Tarra Yvette

My parents and grandparents are/were diabetic (type 2) and I was diagnosed as prediabetic at 24 with an A1C of 6.0. And a lot of people I knew and healthcare professionals told me it was because I was genetically predisposed to diabetes.

They didn’t ask about my diet or lack of activity. I sat at a desk all day for work, didn’t work out, and ate fast food at least 3x a week. I love carbs and sweets too. I was depressed. We moved, had 2 mortgages and I was always alone with just LB.

So I ate and layed around.

See here’s the thing about what I was told. It took all of the pressure and responsibility off of me and blamed my genetics. It made me feel like I was just dealt a poor hand. I mean, plenty of people had a worse diet than me and were NOT prediabetic.

It’s really a crazy way that we as a society look at things. Lets say I drove 95 on the interstate every single day (trust me living in Kentucky a lot of people do). And my parents had both lost their legs in car wrecks (God forbid). and then one day I wrecked and broke both legs and may have to amputate. Am I genetically predisposed to losing my legs? To car wrecks?

Why not? It’s the same logic – plenty of people drive 95 and don’t wreck and lose their legs.

See how stupid that sounds? I wasn’t predisposed to diabetes anymore than I’d be predisposed to a car wreck. The people who weren’t affected like I was are like the people who didn’t wreck – THEY’RE LUCKY. Favored. Blessed. Whatever term you want to use. They’re the exception. I’m the rule.

One day I finally got up off my butt and worked out. I changed my diet. And crazy how my A1C went down to 5.5, no longer prediabetic.

I’m no doctor and I can only speak for myself. But the only thing wrong with me was my habits, not my genetics. My genes control a lot of things – my gender, my skin color, my fabulous hair, my body shape, my big teeth.. I could go on and on. But they were not going to make me diabetic. I was going to make me diabetic.

And if you’re like I was, before you check your genetics – check your habits.