Why is diabetes my secret strength or superpower?

So I was diagnosed about 16 months ago with T1D diabetes although the jury is out on whether it truly is T1 or T1.5 (aka LADA) - regardless of what label anyone wants to put on it, my blood sugar levels were really high and now they're not. I dont take any insulin or medication, I wear a CGM (Continuous Glucose Monitor) like this:

My current HbA1C (the measure of how much sugar is in your blood over the last 2-3 months) is settled at 5.8 and my time in range (important for diabetics) is generally 100%.

Anyone with a working knowledge of diabetes will either say "you arent really diabetic" or "how on earth are you doing that"? Its true that if I truly am a T1D my pancreas wouldnt be producing any insulin at all and my blood sugar 'should' be more all over the place however, my consultant believes I am in the (and OMG how I truly detest this phrase) "honeymoon" stage of diabetes and that its only a matter of time before my pancreas fails and I will need to inject every day...Its been 16 months....so its a very extended honeymoon!!

Regardless of the label, I have spent the last year or so simply concentrating on my diet, finding new ways to make things low carb and from scratch, new ways to eat what I want/need without spiking my blood sugar but most of all I have completely cleaned up my diet. No more UPF, no biscuits or crisps, no takeaways, no cakes etc but what I learned along the way is that good, clean food doesnt have to be boring!

I love finding new foods, new spices, new ways to cook, new taste combinations and new ways to make food work for me without cravings or 'food noise'.

And the main difference is how its made me feel. To be honest I now feel amazing, clear headed, bright, I sleep well, I can focus, I dont get sugar crashes or afternoon slumps - in all honesty I feel better now than I have in many years and I put that totally down to my diet. Like most people, I ate too many UPF and whilst my overall diet wasnt terrible, it definitely had room to improve. Being forced to address the changes I took as a personal challenge and I dropped sugar completely overnight.

Was it easy? No it wasnt but equally it wasnt that hard either and focusing on improving my health was more important than a sugar in my coffee or a cake after lunch!

And now? I dont miss sugar at all and I dont miss processed food or carbs. Dont get me wrong I still have a tiny portion of chips once in a while but starchy carbs or processed food are no longer a key part of what I eat.

This is why I say its my secret strength - walking away from a starchy, processed, carb heavy diet has unlocked a renewed sense of optimism, a clear head and well rested sleep. Its made it easier to focus, to work, to regulate my emotions and for the first time in many years I feel fantastic!

And I totally get that I am in a privileged position, I dont have to worry about insulin, my blood sugar is in range and I have the privilege of being able to afford good, healthy, whole foods and have the equipment and knowledge to create dishes every day. But, without having had the diagnosis back in December 2024, I wouldnt have overhauled my diet so drastically or feel as good as I do today.

So, life threw me one of its lemons and I turned it into my supercharged, superpowerful, lemonade!