Tuesday 16 August 2011

Post No. 299 - Diabetes: a speculation

There is, apparently, an epidemic of diabetes plaguing the developed world. I think I can agree with that - I'm part of the problem, too, I suppose, as I have developed diabetes. There is quite a lot I have done, and am continuing to do to cope with my diabetes - well, as much as I can.

I take the tablets and do the injections, eat a healthier diet than I used to, monitor my blood sugar, exercise when I can ... but there's the rub: I can't exercise as much as I need to because of work pressures - and work is a major source of stress. There is a lot which needs to be done to improve the management of diabetes, and the obvious physical stuff is being looked at now - diet, exercise, and so forth.

The less obvious stuff, such as the impact of work and other forms of stress, is not being looked a - not in my experience, at any rate.

There's another part that is not being looked at: the spiritual aspects of diabetes, and that is what I want to write about here.

In doing so, I am considering, in particular, the work by Louise Hay on affirmations to redress the emotional/mental/spiritual causation which underlies many dis-eases.

So ... let's begin.

In its essence, in my view diabetes - well, Type 2, at any rate - is a dis-ease that is based on an inability to handle the sweet things of life - sugar.

Now, at that point, many people would simply say, "OK, well I'll do an affirmation letting myself accept the good things which come my way."

And I think many would continue to have diabetes - some would find it worked, but others who could get benefit from a suitable affirmation would find it ineffective for them, and others who are completely unsuited for the use of affirmations would find this ineffective whether they had the "right" affirmation or not.

Oh, by the way: if you are inclined to try this, DO NOT STOP YOUR HEALTHY DIET, EXERCISE, MEDICATION AND MONITORING. If the technique IS working, your doctor will soon notice a change, and your DOCTOR will guide you appropriately to either lesser levels of medication or no medication.

If the technique is not working when you're on medication, i really don't consider it will work when you're not taking medication - it ESPECIALLY will not start to work if you start to live irresponsibly, and take sugary foods and drinks, stop exercising, etc.

Now, going back to my theorising, I think the category of people I mentioned who are struggling to get benefit from a simple "let the good times roll" type of affirmation are probably in the situation where they are being overwhelmed by ease and affluence - to the extent that they don't want any more ease and affluence. I consider many such people are actually desperately in need of a sense of meaning and usefulness to their lives. They don't want more luxury, they want the chance to do meaningful WORK - not the "9 to 5" so they can pay for more affluence, something which satisfies their SOUL and gives them a feeling that their life will have some meaning and benefit to the world. Not everyone's idea of a "holiday" is laying on a tropical beach doing nothing. Not everyone's idea of a good time is getting so drunk they cannot remember the good time they allegedly had, and don't know why they've got that annoying itch - or pregnancy.

There are people in affluent societies who care, and want to live responsible, ethical, spiritual lives.

Those people, many of whom are, or feel trapped in, lives of consumerism or social status/display or materialism, may not even be aware that they are searching for a life that has less material wealth and more spiritual meaning in it. Western society these days does not accept the existence of either the spiritual or an aversion to hedonism - things like advertising, political campaigns/analysis and even social analysis/investigation by academics creates the illusion of then universality of selfishness/self0interest, materialism and hedonism. They are problems which are present in society, especially amongst the immature (some of whom can be greatly physically aged), but they are by no means universal.

I support and endorse campaigns to improve physical health and mental health in society, but in my opinion they will not go close to reducing the rates of diabetes until they start to at least make the connection between diabetes and non-physical aspects such emotions AND A DESIRE FOR MORE MEANINGFUL/SPIRITUAL LIFESTYLES.

I'm working on all of these aspects of my life, and I've certainly been able to get my sugar levels down - when I'm not being stressed to the eyeball by work (and that includes uncertainty about employment, by the way). I'll continue to do so, but I'm looking forward to a day when a GP discussing diabetes with her/his/hir patient will, as a matter of routine, talk about the emotional/mental health/spiritual aspects of this dis-ease.

Oh, "dis-ease". That word is based on an old idea that illness or dis-ease reflects a lack of harmony in one's being in some way. This idea is a key part of things like Chinese medicine. I consider it not bad, although it is wrong to think all illness is caused non-physically: i work with the effects of pathogens in everyday life, and unless one is an advanced soul so far beyond needing to reincarnate that you can do miracles, things like pathogens and toxins have a very real effect.

Love, light, hugs and blessing

Gnwmythr
(pronounced "new-MYTH-ear")

Tags: medicine, health, healing, attitudes, materialism, society,

First published: Tysdagr, 16th August, 2011

Last edited: Tuesday, 16th August, 2011