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Josh’s Healthful JourneyTM getting diagnosed and treated for Type 2 Diabetes
[/vc_column_text][/vc_row][vc_row padding_top=”15″ padding_bottom=”0″][vc_column css_animation=”right-to-left” width=”1/2″ lead=”” text_color=”” font_size=”” line_height=”” responsive_font=”” font_size_xs=”” line_height_xs=”” font_size_sm=”” line_height_sm=”” font_size_md=”” line_height_md=”” font_weight=”” vertical_separator=”” letter_spacing=”” animation=””][vc_column_text]“I’m trying to instill in my kids; Listen, you have a pretty lengthy family history with diabetes.
Let’s make better choices than dad made because I spent 40 years abusing my body. Don’t do that.
Because I would love for my kids not to have to deal with this.” – Josh (Listen to Josh’s Journey Here)
[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/2″][vc_single_image image=”9869″ img_size=”medium” alignment=”center”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Josh’s journey to better health started before he was ever diagnosed with diabetes. As recently as 2018, Josh topped the scale at over 430 pounds. As a result of regular exercise, Josh had lost 130 pounds by the time he saw a doctor about his foot pain.
In October of 2020, Josh hadn’t been to a doctor in 20 years. Josh didn’t have good health insurance, so for a long time he didn’t see a doctor. He had been having pain in his feet for over ten years, and he had thought it was normal for someone in their mid-30s. Josh weighed over 300 pounds.
Josh was diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes with HbA1c of 10.3. An “A1C” of 10.3 means that you have diabetes. Not only that, but your blood sugar is severely elevated. This is a dangerous condition that puts you at risk of kidney failure, stroke, nerve damage, blindness and heart attack.
The A1c test measures blood sugar over the last three months by looking at the percentage of hemoglobin saturated with sugar. An A1c of 10.3 means that 10.3% of the hemoglobin in your blood are saturated with sugar.
It turns out that the pain Josh was feeling in his feet, which required “3 extra strength Advil PMs” each evening was a condition called diabetic neuropathy. Diabetic neuropathy is a type of nerve damage that can occur if you have diabetes. High blood sugar (glucose) can injure nerves throughout your body. Diabetic neuropathy most often damages nerves in your legs and feet.
Josh’s doctor prescribed him insulin, which is given as a shot once daily. Unfortunately, Josh is needle-phobic and even the thought of giving himself a shot gave him high anxiety. Josh was also prescribed metformin and a drug called Soliqua.
One of Josh’s kids would help him take his shots. His 9-year-old would tell him “I’m going to count to three and either you’re going to give yourself that shot or I am!” Over the next 102 days, Josh managed to give himself his insulin shot each day.
Josh has started to change his diet significantly since being diagnosed with diabetes and has lost another 15 pounds with diet changes. He had been pretty bad about eating sugary foods. He has since eliminated carbohydrates – tortilla chips, crackers, pasta. He no longer drinks soda. He has been eating cauliflower rice over the past few months.
Today, the pain in Josh’s feet is still there. There are nights where he still has a hard time sleeping because of it. Josh has managed to get off the insulin shots, and is still taking metformin. He is also taking a medicine called Steglatro.
Josh’s Advice for Others
Josh wants everyone to know that if you start to notice something wrong with you, don’t just ignore it. He cites that as the biggest mistake he made and regret through his experience.
Josh has worked with individuals with disabilities for 20 years. Through this work, he met an individual who was severely obese. When Josh first met him, he was a little over 500 lbs. Josh still works with him today after he lost over 300 lbs. total as a result of significant lifestyle changes.
Josh tells his kids, “Listen, you have a pretty lengthy family history with diabetes. Let’s make better choices than dad made, because I spent 40 years abusing my body. Don’t do that.”
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Join us for an interview with Christina and discover how she has been able to manage through her journey with Lupus. This is Christina’s Healthful StoryTM. Please note that the video may only play in landscape mode on a mobile phone.
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[vc_column_text]If you’d like to share your own Healthful JourneyTM, you can upload video here or e-mail contact@healthfulheroes.com to arrange a live half-hour interview.
>>>> Please consider supporting our Healthful MissionTM to share individual health journeys to inform, empower, and inspire by clicking here. <<<<
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[/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/3″][vc_column_text]Navigate Christina’s Journey:
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*Betsy's Healthful Journey™ through Stage IV Cholangiocarcinoma
*Betsy's Healthful Journey™ with Cholangiocarcinoma
Join us for an interview with Betsy and discover how he has been able to manage through her journey after diagnosis with Stage IV cholangiocarcinoma. This is Betsy’s Healthful Story™. Please note that the video may only play in landscape mode on a mobile phone.
Diagnosis
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Navigate Betsy’s Journey with Stage IV Cholangiocarcinoma
Diagnosis
9:47 So I wouldn’t say the weight loss was unintentional but yeah it was certainly enough that a lot of people noticed and commented on it and you know some even you know thought it was too much weight but I was happy. I felt confident I felt like I looked good you know this was yeah how much weight had you lost over what period of time maybe 25 or 30 pounds over six months so not a huge amount
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Navigate Betsy’s Journey with Stage IV Cholangiocarcinoma
Navigate Betsy’s Journey with Stage IV Cholangiocarcinoma
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