IN 2005, SUJAY NAZARETH, a 25-year-old IT technician in Delta, B.C., suddenly felt thirsty all the time. He began losing weight without trying, and he was tired no matter how much sleep he got. Nazareth described his issues to his doctor, who ordered a blood test. The test revealed he had type 2 diabetes. But it wasn't a diagnosis he wanted to deal with, so he didn't.
"I felt a lot of fear and confusion, so for the first nine years, I just hid from it," he says. "I took my medication and tried to give up sugary things, like pop, but I wasn't as careful as I should have been." Nazareth also avoided doing the bloodwork his doctor routinely asked for because he was pretty sure the results wouldn't be good. It wasn't until his daughter was born in 2016 that he decided it was finally time to tackle his disease. "I realized that I wanted to be around for her," he says. "It just struck me, like okay, I need to smarten up now and start taking care of myself." He only wishes he'd started sooner.
A type 2 diabetes diagnosis means your body isn't producing enough insulin (the hormone that controls the amount of sugar in your blood) or isn't able to use the insulin that it produces. Too much sugar in your bloodstream puts your organs, nerves, and blood vessels at risk and, left untreated, can lead to everything from heart and kidney disease to blindness and nerve damage that can result in limb amputation. Diabetes can reduce your lifespan by anywhere from five to 15 years.
Rates of the disease are rising in Canada-11.7 million of us currently have diabetes or prediabetes, largely because we're living longer and are increasingly more sedentary. "The primary cause of type 2 diabetes is the natural aging process," says Dr. Tom Elliott, medical director at BCDiabetes in Vancouver. "As you get older, your hair goes grey, your skin wrinkles, and your cells don't reproduce as quickly, including the beta cells that make your insulin."
This story is from the October 2022 edition of Reader's Digest Canada.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the October 2022 edition of Reader's Digest Canada.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
The M3 MacBook Air completes the Apple Silicon transition
For the first time since Apple dumped Intel, there’s a laptop for every want and need.
Report: macOS redesign is coming, but not this year
Maybe Apple will fix the System Settings design.
Apple finally has a $999 MacBook worth buying
The M1 MacBook Air has been replaced with the far-superior M2 model for the same price.
ALOGIC MATRIX ULTIMATE: A FOLDUP CHARGER THAT DOESN'T NEED A PLUG
I've reviewed a bunch of impressive portable multidevice wireless chargers recently, and this newcomer, the Matrix Ultimate, lives up to its name.
FUJIFILM INSTAX MINI LINK 2: PORTABLE PRINTER WITH RETRO CHARM
Photographer Chase Jarvis (fave.co/ 3xegpdk) said, \"The best camera is the one you have with you.
U.S. Justice Department sues Apple over its 'iPhone monopoly'
The DOJ is joined by 16 state and district attorneys general in claiming that Apple has violated Section 2 of the Sherman Act.
5 MWC announcements that should have come from Apple
The Android show highlighted some new tech that we want to see in Apple products.
REVIEW: iPHONE 15 STRAIGHTFORWARD EXCELLENCE
SUPERB CAMERA SETUP + DECENT BATTERY LIFE + FAST PROCESSOR = (RELATIVELY) AFFORDABLE QUALITY.
MODERN MMODERNlias
HYBRIDIZERS ARE EXPANDING THE LIMITS OF THESE MUCH-LOVED TREES
TOTAL TOMATO GROWING GUIDE
Niki Jabbour's advice for making the most of this grow-at-home favorite
THE MAN WHO DIED FOR THE LIBERAL ARTS
Chugging through Pacific waters in February 1942, the USS Crescent City was ferrying construction equipment and Navy personnel to Pearl Harbor, dispatched there to assist in repairing the severely damaged naval base after the Japanese attack.
WILLIAM WHITWORTH 1937-2024
WILLIAM WHITWORTH, the editor of The Atlantic from 1980 to 1999, had a soft voice and an Arkansas accent that decades of living in New York and New England never much eroded.
Why Millennials Are Now the Hottest Segment of the Buyers Market
There are many factors when it comes to knowing how to sell your home to the Millennial generation. Millennials are becoming an important part of the buyer market, and to fail to cater to their needs will cut you off from a large and important segment. But, why have Millennials all of a sudden become interested in buying houses when they were perfectly content to rent for the rest of their lives?
PLANTS from PIECES
ALL ABOUT PROPAGATION BY STEM, LEAF & ROOT CUTTINGS
BEFORE FACEBOOK, THERE WAS Black Planet
An alternative history of the social web
Miranda's Last Gift
When our daughter died suddenly, she left us with grief, memories and Ringo.
Adding Value to Listings & the Advantage of Identifying Neighborhood Amenities
Everyone knows the famous real estate phrase: location, location, location. In fact, it is hard to underestimate the pivotal role that a region can play when it comes to determining a home’s value.
USING CLIENT FEEDBACK TO ELEVATE YOUR REAL ESTATE BUSINESS
For real estate professionals, publishing your client testimonials is a key strategy for establishing trust, enhancing your reputation, and drawing in new clients.
MASTERING TALENT ACQUISITION IN REAL ESTATE
The ability to draw in and keep exceptional agents forms the backbone of any thriving brokerage
AGENT STRATEGIES TO GROW YOUR SOCIAL MEDIA PRESENCE
In real estate, where connections and maintaining relationships with clients are crucial, having a strong social media presence is essential for any REALTOR.
FILMS WITH FLOWERS
Relax with an uplifting garden-themed movie
Daily Habits That Will Increase Your Mental Strength
When it comes to building physical strength, the solutions are obvious, but keeping up your mental strength isn’t as easy as going to the gym.
JOHNNY MANSILLA: WHERE LUXURY MEETS LEGEND
Johnny Mansilla stands as a towering figure in the luxury real estate realm of Miami, Florida, celebrated for his distinguished two-decade-plus tenure.
DAVID JABLONSKI
David Jablonski’s journey into real estate began serendipitously, guided by familial ties and a knack for sales and technology.
KAREN MATLUCK
Karen Matluck’s journey in the real estate industry is truly inspiring.
JARED BARNES - Propagating gardeners
JARED BARNES is an award-winning professor of horticulture at Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches, Texas. He also hosts The Plantastic Podcast and publishes a weekly e-newsletter called plant ed, both of which can be found at his website, https://www.meristemhorticulture.com. At home, he gardens with wife Karen and daughter Magnolia.
RIBWORT PLANTAIN
Before you call it a weed, consider its many talents
Is Theo Von the Next Joe Rogan?
Or is he something else entirely?
Beyond Cleaning and Decluttering: What Improvement Expenses Make the Most Sense?
Decluttering open spaces, emptying cabinets and drawers and removing knick-knacks might seem like obvious – and free – ways to improve a home’s presentability. Unfortunately, however, not all sellers or agents are willing to do much more than decluttering and cleaning.
STEPHANIE MOLS
Originally from Germany, Stephanie Mols moved to Canada in 2003, following in the footsteps of her father, who had settled in this country after a series of vacations.