Curiosity a key to controlling disease
Active senior learned to manage diabetes and encourages others to research, keep journals
At 78, Maggie Dodd is living the kind of active, healthy lifestyle all of us would like to have at that age. The retired Chilliwack court reporter is not only a competitive lawn bowler, she teaches a course on managing hearing loss at the University of the Fraser Valley, volunteers with an allfemale Lions Club, plays bridge and stays in touch with friends around the world via Facebook.
She also keeps young at heart playing with her grandchildren and greatgrandchildren.
“Good mental health is every bit as important as physical health,” said Dodd, whose positive approach to life is infectious.
Even when Dodd was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes in the mid- 1980s and was struggling with hearing loss, she remained optimistic that she could find solutions to her health problems.
“I’m a positive person. If you’re not positive, you tend to turn inward and it becomes a vicious circle. Your diabetes gets out of control and the more stress you have, your blood sugars go up. Stress is the biggest factor in dealing with diabetes,” said Dodd.
“A good quality of life will help you over the hurdles.”
More than 1.8 million Canadians have diabetes. Dodd’s diabetes is also known as adult- onset diabetes, a metabolic disorder characterized by high blood glucose in the context of insulin resistance.
Dodd says she believes in taking a proactive approach to maintaining her health and encourages others to do the same.
“When you are curious about your disease, that helps you control it,” she said.
She keeps a journal that shows her blood sugar levels, so it’s clear when factors like stress and not eating properly are interfering with her wellness.
“When I first had diabetes I became almost anorexic. I was so anxious I didn’t eat too much,” she said.
Since she was diagnosed 20 years ago, Dodd has developed a better attitude toward her health issues. She is much more relaxed and follows through with a healthy diet.
She follows the Canada Food Guide approach to diet and while some may view her as a light eater she ensures that what she is eating is good for her, such as fruits and vegetables. She stays clear of sugar. She’s also tried other treatments. At one point, her diabetes was so bad she suffered from neuropathy and had no sensation in the soles of her feet. She tried acupuncture and found it worked.
Not only did acupuncture address that condition but a second one she hadn’t realized could be helped: tinnitus, which is the perception of ringing in the ears. That cleared up immediately, she said.
“People always tell you there’s no cure for it, but I don’t believe that now,” said Dodd.