I do a presentation (work with a group that talks to Type 2's) where I liken progression to a New Car.

If I bought a new car today, didn't care for it, drove it like a madman and ignored the "check engine light" the car would likely be ready for the scrap yard in less than 10 years.

Yes, perhaps it could be repaired and cobbled together and it would last for a while longer, but it would still be "junky" and would continue to break down and get worse.

If instead I stayed right on top of the maintenance schedule, got it undercoated every year, repaired every issue as soon as it arose it could well last long enough in like new condition for 20 years or more.

But we still aren't even quite like that well cared for car.

If it blows a transmission due to some internal flaw, I can have a new one put in and it will still be "like new and totally functional".

We don't have that luxury. So even if you do everything right you could still "blow a transmission" but there is nowhere that can repair that.

But one thing is certain - caring for early and continuously will be the "only chance" for it to last.

If you want to make it easier to manage your condition "later" then you better be right on top of it TODAY.

And if your blood sugar starts to become more challenging to manage - if it's getting out of hand, then talk to the Doc and "make the repairs"

Yes, as both US and the Car gets older it will break down easier and require more care - but ignore either and we will both be ready for the "junk yard" in short order....

The thing that makes the Beast so effective in causing progression is the lack of (bio-feedback) that we get from the disease.

Our blood sugars can "run wild" and it doesn't hurt, you don't bleed or feel pain from it, 99.9% of the time unless you see the number on your Meter there is zero indication that anything is out of whack.

That can lead to both complacency and can lead to developing the False Belief that "this isn't that bad" - after all, you feel "just fine".

But it's very quietly in a stealth like manner, doing damage that can never be repaired.

Typically, by the time a complication gives you even the first hint that something might be wrong your kidney function is already significantly degraded, or you develop an infection on your foot or leg that just won't heal, or your vision starts to go bad.

At that point the best you can hope for is to "arrest the progression" for "a little while" - it IS going to continue to get worse, your only choice at that point usually is "how quickly or slowly" it will take.

We have to have "faith" that the hard work we are doing will pay off - it is a big ask because you don't see the "benefit" of what you do today for possibly many decades and humans just don't have a long attention span.

And if you don't believe the Beast will get you - you will be that one that will be "spared" - that bad things happen to "some people" but not ME, the beast has already won.

The easiest this disease is ever going to get is "TODAY" - it really is all down hill from this exact moment.

I just want to shout at people - Make the EASY choices Today "while you still have a choice to make them" - it is going to get HARDER.

The issues you stress and ponder over, believing they are "so hard" Today are going to look insignificant if you let the Beast take away your choices Tomorrow.

And if you have fallen off the wagon, get back on it. And if you fall off again, climb right back in.

No this isn't Fair, it's not Easy, it takes Work and Diabetes Sucks - but dying a lingering death, in pain, on dialysis while your heart is failing is Less Fair and Sucks Way Worse - but at least you won't have to decide anymore for yourself - your choices will have been taken from you and the Beast will make them for you....

(sorry, got Preachy but it hurts to watch people kill themselves because they find living such a difficult choice to make)

@A DiabetesTeam Member that really is a great question that nobody has an answer to.

It's like everything from restaurants to the food packing companies have decided to alienate a significant percentage of the population without a second thought.

I suspect it's partly a couple of things.

First, it is considerably more expensive to put together a (dish) that is low carb and nutritious - sugar and starch are cheap and "bulky" and they can make "great margins" on the sale of them.

Second, since, given 50% of the population is already overweight and another 20 or 30% are not far behind, they just won't buy or eat the, what would be, More Expensive and Healthier option which often tastes "bland" in comparison.

So yes, they have cut out (us) with their products, but we are about the only ones that would eat them anyhow at great added cost to them to produce.

Just look at some "fast food" that is popular:

Burger King's Roadhouse Crispy Chicken Sandwich - without fries or a drink or anything else it comes in at 1047 calories (over half the recommended for all day), 83 carbs of which almost 16 are sugar (the equivalent of 4 teaspoons).

Add in a Medium Fries (440 calories and 63 carbs) and a Medium Coke (221 calories and 55 carbs) and that "quick convenient meal for about 10 or 12 bucks" is a whopping 1700 calories (85% of daily recommended) and 201 carbs (100% of food guide recommendation)

How do you convince the "overwhelming majority" that see the above as a "standard meal" that they should be willing to pay more for a healthy low carb choice that effectively bans the fries, the battered chicken, the bun (unless it's a low carb choice made with expensive whole grains) and "sugarless soda".

And probably, until "some of them" start demanding food (which would be friendly to us), there is just no money to really be made.

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A Diabete...

Fast food places have made more money than ever especially since this Covid thing. So many people think that 2 fer 1 pizza's and all the advertising coupons and apps are the way to go to save money. I occasionally get a senior black coffee at Mcdonalds drive thru but never at lunchtime because the line up is so long.There just making themselves sick and don't know it. Cheap is expensive especially when it comes to our health.
Salt and sugar and more salt and sugar seems to be the norm.

Yes, much harder to eat while on vacation . Curious why more menus are not more diabetic friendly since 30% of our population is affected.