Yesterday I had my 6-month Diabetes check-up with my doctor. I am so proud to report that I've lost weight since my last visit and my A1C has gone down from 6.6 to 6.3! My doctor was super impressed that I have continued to lower my A1C, and I know a huge part of my success stems from the diet changes I've made.
But it wasn't just the decrease in weight and blood sugar numbers that had my doctor doing his happy dance. It was also the change in my Triglycerides. When I was diagnosed with Diabetes Type 2 in September of last year, my Triglycerides were at 117. The month before my visit, I'd completed the Whole30 Challenge and was already working on improving my relationship with food. My doctor was happy with my cholesterol numbers overall and urged me to stick with what I was doing.
At my 6-month Diabetes check-up in March of this year, my A1C had dropped from 7.8 to 6.6 - an amazing improvement in such a short time! - but my Triglycerides had shot up to 177. The first question out of my doctor's mouth was this: What did you change? I was still eating the same way I was in September and I was even implementing exercise. The one thing I'd STOPPED doing was taking my Omega-3 supplement.
Now before I go any further, there's something you should know about me: I work for Barlean's, an amazing family-owned company that makes premium Omega-3 supplements. I started taking Barlean's products - the Olive Leaf Complex in particular - before I knew even where they were, but I really amped up my supplement arsenal when they hired me three years ago. Since then, I've taken Omega-3s daily in one form or another. Or at least I did.
Maybe I was lazy or maybe I just didn't think the Omega-3s were actually doing anything for me. I don't know. I just focused on taking my Diabetes medication and axed everything else. So, my doctor told me to add back in the Omega-3s and otherwise keep at it.
Six months later, the results are in.
Results may vary, but I am now convinced 100% that Omega-3s do make a difference and they belong in my diet every single day. I choose Barlean's, but there are other companies that make great Omega-3 products and plenty of foods that can be easily incorporated in your meal plan which are great sources of Omega-3s as well. WebMD even offers an easy-to-use Omega-3 shopping list for the whole family.
So, here's to another six months of success and I can't wait to see where I'm going to be six months from now.