Ever since I remember and even up to the present, the term of endearment my husband calls me is “Sweet.” We used to even whisper sweet nothings in the name of love.
Of all the senses, it is the sense of taste that stimulates us the most and it is usually the sweet taste of food that fascinates our taste buds above them all. But the irony of it, is that extra sweetness could prove to be dangerous. The intake of carbohydrates, mostly sweets, if taken in excess could lead to a metabolic problem called diabetes.
At this point, the sweet success of a 64-year-old male patient, whose journey in overcoming his condition is noteworthy to share.. He had several episodes of blurring of vision which he thought at first could be corrected by upgrading his reading glasses. This prompted him to seek consultation and full blood chemistry was done at the laboratory. It was later found out that his average sugar for the last three months was way beyond normal. Even when fasting blood glucose was taken, it also turned out to be increased. He was later on referred to an endocrinologist and was prescribed several oral medications to address his blood sugar and cholesterol. Due to very high levels of glucose, he was also advised to have insulin injections. Fear might have crept in for a while, knowing the macrovascular and microvascular complications of diabetes, but he mustered a lot of strength and was determined to fight this battle, with the Lord as his frontliner.
He set a time, one hour each day of rigorous exercise in the privacy of his gym in the house. His wise choice of healthy food, mindful eating even as to proportions and being very religiously compliant in taking his medications and insulin jabs were his daily routine. He had a glucose and blood pressure diary which he strictly monitored morning and evening. After almost a month of his medical regimen, his blood sugar went down to normal levels and he even lost several kilos. He was finally weaned out from his insulin injections and was advised to continue his oral medications plus continue his daily exercise.
What I want to emphasize here is discipline. We should inject discipline in our lifestyle, especially during these times when everything seems to be going “instant.” We should be able to take things, especially food in moderation. Exercise has really been beneficial in his case as it has burned a lot of excess fat and calories and his physical fitness program was doing well. Many of our plans and resolutions usually fail because of a lack of discipline. Many of us give up after just a few days because we can’t muster up enough discipline to see things through. That makes the difference. Everyone can do it and go for a healthier lifestyle, but not everyone is successful at it because they lack discipline. Our bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, so we must be disciplined enough to know how to take care of our bodies the best way we can. And to achieve that, discipline is definitely needed.
At the end of the day, we cannot live without a little sweetness in our lives. Remember that moderation is the key to living a healthy life while still enjoying a degree of sweetness in our lives. However, we must not fail to also remember that God can also be a source of sweetness in our lives, with His Words sweet as honey and a Love that’s sweeter than anything else. And His Love is the kind of sweetness that needs no moderation. Again, this patient’s sweet success is not only because of his discipline, will, and determination to reverse the course of his medical condition but his trust in the greatest healer, our Lord Jesus Christ. His story inspired me and I hope it did the same thing for you, too.