.
Everyone is constructed a little differently and their bodies have been abused differently in their earlier lives. So they need to understand where their personal dangers lie. I remember when we used to think that running was the key to beating heart problems until Jim Fix died of a heart attack.
Thanks for sharing your story.
Oh. I’m 54. It was mentioned in the working title.
Sometimes my mother will ask me if a certain food is bad for her, or not. I always reply, at your age, you should be able to eat whatever you want. So, there’s that, too.
My uncles, 62, was recently diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes. He is about 25 pounds overweight and has high blood pressure, and etc. He did manage to quit smoking and is trying to work out but keeps saying he’s too old. I sent him this article and I hope it encourages him. I personally don’t think you’re ever too old to exercise. What do you think?
Oh, I definitely agree. Working out can mean different things to different people, too. He can start with simple walks. Or lifting on machines, set to “0.” As long as he’s moving, that’s the important thing. Nowadays, 62 is NOT old. Tell him he could have 30 or 40 years left, and ask him how he want’s to spend those years. In a wheel chair, with his feet cut off? Or would he rather be healthy and independent?
I started to feel inspired to take up boxing reading that piece. Congratulations of finding a way to enjoy yourself and stay off all the quack juice.
It’s fun. I would advise that you prep yourself first – depending of course, on your existing physical condition. Spend at least a few months – for me it was 2 years – doing more traditional activity. I couldn’t have made it half way through a training session, back when I first started.
Welcome to MMA David.
What an inspirational story and yet another string in the bow for the ‘wonder drug’ exercise.
Many years ago, I was suffering from the after affects of a car accident. For three months I experienced aches and pains and was walking with a limp that seemed to worsen, plus I was piling on the weight. Being a relatively young man at the time I was concerned for my future, so I took up road-running instead of pain pills. Six months later I was the fittest I had ever been and within three years had competed in two marathons. I applaud your desire and agree with your methods wholeheartedly.
I’m flattered. All you rock stars, reading my stuff. Go figure.
It’s funny that you would say “rock stars.” Holte and Mike actually moonlight playing gigs wearing bandanas, half shirts and super tight lycra pants, and play nothing but Journey and Loverboy covers. It’s weird, beyond belief.
There’s an image I didn’t need this early in the day!
This is a valuable read Mr. Greenberg and it could help a lot of people. I know it got me thinking about my health. Thanks a lot.
Thank you. I’m glad you enjoyed it.