The Quick Fix?

During a recent 5-day Stopping Diabetes Workshop, a patient presented me with a packet of material for review and comment.  The information was professional in appearance and design, marketing a product that claimed to be a solution for the chief complaint of most diabetics - fatigue.  According to the material, all one needs to do is consume 1 to 3 servings of their "energy drink" per day, at a cost of $1 per serving, and fatigue will disappear.  What is this amazing product?  Nothing more than an effervescent multivitamin, priced 10 to 20 times higher than standard, and comparable, multivitamin pills.  A multivitamin will not treat the underlying cause of your fatigue, nor will it help your diabetes or weight problem.

Fatigue does commonly accompany diabetes, and can be caused by a variety of factors: being overweight, sedentary, or depressed; and in uncontrolled diabetes it may be due to an inability to efficiently convert blood sugar into energy. 

In my clinical experience, most patients with type 2 diabetes feel a total lack of control over their disease, and with that lack of control comes depression and fatigue.  The ultimate solution is to gain control.  There is a way to do this, but it is not found in a pill, an energy drink, or any other "quick fix."  Gradual weight loss, acheived by eating high-fiber foods as recommended in The Full Plate Diet, combined with becoming more physically active, will cause blood sugars to lower and become stable.  What follows is a sense of control and hope, and you realize "I can do this!"  Energy levels increase as a result.  Making big changes is not required - even taking small steps can lead to big results.

Today this is what you need to do - eat more fiber and take a 15-minute stroll after every meal. 


The author submits this blog posting as a health educator and not in any other capacity. You should seek the advice of your physician regarding a personal health condition or before undertaking any diet, exercise, or other health program.