We’ve talked a number of times before about the rocketing rates of Type II Diabetes, particularly in teenagers and young adults. The part poor lifestyle choices play in this AND how insulin is about so much more than simply controlling blood sugar. If you’d like a quick reminder, our most recent posts can be found here and here. 

 

The good – and potentially bad (!) – news is that Type II Diabetes is a Lifestyle Condition. In other words, it’s the result of poor lifestyle choices being made over a long period of time. And we would emphasise the last few words. Over a long period of time. The effects of poor lifestyle choices cast a very long shadow, with the seeds usually being sown many years – or decades – before… 

 

However, despite how it appears, this is good news; although we appreciate it may initially sound like very bad news too. The good news is that lifestyle choices are entirely within our control, even though many people will try to convince themselves – and us too (!) – this isn’t the case. However, it is. Full stop. End of story. They’re the choices we make every day – usually without thinking – so we’re the only ones who can address them. It can’t be done by anyone else for us. 

We’ve mentioned before how creative people can be, usually when they don’t want to do something. A friend refers to it as “the dog ate my homework” approach which, to us, sums it up perfectly! And, as we all know, adults can be just as inventive… 

 

At other times, it’s less about creativity and more about self imposed limitations. On one hand saying – or thinking – we’d like to do something, on the other coming up with lots of reasons why we can’t. Talk about sending out mixed messages with all too predictable results… And, before we know it, a virtually insurmountable wall has appeared between us and whatever we desire. Ah, now this week’s choice of picture makes sense! 

With the days starting to noticeably lengthen – hurrah (!) – this is the time of year when we start looking forward to the warmer months ahead. True, the temperatures are still a little on the nippy side to start stripping off some of the layers, but it’s the perfect time of year do a little bit of spring cleaning. Or, put another way, a detox. 

 

While it can sound a little daunting, detoxing is really very simple. Cleaning up your diet. Drinking more water. Taking regular exercise. If you’d like a few more details and a quick reminder, click here. 

 

The simplest way to think of detoxing is as a spring clean for your body and, if you’re feeling inspired, you can also give your house a little extra tlc too. Throw open the windows, give it more of a clean than normal (!) and “rehome” any junk you’ve been meaning to get rid of for ages. However you do it, the end result is the same. Clearing old and stuck energy, making room for the new in your life. Not only will you feel much better for it – and your halo will shine (!) – but it brings new energy and momentum into your life. Hurrah! 

Once again there’s lots of talk about life getting back to normal – whatever that may mean (!) – both in the media and in conversations with those around us. It’s underwritten by the unspoken assumption that we can simply return to where we were before all the madness started a couple of years ago. Pick up our lives as if nothing happened. If only life were that simple! 

 

While it may be a comforting pipedream, sadly, the reality is rather different. And, before the Little Monster in your head gets too vocal on the subject, this doesn’t automatically mean it’s a bad thing! Rather the opposite. 

 

It may be a cliché but the only constant in life is change. And, to keep this post upbeat, we’re only going to mention in passing a couple of the other constants. Death and taxes (!). Moving swiftly on… 

With the seemingly long and wet winter we’ve “enjoyed” this year – on top of the last couple of years of madness – it’s not surprising that many people have succumbed to the lure of the sofa (!) and put exercise well down their list of priorities. If not at the bottom… 

 

While it may be a cliché, our bodies are designed to be active rather than slumped, semi comatose for hours on end. And this applies equally to home as to work!