Backpacking and Hiking Forum - Backpackers' Basecamp

RumiDude
Trail Wise!

Marmota olympus

Posts: 2,361

A step back from the brink ... Jun 27, 2019 20:22:25 GMT -8 msdoolittle, zeke, and 4 more like this

Post by RumiDude on Jun 27, 2019 20:22:25 GMT -8

I suppose there are several threads in this Health and Fitness section to which much of this information belongs. Instead I will tell my cautionary tale in a separate thread, though I may contribute to others as well. I thought of posting this in the TR in hopes that more people might see it and look closer into their own health situation.

My story goes back even before I was born to a history in my family to diabetes, NALD, and related health problems. These types of problems don't start showing up in life until one reaches a certain age, and I eventually reached that age. I have always "taken care of myself" and ate what would be considered a healthy diet, or at least not a really bad diet. I smoked as an older teen but gave it up about the age of 24 yo. I have been active and participated in athletic competitions my entire life until my mid 50s.

Several years ago I had a really acute health issue on a long two week backpacking trip which forced me to cut short the trip. After many tests and such, the doctors could not be sure exactly what had happened. They simply guessed it was pancreatitis and left it at that. Durring all their poking and proding they noticed lumps on my liver and suggested I eventually get that checked out. About a year later I finally had a sonagram done of my liver and the lumps turned out to be fatty deposits. I joked that I wasn't fat but my liver was.

I was not fat, but I was overweight. My doctor warned about my belly fat as being a sign to worry about in regards to diabetes. So I tried even more to watch what I ate. I was reasonably active even though I had given up on bicycle racing, trail running, road racing, etc. Instead of getting better, my blood work numbers steadily got worse. I was exasperated. My doctor told me I should have chosen better parental genes. Two years ago my doctor told me I was prediabetic. My A1c number was 5.8. I tried even harder and last year at this time my A1c rose another tick to 5.9. "Screw it" was my attitude.

Meanwhile I had witnessed up close the devastation diabetes wrecked upon my younger brother. He was on dialysis and in a wheelchair. Any little thing go wrong and he would become hospitalized. His legs turned black and are still like that.

Last October around my birthday I stepped on the scales and weighed over 190 lbs. I Knew I had to get serious. I only knew one strategy and that was to starve myself. By the January of 2019 I weighed about 175 or so. I had been reading about zeke 's issues as well as SBM's struggle with diabetes. I knew also bp2go Steve has also suffered health issues with diabetes. Anyway, talking with Sleeping Bag Man! informing me of an app named LoseIt, on January 10, 2019 I really started tracking food intack and trying to lose weight. Except when I have been on backpacking trips I have logged almost everything I have eaten since Jamuary 10.

I now weiigh about 142 lbs and have a 28 inch waist line. The results of my latest blood work have astounded my doctor. My A1c is now 5.5%, down from 5.9% of one year ago. Fasting glucose went from 106 mg/dL to 96 mg/dL. My triglycerides are now 25 mg/dL, down from 158 mg/dL of a year ago. HDL (good cholesterol) is 61 mg/dL, up from 35 mg/dl. My total cholesterol is 139 mg/dL, down from 161 mg/dL, which gives me a Chol/HDL Ratio of 2.27 compared to 4.6 from last year. In EVERY category I improved dramatically. I still have more to go, but I have stepped back from the brink. My doctor told me I cured myself.

I can hike much better than I could even when I weighed 165 lbs. I feel better. I no longer suffer from acid reflux. In a small way I feel like I have taken back control of my life.

I write all this to encourage others to look into your own health and what you can do to change things for the better. Steve has suggested that there must be others that are on the brink and may not realize it. I think he is correct. Get to the doctor and get a full checkup. Get all the blood work done so that you know where you are at. If you are OK, that is GREAT! But if you are not and a lifetime of "getting away with it" has caught up to you, make the chages needed.

Rumi

This is my Indian summer ... I'm far more dangerous now, because I don't care at all

autumnmist
Trail Wise!

Posts: 7,427

A step back from the brink ... Jun 28, 2019 4:58:29 GMT -8

Post by autumnmist on Jun 28, 2019 4:58:29 GMT -8

RumiDude , thank you for sharing these personal details, as well as those of your journey through the sometimes forest or jungle of health issues to find better alternatives. I'm so glad for you that you've found a workable solution and that your health has improved so much.

Your advice is sound, and I think could be extended beyond the issues you cite. Stress, for example, can be a major contributor to compromised health, especially in this turbulent time. My sister was probably the healthiest in the immediate family, but was the first to be stricken by cancer, after the long frustrations of adopting someone who unbeknownst to her had already been diagnosed as sociopathic. But there's also a history of cancer on my father's side, due in part I believe to the poor eating habits of many of my relatives. And I've seen the effect of stress in caring for an elderly parent.

I think we often need to as cautious of our health and possible complications as we are about driving and engaging in other potentially dangerous activities.

And thanks again for sharing such personal and helpful details.

RumiDude
Trail Wise!

Marmota olympus

Posts: 2,361

A step back from the brink ... Jun 28, 2019 7:05:36 GMT -8 msdoolittle, rebeccad, and 1 more like this

Post by RumiDude on Jun 28, 2019 7:05:36 GMT -8

I guess I should add a bit more information to give a picture of what I did to "cure myself" of prediabetes. For me it was the combination of more focused exercise, weight loss (especially the belly fat), and reduction of carbohydrate intake. All the conditions like overweight, heptatic steatosis, prediabetes, hyperlipidemia, are linked and have similar causes and cures. Yes, I do have a genetic predisposition to these issues, but that doesn't mean there is nothing I can do about them.

I specifically limit carb intake to less than 100 g per day. Sometimes I exceed that but for the most part I am between 60 g and 100 g per day. In other words I stil have pizza, just only once a month. I have the occassional hamburger on a bun, but if I can get it in a lettuce wrap I do that instead. Pasta is another I limit and have only occassionally. I try to eat good fats like olive oil or avacado oil along with nuts, and fish. I do hasve butter but I don't go crazy with it. I eat red meat, just try to limit portion size. I eat ALL the vegetables I want, only limiting the starchy veggies like potatoes. Beans are eaten, though I try to keep the portions small. All grains are limited in portion as well. Fruit is good, especially berries. I eat cheese and yogurt. I still limit milk intake to about 8 oz per day or every other day, because it is relative high amounts of carbohydrates. I limit alchohol intake as well. Protein is hard to get more of. Canned tuna, fresh fish, chicken thighs, pork shoulder, beef sirloin, etc help me get a good amount of protein.

I walk at least 3.4 miles every day. I also do treadmill work and strength training with weights. The other day I missed the bus to get to my doctor appointment. I ran 1.5 miles in less than 15 minutes to get to the appointment on time. I was not out of breath, which surprised the heck outa me. Recently I did a six-day trail work party which entailed a hike in with all my gear, food, and heavy tools to a camp which was almost 11 miles from the trailhead and did just fine. Plus each day I worked hard doing trail work. The combination of less body weight to carry around and relatively good fitness level helped keep me from being exhausted each day.

As my doctor warned, all my gains could be reversed if I don't maintain this condition. I have been able to maintain a steady weight for the past month on about 2000 Calories per day. I have found that to be plenty for me. I hope to add some lean muscle mass with more strength training, i.e. lifting weights. Next month I plan to hike the 450 miles of PCT in Oregon. I am confident I am physically fit to do this. The only worries I might have are my feet, knees, and hips being able to sustain daily grind of long distance hiking.

I have other goals to keep myself fit, like hiking the Camino de Santiago, PNT, Oregon Desert Trail, etc in the future. And after all, these are things I love to do anyway.

Rumi

This is my Indian summer ... I'm far more dangerous now, because I don't care at all

desert dweller
Trail Wise!

Power to the Peaceful...Hate does not create.

Posts: 6,291

A step back from the brink ... Jun 28, 2019 9:15:24 GMT -8 rebeccad and RumiDude like this

Post by desert dweller on Jun 28, 2019 9:15:24 GMT -8

It's great that your body responded to the diet and exercise regiment you developed. The third part of the triangle is attitude. Diet, exercise and attitude are three factors a person has almost complete control over. It sounds like your mind is in the right place. But, it takes gumption, willpower and direction to make it all work for you. Keep it up. You have a great support system with your friends and family plus your extended family here on the forums.