Lubna Aslam, a person thriving with type 2 diabetes will shine a light on the generational influence on thriving with diabetes in today’s complex and ever-changing world.
Speaker: Lubna Aslam
Speaker: Lubna Aslam
0:00
[Music]0:07
welcome to the mental health video0:09
series for people living with diabetes0:11
my name is Candace and I'm from diabetes0:14
Canada the immediate impact of diabetes0:16
on a family can be overwhelming what0:19
about the impact of generations within a0:21
family who have lived with diabetes how0:24
did the beliefs knowledge and attitudes0:26
of previous generations affect someone's0:28
ability to cope with diabetes IES in the0:30
present in this session we will talk0:33
with LNA Asam a person thriving with0:35
type 2 diabetes she will shine a light0:38
on the generational influence on0:40
thriving with diabetes in today's0:42
complex and everchanging world thank you0:45
cenace for your0:46
introduction well it's so great to have0:48
you here uh ludna so let's talk a little0:51
bit about how diabetes has impacted your0:56
family so0:58
um I wanted to let you know that both my1:01
grandmothers my paternal and my maternal1:04
grandmothers lived with diabetes and1:07
then my parents live with diabetes I was1:11
diagnosed with diabetes type two we are1:13
all type twos uh my sister however1:16
however had diabetes during her1:18
pregnancies and my brother who is much1:21
younger than I am was just diagnosed as1:24
pre-diabetic so it just is something1:27
that um my family and uh everyone1:32
associated with my immediate family has1:35
had to deal with thank you for sharing1:38
that lunna that is really uh interesting1:41
to hear about uh the people who've been1:43
impacted in your family by1:46
diabetes so seeing that this spans quite1:49
a bit of time can you tell us a little1:50
bit about how maybe the beliefs around1:53
diabetes um has changed within that1:56
context and what that has meant to you1:59
so when it comes to2:02
me I think generation after generation2:05
as we all received our2:08
diagnosis The Fear Factor has only been2:11
going in an upward Trend I think I'm2:14
even more2:15
fearful um now of having my children2:19
being diagnosed or my nieces and my2:20
nephews being impacted by2:22
diabetes I think the one thing that the2:25
on the opposite Spectrum I think the2:28
shame and the blame2:30
was perhaps the most for my2:32
grandmother's Generations when it came2:34
to my parents' Generations I think there2:37
was still a lot of Shame and blame2:38
around it but I think by the time we2:41
myself and my brother and my sister are2:43
now dealing with things uh we kind of2:47
understand that complex problems require2:50
complex Solutions and as much as2:52
possible we we're trying to to to take2:55
shame and the blame away however the2:58
sense of fear is perhaps more most3:00
heightened right now so my grandmothers3:03
also their view of having success in3:06
living with diabetes was to have no3:08
diabetes at all they wanted to get rid3:10
of the disease when it came to my3:13
parents I think an understanding of what3:15
critical conditions are while living3:17
with them was a lot more socialized and3:21
I think uh when it comes to me and my3:24
brother we kind of know that it is about3:28
managing diabetes about living the most3:30
fulfilling life about having realistic3:33
expectations about life of diabetes3:36
rather than I am unsuccessful if I am3:39
living with diabetes I'm successful if I3:43
live a life without diabetes that3:45
narrative has changed one of the other3:47
things too that has changed is um my3:50
grandparents really believed in uh3:53
complimentary therapies as someone who3:56
you know was of a certain generation uh3:58
the trust with medic4:00
systems uh perhaps was not as much as4:03
their trust within their networks and4:05
within the more traditional ways of4:08
managing diabetes I remember like them4:10
drinking really bitter juices every4:12
morning and things like that I thank God4:15
I don't have to do that anymore but I4:17
think um I think my parents generation4:20
was more like hey if anything helps I'm4:23
not going to to to to disregard it but I4:27
think with me and my brother we are4:29
looking for more evidence-based Su4:32
proven success methods to that we kind4:35
of um take on and that does impact your4:39
mental health too if you're trying to4:42
drink I don't know bitter Gore juice and4:45
cinnamon teas and your blood sugar4:47
levels don't stabilize uh for whatever4:50
reason the the the amount of4:53
self-blame I think is can be quite quite4:57
extreme and then um5:00
so these are some of the things um the5:02
other thing too because of globalization5:04
because of the modern world we live in5:07
um I think that my grandmothers had very5:11
um limited exposure to World Cuisine the5:15
amount of world Cuisine me and my5:16
brother have exposure to the amount of5:19
choices that we have uh while managing5:22
um you know foods with lower GI index I5:26
I I think we have we are a lot more5:28
socialized to to to Modern ways of5:31
managing our5:34
diabetes great thanks so much for5:36
sharing that mov so tell us a little bit5:40
about how this has impacted you um first5:43
we can talk a little bit about how has5:45
this impacted your mental health I5:50
think I really struggle the emotional5:54
load of knowing how this um can5:59
condition has been is is being passed6:02
around in my family I am really worried6:04
about my children's safety I'm worried6:06
about the health outcomes for um for for6:09
for my nephews for my nieces and also6:15
about also about dealing with opinions6:18
and judgments we don't live in a world6:19
all by ourselves so you know um there is6:24
huge amount of stigma associated with6:28
what what it could be causing diabetes6:31
how there's a blame that is to be6:35
associated with with it like taking it6:37
on myself um if I don't feed my kids6:40
right am I putting them at a greater6:43
risk there is a huge mental load6:47
on on my you know just just I have seen6:52
what it was like for my grandmothers who6:54
lived in India they were trying to and6:57
also they lived in southern parts of6:58
India where rice is a staple it was very7:02
difficult for my mother-in-laws to like7:04
you know avoid all carbs because that7:07
was the way to manage diabetes at that7:10
time like you know try to avoid all7:11
kinds of rice I7:15
however uh the fear7:19
of you know of eating wrong of feeding7:23
wrong7:25
of of creating a um a a space within7:29
your your house where your children are7:33
at a higher risk because of the way you7:35
are caring for them is a huge mental7:38
load and it is not just motherhood I'm I7:40
don't want to just say it is just the7:42
load of motherhood I know that my when7:44
my father was diagnosed with with7:47
diabetes too he really struggled with7:50
coming to terms with how this would7:52
impact my like his children right so um7:58
there there is a lot of like self-blame8:01
that goes on and there's a lot of8:04
um a lot of adjustment that needs to8:07
happen especially with my grandmothers8:10
like I really think that um their go-to8:13
mental health8:16
way coping method was to tough it out8:20
because asking8:23
for uh8:25
supports identifying as someone who has8:28
um you know8:30
those real emotional lows while managing8:34
uh a complex life it was so deeply8:37
stigmatized and it was associated with8:40
like you know being ungrateful there are8:42
all these cultural aspects of like you8:44
know of of Faith culture um and uh8:49
society that that really I don't think8:52
my grandm mother mothers had the choices8:55
that I have while managing my mental8:58
health I think my parent par generation9:00
they are they were the ones who open the9:03
doors they understood that not every day9:05
is going to be a good day there going to9:07
be you know some good days some bad days9:10
throughout our lives and um I don't know9:13
how open that that my parents were when9:16
identifying their mental health needs9:19
but I'm definitely sure that by my9:21
generation what has happened is I not9:24
only understand that there is there are9:27
good supports available I understand9:29
that it is a trial and error I9:31
understand that on on so many wonderful9:33
days when I am9:35
feeling like I need help I know what9:39
helps me by now I9:42
know who to ask for support and I am9:45
open to all forms of intervention9:47
whether it is therapy whether it is9:50
self-compassion whether it is uh9:53
medication so when it comes to mental9:56
health perspective identifying Liv and9:59
managing mental health have all been10:03
individual Journeys10:06
but it is not like the best you never10:10
get to choose the cards that you you10:12
have you get to play with in your life10:14
but I think uh because we going through10:17
it as a family we have strength in in10:20
companionship with each10:23
other thanks so much for sharing that10:25
Luda so in thinking about how the10:29
different Generations in your family10:31
have managed their diabetes differently10:33
according to their context at the time10:36
how has that impacted diabetes10:38
management for10:40
you10:43
though I think there is like an idiom or10:45
saying out there that says that the best10:47
time to live is now because I actually10:50
remember being in ninth grade and my10:53
grandmother boiling glass syringes and10:57
metal uh sorry GL metal needles and11:01
having little vials of diabet of insulin11:04
in the uh in the fridge and um you know11:08
testing her uh blood sugar levels her11:13
urine sugar levels and then my parents I11:17
they thought they had it so much better11:19
because they had access to Long acting11:20
insulins and um you know met metformin11:24
and all11:25
these the choices in how11:29
many interventions and therapies are out11:32
there has exploded so the amount of time11:37
that it took for my father to see11:39
someone who is an endocrinologist to11:40
identify the right interventions for him11:43
and then contrasting that with how11:46
quickly my brother was able to find um11:50
support and help of a qualified11:53
endocrinologist I have seen the change11:55
happen and of course that gives me that11:58
gives me hope hope for future you know12:01
the other thing that has happened is um12:05
my grandmothers they didn't have access12:07
to the kind of research we do what has12:10
happened what used to happen in that12:12
generation is if anyone discloses people12:16
would collect information from each12:18
other oh how do you manage this and how12:20
do you manage that do you feel thirsty12:22
do you feel sleepy what H like what is12:26
happening they would compare notes12:28
Within12:30
you know that Sisterhood of of of women12:32
that they would interact with those who12:34
were brave enough to share those who12:36
were open enough to share so they didn't12:38
have access to the the research so they12:40
were never like testing how fenric seeds12:44
were effective like there was no way of12:46
of scientifically proving the evidence12:48
so that was one of the things they their12:51
access to information their ability to12:54
separate information from12:56
misinformation um uh uh their access to13:00
the kinds of different treatments that13:03
we have their access to Internet I I I13:08
think internet is can be a great boom I13:10
think you can find great13:12
advice depending upon who you interact13:15
with and depending on your Instagram and13:18
your Tik Tok algorithms you can have13:19
access to some great information which13:21
is out there my grandparents did not13:25
have as much access to it they did not13:27
have the ability to separate information13:29
and misinformation and then uh my13:32
parents they had some amount of13:35
information but again um culturally I13:39
think I think that finding information13:42
from your peers listening into what your13:44
peers are saying uh cross referencing13:47
their the the the the researches uh that13:51
they hear about things that you know how13:54
how information is getting to them was13:57
very different and I think think14:00
um not only I not only do I have access14:05
to all this information because I you14:07
know I'm so I live in the now I also14:10
have great hope for future Generations I14:12
think there's going to be14:15
better research there's going to be14:17
better interventions there's going to be14:19
a lot better knowledge that Empower14:21
people in future uh hopefully as we work14:24
towards diabetes world without the14:26
effects of diabetes one day I do think14:29
that when it comes to management14:32
perspectives having the right attitude14:35
having the right having the right14:38
expectation and having the right14:40
information can really make or break uh14:43
the14:45
game I agree with you Luda I think that14:48
there's so much uh now that uh we can do14:52
to support diabetes management and I14:54
agree with you that there's a lot of14:55
Hope for the future so I want to ask you14:57
now about your diabetes management what15:00
kinds of things have you done that uh15:02
you you find work well for you in terms15:05
of managing your diabetes but also15:07
recognizing that managing diabetes15:09
itself does come with um you know as you15:12
mentioned an emotional load and can be15:14
challenging for mental health how do you15:16
manage that aspect as well how do you15:18
manage your mental health what tools do15:20
you use for15:22
that um it has not been an easy Journey15:26
understanding my own mental health15:28
understanding my needs and finding out15:31
what works for me um I like to set daily15:35
goals because I find that exercise works15:37
for me again I'm going to breakfast what15:39
works for me as what works for me having15:42
a set of goals where I know what are my15:45
minimum get getting done and you know15:48
what are like the big picture goals that15:49
if I get done today great I'll mark it15:52
down as a celebration but if I don't get15:54
it done today you know what tomorrow15:57
hopefully will be another day is a good15:59
um one of the things that I find helps16:03
me quite a bit is going out for for a16:06
Wheeler on the neighborhood and as you16:08
can imagine it is it is accessible to me16:11
only during like you know beautiful16:13
Canadian Summers it is not accessible to16:16
me during Canadian Winters so it's not16:19
something that I can practice16:21
daily the acceptance of the fact that16:25
you know there are going to be great16:27
days they're going to be good days but16:29
they're also going to be bad days in the16:31
mid so I think we Define a like16:35
understanding the definitions and moving16:38
some of the limits like hey it's not is16:40
it a bad day just because I have to do16:43
dishes possibly not is it a bad day16:46
because you know I'm going to have to16:47
shoot myself in my stomach and get my16:51
medication maybe not I I don't think all16:55
those things now um16:59
I've had to change my definition of bad17:00
days that's what I'm trying to say a bad17:03
day is not definitely a day where I have17:05
to have like no medication or things17:07
like that um so so learning to identify17:11
what makes a good day a good day what17:13
makes a bad day a bad day17:15
helps and then asking for help because17:19
you know sometimes when you are in those17:22
grayer17:24
days what I used to do is I used to17:27
either isolate or I used used to freeze17:30
or I used17:31
to not ask for help and I know now17:36
that everyone is more than happy to help17:40
you out I think this is the magic of17:43
humanity the beauty of humanity really17:46
is that I have found more people in my17:49
life who who are willing to hold my hand17:51
sit down with me and be like hey how can17:54
I be present so firstly making sure that17:57
you know who those relationships are17:59
investing in those relationships and18:01
then being able to give back when you're18:03
asked to hold someone's hand and sit18:05
with them um is a good idea um and then18:10
what I have realized is with my18:13
self-awareness came an um the18:15
realization of perspectives for me when18:18
I remember my grandmother saying I have18:21
sugar when they would disclose their18:23
diagnosis I know my parents say I manage18:26
uh diabetes but when it comes to me I18:29
would like to say that I'm doing the18:32
best that I can so I am a champion for18:35
diabetes management I think that really18:38
helps me in um framing my mental health18:43
I also use other tools in my toolbox I I18:47
like to I'm a maximalist when it comes18:50
to trying out things as someone who18:53
lives in a wheelchair as someone who is18:56
of South Asian origin as someone who is18:58
a mother as someone who is um living in19:02
a very complex world what I also have19:06
access to is is drugs and19:09
therapy um medication that can help me19:13
um when there is not enough sunlight19:15
when there is too much snow on the19:17
ground or when my baby is going back to19:20
University I know how that affects my19:23
mood I know how it affects my mood if I19:26
have not been able to go out and enjoy19:28
enjoy the beautiful day so I know19:34
that I'm not going to say no to a to too19:36
quickly without giving it its due I want19:39
it to be able to offer me help before I19:42
say hey this wasn't helpful and it's not19:45
like I will accept everything blindly I19:47
have said no to many things but yeah19:50
self-awareness is is is the key here for19:54
me that's so wonderful thanks again for19:56
sharing all of that it's so really uh19:59
beneficial I think for a lot of people20:00
to hear your perspectives so you've20:03
already talked a lot about the different20:05
ways that you uh handle your diabetes20:08
management and what works for you I'm20:11
wondering if you could talk a little bit20:12
about some additional supports and20:14
resources what other tips you might have20:16
for those who are watching this uh that20:18
they could use to help support their20:20
diabetes management and their mental20:23
health uh in my experience because of20:27
living um20:30
living um because of living with a20:32
physical disability because of using a20:34
wheelchair uh it puts me at a higher20:36
risk of developing pressure injuries and20:38
I think that is the reason why my uh20:41
doctor was completely on the ball with20:44
my diabetes management whereas when it20:48
came from my Mental Health Management I20:50
had to be the strongest Advocate that I20:53
have to be for myself I think the first20:56
comes acceptance that this is not normal20:58
nor Al what I am feeling these um21:01
feelings of helplessness this feelings21:04
of numbness these these are not normal21:07
healthy feelings uh I think there is a21:10
level of self-acceptance that comes21:12
first then asking for support then21:15
making sure that21:16
you convince your family doctor that21:20
this is important and it needs to be21:22
looked at is is um you know it's a21:26
partnership um and sometimes you have to21:29
invest more than the other but don't be21:32
afraid to be your own um your advocate21:36
for your both your diabetes management21:38
and for your me mental21:40
health the other thing21:44
is21:45
be be the support you need if your21:50
family came to you and I said hey I need21:53
more information on Diabetes you As a21:56
caretaker I would probably jump right on21:58
to the internet and be like this is the22:00
diabetes Canada info number this is the22:02
Canada diabetes Canada referral support22:04
numbers and stuff like that but22:07
sometimes we don't do it for ourselves22:08
it could be just because we dealing with22:10
so many things so I would just say hey22:13
support22:14
yourself um22:17
to go out there see what is available on22:20
our info um uh Ino line email them if22:25
needed call them if needed be your own22:27
biggest support22:29
the other things that have helped me is22:32
like I'm someone22:34
again who22:36
loves free supports that are available22:39
so whether it is going on YouTube uh22:42
finding out how to meditate uh learning22:44
how to maybe do some breathing22:47
exercises um then finding out what are22:51
the online counseling services that are22:52
available to you like I I know that most22:54
of the workplaces have eaps um that are22:57
available22:59
and then again know your the city that23:02
you're living in or the the geography23:04
you're living in and then I found a lot23:07
of supports through the the health23:09
websites that are out there they will23:11
usually send23:13
you to really good places again invest23:18
in that relationship with23:19
your primary care23:21
doctor don't be afraid to go on the23:25
internet find out what's available23:26
through the website and and then also23:29
explore what's out23:31
there thank you so much LNA for sharing23:33
all of your experiences with us and for23:36
shining a light on how um your family23:40
has dealt with the impact of diabetes23:42
over time and how that it has an impact23:45
on you and your diabetes management as23:47
well as your mental health I think our23:49
viewers will really find you know23:51
walking into your world and seeing what23:53
it's been like for you so valuable so23:55
thank you so23:56
much thank you so much candas and for23:59
this opportunity uh with diabetes Canada24:02
as someone whose Generations have uh24:04
lived with diabetes and managed their24:06
diabetes I want to say thank you for the24:09
work that has been done for how far we24:11
have come and from the future24:13
Generations it is always unclear who24:16
will need supports from diabetes Canada24:18
but we know that we're building for for24:21
a way to support all our future24:23
Generations so that is wonderful thank24:25
you so much for this opportunity24:34
[Music]
[Music]0:07
welcome to the mental health video0:09
series for people living with diabetes0:11
my name is Candace and I'm from diabetes0:14
Canada the immediate impact of diabetes0:16
on a family can be overwhelming what0:19
about the impact of generations within a0:21
family who have lived with diabetes how0:24
did the beliefs knowledge and attitudes0:26
of previous generations affect someone's0:28
ability to cope with diabetes IES in the0:30
present in this session we will talk0:33
with LNA Asam a person thriving with0:35
type 2 diabetes she will shine a light0:38
on the generational influence on0:40
thriving with diabetes in today's0:42
complex and everchanging world thank you0:45
cenace for your0:46
introduction well it's so great to have0:48
you here uh ludna so let's talk a little0:51
bit about how diabetes has impacted your0:56
family so0:58
um I wanted to let you know that both my1:01
grandmothers my paternal and my maternal1:04
grandmothers lived with diabetes and1:07
then my parents live with diabetes I was1:11
diagnosed with diabetes type two we are1:13
all type twos uh my sister however1:16
however had diabetes during her1:18
pregnancies and my brother who is much1:21
younger than I am was just diagnosed as1:24
pre-diabetic so it just is something1:27
that um my family and uh everyone1:32
associated with my immediate family has1:35
had to deal with thank you for sharing1:38
that lunna that is really uh interesting1:41
to hear about uh the people who've been1:43
impacted in your family by1:46
diabetes so seeing that this spans quite1:49
a bit of time can you tell us a little1:50
bit about how maybe the beliefs around1:53
diabetes um has changed within that1:56
context and what that has meant to you1:59
so when it comes to2:02
me I think generation after generation2:05
as we all received our2:08
diagnosis The Fear Factor has only been2:11
going in an upward Trend I think I'm2:14
even more2:15
fearful um now of having my children2:19
being diagnosed or my nieces and my2:20
nephews being impacted by2:22
diabetes I think the one thing that the2:25
on the opposite Spectrum I think the2:28
shame and the blame2:30
was perhaps the most for my2:32
grandmother's Generations when it came2:34
to my parents' Generations I think there2:37
was still a lot of Shame and blame2:38
around it but I think by the time we2:41
myself and my brother and my sister are2:43
now dealing with things uh we kind of2:47
understand that complex problems require2:50
complex Solutions and as much as2:52
possible we we're trying to to to take2:55
shame and the blame away however the2:58
sense of fear is perhaps more most3:00
heightened right now so my grandmothers3:03
also their view of having success in3:06
living with diabetes was to have no3:08
diabetes at all they wanted to get rid3:10
of the disease when it came to my3:13
parents I think an understanding of what3:15
critical conditions are while living3:17
with them was a lot more socialized and3:21
I think uh when it comes to me and my3:24
brother we kind of know that it is about3:28
managing diabetes about living the most3:30
fulfilling life about having realistic3:33
expectations about life of diabetes3:36
rather than I am unsuccessful if I am3:39
living with diabetes I'm successful if I3:43
live a life without diabetes that3:45
narrative has changed one of the other3:47
things too that has changed is um my3:50
grandparents really believed in uh3:53
complimentary therapies as someone who3:56
you know was of a certain generation uh3:58
the trust with medic4:00
systems uh perhaps was not as much as4:03
their trust within their networks and4:05
within the more traditional ways of4:08
managing diabetes I remember like them4:10
drinking really bitter juices every4:12
morning and things like that I thank God4:15
I don't have to do that anymore but I4:17
think um I think my parents generation4:20
was more like hey if anything helps I'm4:23
not going to to to to disregard it but I4:27
think with me and my brother we are4:29
looking for more evidence-based Su4:32
proven success methods to that we kind4:35
of um take on and that does impact your4:39
mental health too if you're trying to4:42
drink I don't know bitter Gore juice and4:45
cinnamon teas and your blood sugar4:47
levels don't stabilize uh for whatever4:50
reason the the the amount of4:53
self-blame I think is can be quite quite4:57
extreme and then um5:00
so these are some of the things um the5:02
other thing too because of globalization5:04
because of the modern world we live in5:07
um I think that my grandmothers had very5:11
um limited exposure to World Cuisine the5:15
amount of world Cuisine me and my5:16
brother have exposure to the amount of5:19
choices that we have uh while managing5:22
um you know foods with lower GI index I5:26
I I think we have we are a lot more5:28
socialized to to to Modern ways of5:31
managing our5:34
diabetes great thanks so much for5:36
sharing that mov so tell us a little bit5:40
about how this has impacted you um first5:43
we can talk a little bit about how has5:45
this impacted your mental health I5:50
think I really struggle the emotional5:54
load of knowing how this um can5:59
condition has been is is being passed6:02
around in my family I am really worried6:04
about my children's safety I'm worried6:06
about the health outcomes for um for for6:09
for my nephews for my nieces and also6:15
about also about dealing with opinions6:18
and judgments we don't live in a world6:19
all by ourselves so you know um there is6:24
huge amount of stigma associated with6:28
what what it could be causing diabetes6:31
how there's a blame that is to be6:35
associated with with it like taking it6:37
on myself um if I don't feed my kids6:40
right am I putting them at a greater6:43
risk there is a huge mental load6:47
on on my you know just just I have seen6:52
what it was like for my grandmothers who6:54
lived in India they were trying to and6:57
also they lived in southern parts of6:58
India where rice is a staple it was very7:02
difficult for my mother-in-laws to like7:04
you know avoid all carbs because that7:07
was the way to manage diabetes at that7:10
time like you know try to avoid all7:11
kinds of rice I7:15
however uh the fear7:19
of you know of eating wrong of feeding7:23
wrong7:25
of of creating a um a a space within7:29
your your house where your children are7:33
at a higher risk because of the way you7:35
are caring for them is a huge mental7:38
load and it is not just motherhood I'm I7:40
don't want to just say it is just the7:42
load of motherhood I know that my when7:44
my father was diagnosed with with7:47
diabetes too he really struggled with7:50
coming to terms with how this would7:52
impact my like his children right so um7:58
there there is a lot of like self-blame8:01
that goes on and there's a lot of8:04
um a lot of adjustment that needs to8:07
happen especially with my grandmothers8:10
like I really think that um their go-to8:13
mental health8:16
way coping method was to tough it out8:20
because asking8:23
for uh8:25
supports identifying as someone who has8:28
um you know8:30
those real emotional lows while managing8:34
uh a complex life it was so deeply8:37
stigmatized and it was associated with8:40
like you know being ungrateful there are8:42
all these cultural aspects of like you8:44
know of of Faith culture um and uh8:49
society that that really I don't think8:52
my grandm mother mothers had the choices8:55
that I have while managing my mental8:58
health I think my parent par generation9:00
they are they were the ones who open the9:03
doors they understood that not every day9:05
is going to be a good day there going to9:07
be you know some good days some bad days9:10
throughout our lives and um I don't know9:13
how open that that my parents were when9:16
identifying their mental health needs9:19
but I'm definitely sure that by my9:21
generation what has happened is I not9:24
only understand that there is there are9:27
good supports available I understand9:29
that it is a trial and error I9:31
understand that on on so many wonderful9:33
days when I am9:35
feeling like I need help I know what9:39
helps me by now I9:42
know who to ask for support and I am9:45
open to all forms of intervention9:47
whether it is therapy whether it is9:50
self-compassion whether it is uh9:53
medication so when it comes to mental9:56
health perspective identifying Liv and9:59
managing mental health have all been10:03
individual Journeys10:06
but it is not like the best you never10:10
get to choose the cards that you you10:12
have you get to play with in your life10:14
but I think uh because we going through10:17
it as a family we have strength in in10:20
companionship with each10:23
other thanks so much for sharing that10:25
Luda so in thinking about how the10:29
different Generations in your family10:31
have managed their diabetes differently10:33
according to their context at the time10:36
how has that impacted diabetes10:38
management for10:40
you10:43
though I think there is like an idiom or10:45
saying out there that says that the best10:47
time to live is now because I actually10:50
remember being in ninth grade and my10:53
grandmother boiling glass syringes and10:57
metal uh sorry GL metal needles and11:01
having little vials of diabet of insulin11:04
in the uh in the fridge and um you know11:08
testing her uh blood sugar levels her11:13
urine sugar levels and then my parents I11:17
they thought they had it so much better11:19
because they had access to Long acting11:20
insulins and um you know met metformin11:24
and all11:25
these the choices in how11:29
many interventions and therapies are out11:32
there has exploded so the amount of time11:37
that it took for my father to see11:39
someone who is an endocrinologist to11:40
identify the right interventions for him11:43
and then contrasting that with how11:46
quickly my brother was able to find um11:50
support and help of a qualified11:53
endocrinologist I have seen the change11:55
happen and of course that gives me that11:58
gives me hope hope for future you know12:01
the other thing that has happened is um12:05
my grandmothers they didn't have access12:07
to the kind of research we do what has12:10
happened what used to happen in that12:12
generation is if anyone discloses people12:16
would collect information from each12:18
other oh how do you manage this and how12:20
do you manage that do you feel thirsty12:22
do you feel sleepy what H like what is12:26
happening they would compare notes12:28
Within12:30
you know that Sisterhood of of of women12:32
that they would interact with those who12:34
were brave enough to share those who12:36
were open enough to share so they didn't12:38
have access to the the research so they12:40
were never like testing how fenric seeds12:44
were effective like there was no way of12:46
of scientifically proving the evidence12:48
so that was one of the things they their12:51
access to information their ability to12:54
separate information from12:56
misinformation um uh uh their access to13:00
the kinds of different treatments that13:03
we have their access to Internet I I I13:08
think internet is can be a great boom I13:10
think you can find great13:12
advice depending upon who you interact13:15
with and depending on your Instagram and13:18
your Tik Tok algorithms you can have13:19
access to some great information which13:21
is out there my grandparents did not13:25
have as much access to it they did not13:27
have the ability to separate information13:29
and misinformation and then uh my13:32
parents they had some amount of13:35
information but again um culturally I13:39
think I think that finding information13:42
from your peers listening into what your13:44
peers are saying uh cross referencing13:47
their the the the the researches uh that13:51
they hear about things that you know how13:54
how information is getting to them was13:57
very different and I think think14:00
um not only I not only do I have access14:05
to all this information because I you14:07
know I'm so I live in the now I also14:10
have great hope for future Generations I14:12
think there's going to be14:15
better research there's going to be14:17
better interventions there's going to be14:19
a lot better knowledge that Empower14:21
people in future uh hopefully as we work14:24
towards diabetes world without the14:26
effects of diabetes one day I do think14:29
that when it comes to management14:32
perspectives having the right attitude14:35
having the right having the right14:38
expectation and having the right14:40
information can really make or break uh14:43
the14:45
game I agree with you Luda I think that14:48
there's so much uh now that uh we can do14:52
to support diabetes management and I14:54
agree with you that there's a lot of14:55
Hope for the future so I want to ask you14:57
now about your diabetes management what15:00
kinds of things have you done that uh15:02
you you find work well for you in terms15:05
of managing your diabetes but also15:07
recognizing that managing diabetes15:09
itself does come with um you know as you15:12
mentioned an emotional load and can be15:14
challenging for mental health how do you15:16
manage that aspect as well how do you15:18
manage your mental health what tools do15:20
you use for15:22
that um it has not been an easy Journey15:26
understanding my own mental health15:28
understanding my needs and finding out15:31
what works for me um I like to set daily15:35
goals because I find that exercise works15:37
for me again I'm going to breakfast what15:39
works for me as what works for me having15:42
a set of goals where I know what are my15:45
minimum get getting done and you know15:48
what are like the big picture goals that15:49
if I get done today great I'll mark it15:52
down as a celebration but if I don't get15:54
it done today you know what tomorrow15:57
hopefully will be another day is a good15:59
um one of the things that I find helps16:03
me quite a bit is going out for for a16:06
Wheeler on the neighborhood and as you16:08
can imagine it is it is accessible to me16:11
only during like you know beautiful16:13
Canadian Summers it is not accessible to16:16
me during Canadian Winters so it's not16:19
something that I can practice16:21
daily the acceptance of the fact that16:25
you know there are going to be great16:27
days they're going to be good days but16:29
they're also going to be bad days in the16:31
mid so I think we Define a like16:35
understanding the definitions and moving16:38
some of the limits like hey it's not is16:40
it a bad day just because I have to do16:43
dishes possibly not is it a bad day16:46
because you know I'm going to have to16:47
shoot myself in my stomach and get my16:51
medication maybe not I I don't think all16:55
those things now um16:59
I've had to change my definition of bad17:00
days that's what I'm trying to say a bad17:03
day is not definitely a day where I have17:05
to have like no medication or things17:07
like that um so so learning to identify17:11
what makes a good day a good day what17:13
makes a bad day a bad day17:15
helps and then asking for help because17:19
you know sometimes when you are in those17:22
grayer17:24
days what I used to do is I used to17:27
either isolate or I used used to freeze17:30
or I used17:31
to not ask for help and I know now17:36
that everyone is more than happy to help17:40
you out I think this is the magic of17:43
humanity the beauty of humanity really17:46
is that I have found more people in my17:49
life who who are willing to hold my hand17:51
sit down with me and be like hey how can17:54
I be present so firstly making sure that17:57
you know who those relationships are17:59
investing in those relationships and18:01
then being able to give back when you're18:03
asked to hold someone's hand and sit18:05
with them um is a good idea um and then18:10
what I have realized is with my18:13
self-awareness came an um the18:15
realization of perspectives for me when18:18
I remember my grandmother saying I have18:21
sugar when they would disclose their18:23
diagnosis I know my parents say I manage18:26
uh diabetes but when it comes to me I18:29
would like to say that I'm doing the18:32
best that I can so I am a champion for18:35
diabetes management I think that really18:38
helps me in um framing my mental health18:43
I also use other tools in my toolbox I I18:47
like to I'm a maximalist when it comes18:50
to trying out things as someone who18:53
lives in a wheelchair as someone who is18:56
of South Asian origin as someone who is18:58
a mother as someone who is um living in19:02
a very complex world what I also have19:06
access to is is drugs and19:09
therapy um medication that can help me19:13
um when there is not enough sunlight19:15
when there is too much snow on the19:17
ground or when my baby is going back to19:20
University I know how that affects my19:23
mood I know how it affects my mood if I19:26
have not been able to go out and enjoy19:28
enjoy the beautiful day so I know19:34
that I'm not going to say no to a to too19:36
quickly without giving it its due I want19:39
it to be able to offer me help before I19:42
say hey this wasn't helpful and it's not19:45
like I will accept everything blindly I19:47
have said no to many things but yeah19:50
self-awareness is is is the key here for19:54
me that's so wonderful thanks again for19:56
sharing all of that it's so really uh19:59
beneficial I think for a lot of people20:00
to hear your perspectives so you've20:03
already talked a lot about the different20:05
ways that you uh handle your diabetes20:08
management and what works for you I'm20:11
wondering if you could talk a little bit20:12
about some additional supports and20:14
resources what other tips you might have20:16
for those who are watching this uh that20:18
they could use to help support their20:20
diabetes management and their mental20:23
health uh in my experience because of20:27
living um20:30
living um because of living with a20:32
physical disability because of using a20:34
wheelchair uh it puts me at a higher20:36
risk of developing pressure injuries and20:38
I think that is the reason why my uh20:41
doctor was completely on the ball with20:44
my diabetes management whereas when it20:48
came from my Mental Health Management I20:50
had to be the strongest Advocate that I20:53
have to be for myself I think the first20:56
comes acceptance that this is not normal20:58
nor Al what I am feeling these um21:01
feelings of helplessness this feelings21:04
of numbness these these are not normal21:07
healthy feelings uh I think there is a21:10
level of self-acceptance that comes21:12
first then asking for support then21:15
making sure that21:16
you convince your family doctor that21:20
this is important and it needs to be21:22
looked at is is um you know it's a21:26
partnership um and sometimes you have to21:29
invest more than the other but don't be21:32
afraid to be your own um your advocate21:36
for your both your diabetes management21:38
and for your me mental21:40
health the other thing21:44
is21:45
be be the support you need if your21:50
family came to you and I said hey I need21:53
more information on Diabetes you As a21:56
caretaker I would probably jump right on21:58
to the internet and be like this is the22:00
diabetes Canada info number this is the22:02
Canada diabetes Canada referral support22:04
numbers and stuff like that but22:07
sometimes we don't do it for ourselves22:08
it could be just because we dealing with22:10
so many things so I would just say hey22:13
support22:14
yourself um22:17
to go out there see what is available on22:20
our info um uh Ino line email them if22:25
needed call them if needed be your own22:27
biggest support22:29
the other things that have helped me is22:32
like I'm someone22:34
again who22:36
loves free supports that are available22:39
so whether it is going on YouTube uh22:42
finding out how to meditate uh learning22:44
how to maybe do some breathing22:47
exercises um then finding out what are22:51
the online counseling services that are22:52
available to you like I I know that most22:54
of the workplaces have eaps um that are22:57
available22:59
and then again know your the city that23:02
you're living in or the the geography23:04
you're living in and then I found a lot23:07
of supports through the the health23:09
websites that are out there they will23:11
usually send23:13
you to really good places again invest23:18
in that relationship with23:19
your primary care23:21
doctor don't be afraid to go on the23:25
internet find out what's available23:26
through the website and and then also23:29
explore what's out23:31
there thank you so much LNA for sharing23:33
all of your experiences with us and for23:36
shining a light on how um your family23:40
has dealt with the impact of diabetes23:42
over time and how that it has an impact23:45
on you and your diabetes management as23:47
well as your mental health I think our23:49
viewers will really find you know23:51
walking into your world and seeing what23:53
it's been like for you so valuable so23:55
thank you so23:56
much thank you so much candas and for23:59
this opportunity uh with diabetes Canada24:02
as someone whose Generations have uh24:04
lived with diabetes and managed their24:06
diabetes I want to say thank you for the24:09
work that has been done for how far we24:11
have come and from the future24:13
Generations it is always unclear who24:16
will need supports from diabetes Canada24:18
but we know that we're building for for24:21
a way to support all our future24:23
Generations so that is wonderful thank24:25
you so much for this opportunity24:34
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Category Tags: General Tips, Management, Healthy Living;