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The thrill of the chase When you watch those race car drivers don't you wonder how they feel? How long it must take to learn those skills! Imagine the thrill of going just fast enough around a curve. Getting it just right. Knowing when to accelerate and when to hold back. For us thrill-seekers, diabetes management is just the thing. The NASCAR drivers say that every race is different. In diabetes every day is different. No one can tell us precisely what to do. We have to figure it out for ourselves as we go. Shaving off seconds or strokes is what the athletes striving to do. We're constantly trying to improve our numbers, too. We want fasting sugars under 100. Before meals we want sugars under 120. Two hours after a meal, we want them under140. We want our A1C levels to be 6 or less. We want our weight to be right for our height. We want our LDL cholesterol to be under 100, but under 70 if we already have heart disease. Our HDL cholesterol should be over 40 (men) and over 50 (women). Blood pressure should be under 130 for the top number and under 80 for the bottom number. Precision is the challenge. Can we juggle things to make it come out just right? Golfers, for example, must carefully consider the choice of club, the of the chase speed of the greens, and their own tendencies to slice or pull. Race car drivers are acutely aware of track conditions and their performance in past races. Diabetics have new variables every day and old track records they must take into account. It helps to have a game plan, like taking medications, exercising, planning the meals, but there are always surprises. Unexpected changes in plans might force adaptations in timing all these things, for instance. In diabetes, blood sugar is subject to influences like stress, fever, physical activity, how many grams of carbohydrates we've eaten, and how much fat was in our previous meal. In this situation, as in sports, we strive mightily for a target. How expert have you become? Have you perfected the technique of eating enough to be satisfied, but not "stuffed?" Are you counting those carbohydrates religiously? Have you incorporated the discipline of exercising every day, rain or shine? Years of dealing with diabetes can dull your sense of adventure, but try to re-discover the thrill of the chase. Slight changes in your decisions can change your course enormously.
In sports, outcomes are obvious and prize money is sweet. In diabetes, outcomes are obvious on your glucose meter and stakes are high. See how close you come to the target. Enjoy the thrill of hitting it just right! It is your private adventure every day.
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