¶ Lake Ontario Setting and CGM Introduction
good morning good afternoon good evening wherever you are in the world I hope you've had a pleasant day planning a pleasant day or experience a pleasant day we're back at Lake Ontario it is May 25th and it's about 8 to 10 degrees there's not much wind and it's an absolutely gorgeous day There's a few boats already going out fishing but otherwise it's just a beautiful peaceful day and I hope you can hear all the birds song and all the other animals that are going around.
Apart from the beautiful scene, you can probably see a little yellow box at the bottom of the screenshot. That is a box of Freestyle Abbot. Freestyle Libre II CGM. And I have two more at home. So as a quick recap.
¶ My Diabetes Journey and CGM Cessation
December 2022 I was diagnosed as a type 2 diabetic and I embraced the lifestyle changes and habits that would allow me to get off my... metformin medication by november 2023 i was off medication but i was still attaching a CGM to my body to monitor my blood glucose in the app on my iPhone. Well, this is me.
2025 in April 2025, one month ago, my doctor said I don't need to use a CGM anymore. So I'm entirely... dependent on my own ability and awareness and the habits that I've created to not have to wear a CGM. Does this mean I'm not monitoring my blood glucose? Well, yes, it does. And I just had a round of blood tests and blood glucose tests.
everything was was fine and that is why she said well you've got the lifestyle changes well in hand the diet changes everything that's necessary to lower your blood glucose to not quite normal parameters. You're in the at risk category now, so that's prior to pre-diabetes stage, which I was at before I was diagnosed back in December 22.
¶ Prioritizing Long-Term Health and Enjoyment
So this is a very very good sign and one of the points that she made is that now we have to look at ways that not only make life enjoyable, but also long lived. In other words, and it's made very, very clear in a book called Outlive by Peter Adia. MD, that having a long life is one thing, but having an enjoyable long life is something completely different and not many people embrace that.
Right now what I'm looking at is, well, finishing that book and there's lots of downloadable PDFs from the audiobook version. and studying those and creating another book. So far there's been about 20 books that I've published on different aspects of living with diabetes. I'm very much looking forward to that one. Right now I'm writing a book on inflammation and type 2 diabetes, but it's important.
to not only embrace your diagnosis and embrace your response to it by making the lifestyle changes which make you healthier. and give you that longer life without medications and things like CGMs which I no longer have to wear. But then there is the issue of quality of life. And that is equally important, or if not more important, having a long life and not having much inspiration to live that life is...
Probably not as good as someone who is making the lifestyle changes and embracing what is necessary to live a long happy life. So that's the update for now. and some of the changes which are going to be appearing very soon. And I look forward to writing more books and learning more books. more information about this condition and how to prevent it and how to reverse it. so that you do have a positive lifestyle and you don't have...
Lots of extra medication. I know a type 2 diabetic who refuses to wear a CGM and was on one medication when they were first diagnosed and now they're on two medications for diabetes. they are just not interested in making the lifestyle changes and being in that positive mindset that allows you to make those changes.
¶ Future Endeavors and Community Engagement
I wish you a happy day. I hope you enjoy your day. And I'll be getting back to you soon. And also, sign up to... Go to my website, markaashford.com. That's all one word. And sign up for the newsletters because there'll be more newsletters on diabetes-related subjects coming out soon. Thank you. Bye now.