01 — A Well Bloomed Rose

Thank you for coming to my page. A Well Bloomed Rose was born of my experience living with type 2 diabetes. This diagnosis has taught me some important lessons and I am using this site to share resources and start a community to help another person as they begin their journey. The first nugget of information I learned was that type 2 diabetes is hereditary. This was an epiphany for me because after I learned of my diagnosis, I spent a little bit of time letting go of the shame and guilt I felt about “letting this happen to me”. Once I let the guilt go, I adopted the mentality of “progress is progress” celebrate the wins and keep moving forward. Nature has a way of showing us how to evolve to our environment and to bloom where you are planted. This journey for me has been similar to a rose bud blossoming. Each day of rain and sunshine helped me and I am glad you are taking the first steps to embarking upon your journey to living with type 2 diabetes.

02 — Getting Started

The struggle is real! Unlearning habits and coping in an environment which is fueled by poor food choices are not easy to overcome. A family member suggested I check with my health insurance to see if I could take a diabetes nutrition class. That was the BEST advice I could get. What I learned in that class has helped me immensely. Understanding the disease is critical to knowing how to navigate. I am naturally an inquisitive person, so the more I learned, the more empowered I felt. With the knowledge I learned from the class, I was able to find online communities and other resources that have been invaluable. So as you get started on your journey, learn about what diabetes is and how it impacts your body. I will share articles on this site as well as social media accounts that I’ve found to be truly helpful.

03 — 80/20 Rule

The 80/20 rule has changed my life. Eat well 80% of the time and you can afford 20% splurges. Let’s face it, life happens! There is always a birthday, an anniversary, or other celebration where there will be food temptations. I’ve found most of the time, following the 80/20 rule has helped. I’d be lying if I said it worked 100% of the time. You’ll find out in your journey of living with diabetes, it is more than just about what you eat. I’ve learned and am continuing to learn, that there are three core components to the 80/20 rule. Diet, exercise and stress management all play a starring role and I had to balance them regularly. I used to subscribe to the “Sleep is for Suckers” community. I wore it like a badge of honor in raising three children, working full time, volunteering in the community, earning a doctorate, you name the activity and I’d quote “Sleep is for Suckers”. Oh how damaging is this mentality. For as much as I railed against sleep, I was a serial dieter. I’d join bootcamps and 12 week lose weight programs, get “skinny” then fail to maintain the extreme activity to keep up with the “skinny” me. 80/20 has also helped me to set realistic workout goals and forgive myself when I am not able to meet the goals. From this day forward in your journey with type 2 diabetes, tell yourself I will get my rest, I will eat well and I will get and stay active….using the 80/20 rule! It will literally save your life.

04 — Community if Everything

Not everyone in your circle will understand your journey and that is ok. I shared my journey with the ones I loved. They have been phenomenal. As I have been living with diabetes, I’ve learned that when I can’t get what I think I need from my circle, I just expand the circle. Social media and the internet have been a great way to find resources and great “hacks”. Use your planner to track your progress. Accountability is the key to success. That’s how I show up for myself. I share my goals with my circle, I write them down and when I fall off, my own words OR community will check me and that has meant the world.

Check out the rest of the site to see what I’ve found. I will continue to add as I find. Nothing that I share on this site is meant to replace the advisement you get from your physician. I am just a regular person who have found some really helpful resources and I would like to share.