Category: Diabetes

Eye Of The Cryer…

Generally speaking, I consider myself to be pretty spry for my age and condition. Although nowhere near the peak I was in even just ten years ago (yes, I’m bragging), I still consider myself quite capable of keeping up in most instances. Even when it involves trying to keep up with my toddler. At the best of times, Alexander is a rolling, destructive ball of energy that annihilates everything in his path. Although I often spend some cuddle time with him while watching cartoons or something, rolling around on the floor while wrestling at my age doesn’t come quite as easily as it used to.

Yesterday, Nathan was otherwise occupied and Alexander was done his potty boot-camp for the morning (whole other story). As a result, I agreed to sit on the floor and help him build something with his mega-blocks. In true toddler style, he violently toppled something large we had just built. In true boyish-style, we wound up wrestling each other on the floor. Now for those of you who don’t know, Alex is built like my father. For a three-year old, he’s got a fair amount of mass and he isn’t as easy to wrestle with as one may think. At one point, I was on the floor and he was hovering above me (because I was holding him there) and he took a swipe at my face.

This resulted in a searing blast of pain in my face that didn’t seem to make sense. I set him down and felt across my face, thinking his fingernails had cut my cheek or something. Finding no blood, I went to the bathroom and checked my face, only to see my eyeball looking like a vampire’s eye out of a bad 1980’s horror flick… instead of cutting my cheek, Alex’s fingernail apparently scraped across the surface of my eyeball, causing a corneal abrasion.

This is a day AFTER, and includes three doses of antibiotic drops

Ignoring for a moment the fact that I’m unshaven and generally look like shit, one can clearly see that my eye is completely bloodshot and watering heavily. What you don’t see, is the searing stinging sensation, the sensitivity to light and the fact that every time I close my eye, the eyelid drags across the abrasion and increases the pain, ten-fold. Despite the fact I get eye injections every eight weeks, I have to admit that this five seconds of rough housing has caused an amount of discomfort almost comparable to those injections. Pair that with the fact that it seems to have affected my left nostril as well, causing it to leak like a rusted faucet that can’t be stopped. Because I don’t experience enough pain in my life…

So what exactly happens during a corneal abrasion? Simply defined, it’s a scratch on the surface of one’s eye. No fuckin’ shit, right? But it can happen from just about anything from being poked in the eye, scratched or getting something caught under the eyelid like dirt or sand. According to WebMD, the injury is “actually on your cornea. That’s the clear layer that covers the iris, the coloured part of your eye. It also shields the pupil – the black circle in the middle of your eye.” It will result in steady pain, a scratchy sensation on the eye, blurred vision and sensitivity and pain in from the light.

Luckily, my optometrist is a freakin’ rockstar and works on Saturdays. Despite not having an appointment, she was able to fit me in only a couple of hours after the incident. She confirmed the abrasion and prescribed an antibiotic called Tobramycin, which I have to take four times a day in conjunction with lubricating drops to help keep things from drying out. It apparently only takes two or three days to heal but in the meantime, I would have much preferred some of the numbing drops the optometrist used during the examination but apparently, not only do those NOT help heal the eye but you’re not supposed to use it extensively. Fuck.

All of this is to say that injuries can happen in an eye blink (see what I did there?). Now, I get to go to work tomorrow and awkwardly try and explain to my employees that no, I don’t have pink eye; it’s a corneal abrasion. It would almost be easier to just send out a quick email blast in the morning to explain once so nobody has to ask afterwards. hopefully, this will pass in the next couple of days. Sleeping last night was brutal. First, my eyelid would stick. When I’d open my eye, it would create a new blast of pain. For one of our primary senses and despite the period of time that humans have had to evolve, our eyes sure are weak as shit. ☯️

Some Like It Hot, Or Cold…

We’ve had an interesting change in the weather recently. With temperatures reaching in the low teens and clear skies, it’s been nice to see a lot of the snow piles starting to dwindle down and melt away. This means that warmer times are ahead and I may soon be able to start spending more time outdoors, including riding my bike and playing with the boys in our back yard. However, changes in weather bring about changes in one’s physiology, which isn’t always a good thing. People rarely consider this change in physiology since we’ve become accustomed to living in controlled environment where if it’s cold outside, we turn on the heat and if it’s hot, we turn on the air conditioning.

But outside weather involves a number of different things, including but not limited to air pressure and overall temperature, which can affect different people in different ways, regardless of what artificially controlled environments they may live in. For me, this includes an aching in the majority of my joints as well as the unfortunate inability to sleep properly. I’ve also noted a few micro-cracks in the foundation of my house, where light trickles of water have made their way in. makes me wonder what may be happening behind the walls that are insulated and dry-walled.

Changes in season and weather occur in the same way every year, yet we always act surprised and grateful when it arrives. For example, during the intense heat of summer, many will long for the cool temperatures and lighter skies that accompany winter. But once the freezing temperatures of winter, longer nights and not least of all, shovelling, make their appearance, most people can’t wait for the warmer seasons to come. It’s an endless cycle of always wanting what one doesn’t have, which is on par with humanity and how we tend to operate. For me, I prefer the in-between seasons; spring and autumn, where the temperatures still allow you to be outside and enjoy life without either freezing or dehydrating.

Being inside my home during this transition into a new season is a catch-22. Most of my daily activities take place in my basement, where I have my workout space, my shower and my home office. The problem is that once the sun is up, the temperature is warm enough that the main floor doesn’t require the heat to kick in. This means that all the cold from below ground level still seeps through the basement walls, making the basement colder than it would usually be. The result is hoodies and space heaters while my family is enjoying the temperate comfort of the upstairs. It’s kind of weird.

The main floor suffers the same kind of issue overnight, where it’s still cold enough for the furnace to kick in and belch out heat but warm enough that I feel like I’m hard-boiling my eggs while I’m trying to sleep. It’s unhappy balance but one I can happily live with, on my way to the oncoming spring. Honestly, I don’t know how much of my recent lack of sleep is a result of the recent changes in weather or something else. As you may be aware and as I’ve written about before, failure to get an adequate amount of sleep overnight can lead to a host of issues such as affecting blood sugars, blood pressure and cognitive abilities throughout the day.

I’ve tried a few different things, including dipping into some melatonin. I’ve only tried melatonin a couple of times, since I don’t relish the thought of sleeping so deeply or soundly that I may sleep through one of my children needing me during the night or light forbid, someone breaks into my home. But my last attempt with melatonin yielded no results, with my waking after only about four of five hours in the same fashion as though I hadn’t even taken it. My good ol’ friend, whiskey, hasn’t even helped. Somehow, I always wind up waking, unable to fall back asleep, after only four or five hours of sleep, if I get that much.

A lot of things can affect one’s ability to sleep, including things like stress or having something on one’s mind. Although I’d like to think I know myself well enough to recognize if this may be the case, I honestly don’t. One’s subconscious can fool one quite easily. I recognize that eventually, I may need to consult a health professional. this can be a slippery slope, especially if said professional decides to prescribe something to “help you sleep.” using prescribed sleep aids can lead to permanently needing those aids and preventing you from being able to sleep properly on your own. I don’t know about the rest of you but I’m on enough prescriptions without throwing something to sleep in the mix. ☯️

When Your Get Up And Go Has Gotten Up And Gone…

I’ve noticed that I seem to be letting more and more time elapse between my posts… What with my last one being nearly a week and a half ago, I think I’ve become far too comfortable letting go of my compulsion to post on a daily basis. On the one side, I have the my oldest son who, like every other kid in modern times, has become obsessed with Minecraft and often monopolizes the laptop during the evening hours. Although it’s my laptop and I could easily object, watching Minecraft tutorials is far better than other, more nefarious activities he could be getting up to, so I tend to indulge him a bit. I’ve also allowed my work to consume me to a certain extent; something that I had always promised myself I wouldn’t allow. Given that my agency is currently moving to a new physical address, the entire staff has been sent home to work remotely. I never realized how easy it was to start work early and work through my end time, when I’m sitting in the comfort of my home. But I digress… My self-imposed increased workload has also had me working as opposed to writing.

The biggest hit I’ve taken lately is my fitness routine, which has taken a seat to make time and room for other obligations and daily necessities. While I would be the first to admit that when something is as important as one’s health and fitness, one can find the time no matter how busy they are, I also recognize that there are a finite number of hours in a day and time is the only commodity that humanity can’t create. Therefore, by the time my work day is done, meals and children are seen to, which includes homework, baths, laundry and dishes, this leaves me precious little time to flop down on the couch and let me head cool as I contemplate the events of the day. Wash, rinse and repeat.

For the most part, I was on a pretty good track with performing a brief, 10-minute circuit in the morning that helped wake me up, increase my circulation and give me some get up & go before I even cracked my first energy drink. You can read about that here. Although my first went swimmingly, the second week was a bit like a worn out commodity and I haven’t been quite as effective at getting out of bed early enough to do the circuit and shower before I need to plop down in front of a keyboard for the day. Given that my evenings are filled with all the daily requirements of family life that outlined in the previous paragraph, it leaves one to ask: When will I have time to work out?

One of the biggest things I consistently hear form most fitness sources is simply this: show up. Even if you’re tired, show up. Even if it hurts, show up. Even when it gets tough, show up. Great words. Putting them into practice can often take an effort that can be difficult to nail down. I consider myself to be a reasonably committed person. So I would like to think I can rise above this. And I likely will but that doesn’t change the fact that at the moment, I feel a bit like a smashed piece of ass with no hopes of getting myself off the floor if I fall. Ironically, my blood sugars have honestly been pretty good, considering the lack of fitness. Of course, my continued lack of appetite may have a little something to do with that.

The lesson here is that if you find yourself in this type of situation, it’s important not to get hard on yourself. Let yourself have the time to rest and heal, if it’s what you need. Obviously, you don’t want to sit around all sedentary for an extended period of time as that will start to seriously affect your overall health, especially if you have type-1 Diabetes. And if you feel that you’re lacking energy or that your emotions are what’s affecting your fitness, consider the possibility that you may want to speak with your doctor or medical practitioner. Winter blues can sometimes be more than winter blues. Food for thought… ☯️

Sleep, Painful Sleep…

It’s no secret that people with Diabetes will often have poor or lessened blood circulation in their extremeties. This can be attributed to a number of different complications, including but not limited to poor dietary choices and high blood sugars causing fatty deposits in the blood vessels over time. This will result in the hardening of your blood vessels, which will lessen blood flow. there are a bunch of other reasons for it, as well but one can hit up WebMD for the comprehensive list.

Sleeping with Type-1 Diabetes also comes with a pretty long list of difficulties, from fluctuating blood sugars to dehydration, all the way up to general feelings of unease, including restless leg syndrome or any of the vast plethora of colds and flus one catches because they’re living with a compromised immune system. It can mean that getting a full, uninterrupted night’s sleep is damn near impossible but when it does happen, it’s almost like twenty pounds of weight has been lifted off of one’s shoulders and one feels SO much better.

Since Diabetes has an unfortunate domino effect where one complication will feed another, such as dehydration affecting one’s blood sugars, it can mean that spending half of one’s night awake is not only a very real possibility, it’s almost the norm. Which sucks. Royally. Some obvious solutions come to mind. Consuming proper amounts of water to stay hydrated, monitoring one’s blood glucose closely and making adjustments prior to bed… Doctors have been telling me for years to sleep with a pillow between my legs to prevent disrupting the circulation in my legs but I’m way too violent a sleeper to keep a pillow between my legs.

Ironically, my biggest issue isn’t with my legs… It’s with my arms. I’m an odd sleeper, finding myself on my stomach more often than not, with my right arm tucked at my chest and my left arm above my head. I have no idea what prompts me to sleep this way but it tend sot inhibit the proper blood flow to my arms. I’ll often wake up during the night with an odd pain in my arms, until I realize that I’ve lost circulation. You haven’t lived until you’ve had that fun experience of feeling the blood slowly start flowing back to your fingertips. But I digress…

Eventually, as I get older and Diabetic complications start to become more prevailent and serious, this could potentially become harmful and cause permanent damage. I’ve slowly trained myself over the past few years to sleep on my back but my sinuses don’t always like to cooperate with that one. But circulatory issues can lead to worsened complications. If you find yourself with frequent numbness in extremities or your limbs are often cold, even when the temperature is warm or moderate, you may want to consult your family doctor or health practitioner to ensure it isn’t something that will cause permanent damage. ☯️

Rise And Grind…

I’ve never been much of a morning person in general. I know what you’re thinking; is ANYONE ever really a morning person? But in my case, it’s pretty much always been an issue of consciously forcing myself to function for the first few hours of my mornings. I’m often surprised that my posts are so coherent. During my school years, I always attributed it to just being a teenager. I mean, what teenager DOESN’T fall asleep in class, right? But considering it’s carried on into my adulthood, it’s pretty clear that I just can’t handle morning in general. At least not without several hundred milligrams of caffeine pumped into my system.

For years, I’ve tried to find a way to incorporate fitness into my morning routine. The thought behind this is pretty simple; increased fitness first thing in the morning will increase blood flow, raise my heart rate and start my day off with a kick. I may even potentially need less caffeine, if I’d manage to get my little dynamo pumping. But most attempts I’ve made have failed. What usually happens is when m,y alarm goes off, I’ll roll over, nope the fuck out of it and reset the alarm for an hour later.

The root of the issue is it has to start with you. No matter which way you look at it, you have to show up. Tired? Sore? Don’t feel like it? Too fuckin’ bad! Keep showing up and do it. It sounds ideal but most people, myself included, often can’t bring myself to do this. I’m not suggesting that you should work out if you’re injured or ill but otherwise, “pushing through it” is a very necessary part of a successful fitness routine.

A few months ago, I had this bright idea to get a membership for. A local swimming pool, since they have lane swimming that starts at about 5:30 in the morning. I figured I could sneak in there in the morning, hammer out 30 minutes of laps, grab a shower and make my way into work. I recall from my academy days that lap swimming is an incredible cardio workout and works almost all the muscle groups in the body. It would have been fantastic. Would have been. Had I been able to get myself out of bed to start doing it.

I needed to do something simpler. Something more straightforward. Something that allowed me to just jump straight into it without thinking about not and didn’t involve dealing with the public, first thing in the morning. This is where I came up with a simple circuit that I could do as soon as I woke up. It only takes about fifteen minutes, or closer to twenty, depending on how exhausted I am, I can do it in my basement before grabbing a shower and heading to work. I have a set group of exercises for Monday to Friday and I do it despite whatever structured workouts I do in the evening when i get home from work. I call it my “tragic warm-up to help embrace the pain.” Here it is:

Monday
– 30 jumping jacks;
– 30 push-ups;
– 25 high knees;
– 10 burpees; and
– 25 crunches.

Tuesday
– 20 squats;
– 35 push-ups;
– 35 crunches;
– 35 jumping jacks; and
– 35 high knees.

Wednesday
– 30 jumping jacks;
– 30 push-ups;
– 25 high knees;
– 10 burpees; and
– 25 crunches.

Thursday
– 20 squats;
– 35 push-ups;
– 35 crunches;
– 35 jumping jacks; and
– 35 high knees.

Friday
– 30 jumping jacks;
– 30 push-ups;
– 25 high knees;
– 10 burpees; and
– 25 crunches.

It’s reasonably gruelling, especially first thing in the morning. I’ve also had days where I’ve simply skipped working out in the evenings by virtue of having done this morning gem. But it’s had the desired effect, in that my caffeine intake has lowered and I have a bit more energy and drive. granted, I also bottom out and get tired as shit by the time the end of my day comes along, but this is when you should be winding down and getting tired so you can sleep a full night, right?

Anyway, because I believe that variety is the spice of fitness, I thought I would share this with you. To be honest, I printed off the sheet this workout is on so long ago, I can’t remember if I found it somewhere or created it, myself. But it suits the purpose. Tomorrow is Monday and I will once again be seeing if I can’t “rise” to the occasion and make my way through the circuit. But it’s definitely worth trying, if you’re looking for something quick and effective to kickstart your mornings. Enjoy! ☯️

Life Is A Lemon, May As Well Drink It Up…

I’ve been making a point recently of trying to consume more water. In general, the average male should drink just shy of four litres of water everyday. That being said, a lot of that will include the water contained in the foods one eats. But one needs actual water for proper digestion, immune health, blood pressure and even mood. Although drinking water should be reasonably straightforward (open one’s mouth and gulp), it can be challenging if you’re not thirsty or have other, more “fun” beverages to consume, like sodas, energy drinks and juice (and sometimes whiskey, sue me!).

Staying properly hydrated is incredibly important for someone with Type-1 Diabetes, as well. Considering I’ve spent most of my life dehydrating at the drop of a hat, I still have a lot of work to do, and my fitness routine also makes staying hydrated all the more important. My point is that I need all the help I can get, which is why I make a point of adding some lemon juice to my water. The jury’s out on whether there are any real and measurable benefits to consuming lemon water but I know one thing for certain; it’s tasty as fuck and makes it easier to guzzle down mass quantities. let’s take a brief lemon-flavoured journey…

I found a number of articles that outline the benefits of drinking lemon water and they all pretty much list the same things. According to an article posted by the Cleveland Clinic, benefits can include better hydration, better digestion, helps with weight loss, provides Vitamin C and Potassium and may help to prevent kidney stones. Those all sound like positive benefits, to me. The article also goes on to state that drinking lemon water may help prevent oxidation and contains phytonutrients, which will help your body against disease. Definitely a strong benefit for someone with an autoimmune condition like Type-1 Diabetes.

Another article posted by one of my favourite websites, HealthLine, also provides all of the same benefits listed by the Cleveland Clinic but one aspect I like is that they break down the specifics of what drinking a glass of lemon water provides your body. here’s the breakdown:

A glass of lemon water containing one 48 gram lemon, squeezed, contains:

  • 10.6 calories;
  • 18.6 milligrams (mg) of vitamin C, or 21% of the Daily value (DV);
  • 9.6 micrograms (mcg) of folate, or 2% of the DV;
  • 49.4 mg of potassium, or 1% of the DV;
  • 0.038 mg of iron, or < 1% of the DV;
  • 0.01 mg of vitamin B-1, or 1% of the DV;
  • 0.01 mg of vitamin B-2, or 1% of the DV; and
  • 0.06 mg of vitamin B-5, or 1% of the DV.

Drinking lemon water will help one to avoid sugary drinks and less healthy alternatives but if any of you know anything about me, you know that I’m also going to provide the negative side for all the positives. First and foremost, if you’re anything like me, you may overdo it a bit, once you find something you like. I consider lemon water to be delicious and I drink it out of my 1-litre water bottle. I can easily rip through four or five of them sum-bitches throughout the course of a day. There is such a thing as too much water… Doing so can cause Hyponatremia. What is Hyponatremia? Hyponatremia is the medical term for a sodium imbalance in the body. A sodium imbalance can occur when excessive amounts of water are consumed, flooding the cells. I’ve had it a couple of times. It sucks.

There’s some limited information as well, that the citric acid in lemons could potentially damage the enamel of your teeth. The HealthLine article I linked above recommends drinking your lemon water through a straw to prevent this, followed by rinsing your mouth out with plain water afterwards. Granted, other sources state that since you’re watering it down, the risk is minimal. Providing you aren’t constantly sucking on lemons, your teeth should be fine. Granted, I’m not a doctor. Or a dentist.

So, there you have it! Suck back some lemon water for all the reasons above. The benefits far outweigh the possible negative aspects and will help you stay hydrated throughout the day. And the most important reason above anything else is that I enjoy it. And that just makes everything else icing on the cake. Or lemon in the water. Whatevs, it’s all the same comparison. ☯️

What’s The Use?

Everybody, Diabetic and non-Diabetic alike, is usually aware that insulin is commonly used by people with Type-1 Diabetes to control their blood sugars, since their own bodies no longer produce it as a result of their immune system attacking their own body. Most of my life, I’ve had people ask why I don’t just manage without it? After all, if food makes blood sugars go up and insulin and exercise make it go down, can’t I just eat less, eliminating carbohydrates and exercise more to keep my body’s blood sugar’s in check? The simple answer is no. No, I can’t. Besides the fact that one’s body needs carbohydrates as a source of fuel, it turns out that insulin has a number fo functions in the body that we need besides blood sugar regulation.

First and foremost, let’s discuss what insulin actually is… Insulin is a hormone that was created in the 1920’s by Dr. Frederick Banting, a Canadian of course, and Charles Best. once injected into comatose children who were thought to have Diabetes, they would regain consciousness and regain some augury of health. Insulin was originally made by extracting the required from the pancreas of pigs or bovine. Modern versions can be synthetically created or made from human sources. Insulin is usually taken by injecting it into the interstitial tissues beneath the skin.

So, this brings us back to the key question of what insulin is used for, in someone without Diabetes. According to an article posted by Endocrine Web, insulin helps your body turn food into energy. Further, it “controls the amount of glucose in your bloodstream at any given moment. It also helps store glucose in your liver, fat, and muscles. Finally, it regulates your body’s metabolism of carbohydrates, fats, and proteins.” All those fancy words are to say that your body needs insulin production for a number of different functions in the human body.

To be honest, finding articles that list what a non-Diabetic body uses insulin for that doesn’t involve blood sugar control is surprisingly difficult. But it is required to prevent conditions like ketoacidosis, which can occur in anyone whose body can’t turn glucose into fat. plus, the bottom line is a healthy body’s pancreas WILL produce insulin, allowing for glucose to be processed and stored in the appropriate places in the human body and that body’s immune system doesn’t attack itself, which is the difference between someone WITH Diabetes and someone WITHOUT. So there you have it! Even if you don’t have Diabetes, your body still needs insulin. Don’t be afraid to hit up your friendly, neighbourhood endocrinologist for a deeper list of non-Diabetic uses for insulin. ☯️

Some Salty Facts…

I don’t think I could sit here and try and convince anyone in general that salt is good for you. For the most part, the average person goes on with their day, knowing that the consumption of salt can cause some pretty serious health complications in one’s body. That being said, it’s important to recognize that salt has its place in a person’s diet and isn’t ALL bad. This would seem like a good time to point out that I’m not a doctor or a health practitioner and the post that follows should not be construed as anything by my own option. Moving on…

First and foremost, salt will cause in most folks what I like to call the “diabetic endless cycle.” As you consumer heavier quantities of salt, you’ll become more thirsty. As your thirst increases, you’ll consume more fluids, which will kick your kidneys into overtime to expel the excess and you’ll urinate more often. Wash, rinse and repeat. This is about the closest someone without Diabetes could come top understanding one of the issues that happens to someone with T1D, as it relates to blood sugar, drinking water and frequent urination.

realistically speaking, the human body does need salt. Salt is typically composed of roughly 40% sodium and 60% chloride and people will often use the terms “salt” and “sodium” interchangeably. Although too much can cause harm, salt is used by the body for good muscle and nerve health, proper balance of fluid levels in the body and to help absorb certain nutrients that we need to stay healthy. For example, while consuming too much salt can lead to dehydration, so can too little salt. Since you need salt to balance the fluids in your body, cutting out salt completely (or trying to) can lead to some issues.

In fact, one of the issues that too little salt can cause, is a condition known as hyponatremia. This is a condition where your sodium levels are too low, which will cause bodily pain, nausea and a score of other health issues too numerous to name. I had a bout of this condition a couple of summers ago, where I went on a near 100 kilometres bike ride and guzzled down water for the hours I was out. The sun was blazing and it was hotter than hell. I was sweating profusely and expelled too much of my body’s mineral salts, which caused the symptoms of hyponatremia.

All of that being said and like all things in life, balance is key. While one needs salt to remain healthy and too little salt can cause significant issues, too much salt can cause bloating, dehydration, blood pressure and cardiac issues, kidney disease, kidney stones, stroke and a partridge in a pear tree. The key is proper balance and a healthy intake of sodium/salt that helps to strike that balance. Since every person is different and may have pre-existing health conditions that would contribute to this, you consult your family physician or health practitioner to determine what a healthy level of sodium may be for you. ☯️

Slide Into This Feel-good Post…

Last Saturday, Nathan finally asked me to make our way to the sliding hill on the east side of our neighbourhood. I say finally because he’s usually spent the last few winters asking to go sledding as soon as there was snow on the ground. This year, he didn’t seem to be so into it, preferring to stay inside and melt his brain with his Netflix kids and Nintendo Switch. I’ve managed to get him outside to play in our yard, which is easy for him to come back inside and resume his hermit behaviour. So it was quite a surprise when he decided he wanted to go sledding.

The weather was quite mild at only -4 degrees and it was a perfect day to go hit the slope for an hour and get some fresh air. We slipped on our winter gear and made our way outside. Nathan had received a snow scooter for Christmas, which is basically a razor scooter with skis instead of wheels. I was anxious to see him use it but he refused, claiming he felt he would wipe out too easily. I brought it along anyway, in the event he changed his mind (and because I wanted to try it myself). We had the hill to ourselves as no one else was there. Not surprising as it was the weekend and it was before the noon hour.

Despite the mild weather, it was quite chilly once we got to the top of the hill and lost the protection of the houses and trees at ground level. Nathan had a blast, whipping down the hill and alternating his runs with his plastic toboggan and crazy carpet. I took a couple of short sprints down on the snow scooter and let me just say that I’m glad no one else was on the hill to see my sorry attempts. besides the fact that the handlebar was too low for me, the foot board was too small and I couldn’t keep both feet on it. This made it extremely hard to keep my balance.

At one point, we had a race with Nathan on his crazy carpet and me, using the plastic toboggan. My heavy weight, whipping down the hill, allowed my gratuitous posterior to feel every bump, groove and edge that was present on the slope. The result was every joint in my body objecting and asking what the fuck I thought I was doing… It was enough to get Nathan laughing at all the moans, groans and the sound of a hundred mousetraps closing as I tried to get up. Where has the time gone?

As with all things in life, despite the fun we were having, some negative aspects reared their ugly faces. The cold temperature and the exertion of climbing the snow hill over and over caused my blood sugar to drop below 4.0 mmol/L, which was a problem since we had only planned on being gone for an hour and I hadn’t brought anything with me. The cold also drained the battery on my pump, which is a bit more of a problem since having the battery go dead for more than a few minutes wipes out all my settings. I really should write that shit down somewhere. But it was fun and we got to spend some time outside, getting fresh air and exercise. ☯️

Feelin’ The Burn…

It’s not secret that I enjoy trying out new workouts. More than anything else, I fell it’s an important step in keeping things fresh, which in turn will help to keep things interesting when trying to stick to a fitness regime. But different workouts will work different muscle groups and provide different short and long term results, so it’s always good to mix it up and try something different. A couple of years ago, I found a simple body weight workout used by submarine occupants. The idea is that they needed something that could be done on a confined space, without the use of much equipment.

I bring it up because I did the workout the day before last and I’m only today feeling the deep, muscular pain associated with it. But it is a genuinely fantastic workout that works all the large muscle groups and helps to increase strength and stamina. It only takes twenty to thirty minutes to perform and I often use it as an alternative if I’m staying in a hotel or need something quick and easy because I don’t have time for anything else. Admittedly, the portion I use is only part 1 of 2 but believe me when I say it’s enough to get a solid sweat and have your limbs praying for mercy. Here we go…

The circuit is pretty basic. You start with 15 normal squats (pictured above, go all the way down and don’t be lazy) followed by 10 diamond push-ups (push-ups where your hands are touching in front of you, below your chest), 10 regular lunges and 15 regular push-ups. Once you’ve completed that circuit, you start again but this you’ll be doing 14-9-9-14. Keep repeating the circuit and dropping everything by one rep for every circuit. Make sense?

As you work through it, the entire workout should look like this:

Squats/Diamond P-Ups/Lunges/P-Ups
15-10-10-15
14-9-9-14
13-8-8-13
12-7-7-12
11-6-6-11
10-5-5-10
9-4-4-9
8-3-3-8
7-2-2-7
6-1-1-6
5-0-0-5
4-0-0-4
3-0-0-3
2-0-0-2
1-0-0-1
Fall to the floor and pass out… Kidding!

I normally take about 30 to 45 seconds to rest and sip water between each circuit. That being said, once the first and last exercises reach 5 and I’m no longer doing diamond push-ups or lunges, I try to hammer through the last five circuits without resting. It tends to provide that added little bit of burn at the end when one typically wants to throw in the towel. Your lunges can be done with some light dumbbells, if you have them.

For myself, I’ve started doing the entire workout with a 20-pound weighted vest, which has certainly made it more challenging and has given me a better appreciation for folks who live their everyday with 20 pounds more weight than I carry. It’s amazing how such a low addition of weight to one’s overall body makes a significant and noticeable difference. Despite how taxing the workout is, it’s low impact and simple, making it extremely flexible in terms of adding in extras or modifying the exercises.

So there you have it! If you’re looking for something that’s quick, simple and provides an insane burn to your muscles, look no further. I’ve also noticed that this workout doesn’t seem to drop my blood sugars in any significant way. If anything, it sometimes rises by a half point. Remember to stay well hydrated as this circuit will have you sweating out every drop of bodily fluid you may have. And as usual, if you feel unexpected sharp pains, shortness of breath or dizziness, you should stop immediately. Even if the circuit takes a little less than 30 minutes, there’s no reason not to take more time to complete it during the first few times you use it. Stay healthy! ☯️