Agape Life

This is an excerpt from a four part series called, “The Faces of Diabetes,” by Kelli Easterling of the Richmond County Daily Journal.

 

Jim Porter, of Rockingham, said he was “scared to death” when his doctor informed him he was diabetic. 

 

“My wife said that was three years ago, but I think it was more than that,” said Jim, who is now 73 years old.

 

Regardless of the amount of time that’s passed since his diagnosis, Jim said he’s never taken an iota of medication to treat the disease.

 

“My doctor prescribed me oral medications to take, and I panicked,” he said. “I went for a second opinion.”

 

Jim said he saw Denise Smith, who was a nurse practitioner in Dr. Wendell Wells’ office, and she was instrumental in teaching him how to manage diabetes.

 

“She saved my life,” he said. “Usually, when you go to a doctor’s office nobody really takes the time to explain very much. You juts get told what medicine you need to take. Well I didn’t want to take medication, and she took the time to talk to me about what I should be eating—and what I shouldn’t be eating.”

 

He took her advice to heart, and followed her words to the letter.

 

“She explained which foods, like white foods, would turn to sugar in my body,” he said. “I cut those out—no white rice, no sweets, no white bread. If it wasn’t 100 percent whole wheat, I didn’t eat it.”

He continued to monitor his blood sugar every day, as instructed, and noticed that it seemed to be pretty well regulated.

 

When he went back to Smith for a follow-up visit, his blood sugar levels were elevated.

 

“I didn’t understand, all I had eaten was a turkey burger on wheat bread,” he said.

 

Jim said Smith reminded him that, while turkey is a healthy food, turkey burgers are ground and processed meat.

 

In response to her input, Jim started eliminating different meats from his diet as well.

 

“I stopped eating beef, pork, and any kind of processed meat like turkey burgers,” he said. “Now I eat chicken, fish, deer, rabbit—I especially love wild game.”

 

Steering away from processed grains and meats, along with red meat and pork, seems to be doing the trick for Jim.

 

“I feel great,” he said. “I haven’t ever taken any medication for diabetes, I check my blood sugar every day and it’s fine. I’ve never felt better since I stopped eating those things. That food isn’t just bad for diabetics—it’s bad for everybody. It pollutes the body. My joints feel better now. I’m not tired. I don’t even crave those foods,” he said. “Once you start eating right and feeling the difference it makes, you won’t miss it.”

 

He still indulges in favorites, like fried fish or chicken, once a week.

 

“But instead of eating three or four pieces I eat one,” he said. “There’s just no sense in eating that much anyway. Nobody needs to eat that much at one time.”

 

He preaches the healthy lifestyle sermon to anyone who will listen.

 

“We have family members who are at risk because of their weight,” he said. “It’s hard to get them to understand they have to leave the food alone. It’s going to kill them.”

 

Jim said he “got through to” one relative, who had tried pills and insulin injections to manage the disease.

 

“He was near the point of having to have a toe amputated,” he said. “I convinced him to cut out everything white and stop eating so much meat, and I’m telling you he’s not taking medications any more.”

 

So what does Jim eat these days?

 

“Baked chicken, fish, shrimp, broccoli, salad, turnip greens, collard greens, kale, cabbage, squash, whole wheat spaghetti noodles with a meatless tomato sauce—we do not go hungry around here,” he said. “I also eat oatmeal for breakfast every day—no sugar. I love it. I even make up my own recipes for oatmeal cookies without sugar, using very ripe bananas and raisins for sweetner.”

 

In between meals, Jim likes to snack on graham crackers and peanut butter, lots of fruit and cottage cheese.

 

“You have to be careful of the canned fruit though,” he said. “You have to look at the label to make sure it’s not canned in syrup or with added sugars.”

 

When he dines out with his wife, Priscilla, she will indulge in red meat—like steak or a burger.

“Not me though, I don’t even want it,” he said.

 

He’s convinced that if she would completely stop eating beef and pork her cholestrol woes would be over, but she isn’t quite ready to be a tee-totaler like her husband.

 

“It takes 35 days for beef to leave your system,” he said. “No matter how you look at it—that just can’t be good for anybody.”

 

Determined to stay active and stick to the exercise regime recommended for diabetics, he owns, cares for and rides 29 Tennessee Walker horses.

 

“He wanted to get a motorcycle, but I knew he loved horses so I suggested he get one of those instead,” said Priscilla. “I didn’t realize at the time it would turn into 29. He breeds and trains the horses.”

 

“I’m about the take lessons to learn how to ride professionally, so I can show them,” he said. “I’ve always wanted to do that, so now’s as good a time as any.”

 

His wife shook her head patiently, and said, “We’re only on this earth for a moment, if he wants to learn to show horses then that’s what he should do.”

 

In addition to his horse obsession, this active 73-year-old also restores cars.

 

“People think medicine will fix everything, but that’s just not the case,” he said. “If you value your life, you have to eat right, stay active and take care of yourself. You can’t just sit around.”

 

He went on to say that “life is too good, with too much to offer and so many things to accomplish” to just let it pass by.

 

“Once my wife asked me when I would ever be satisfied,” said Jim. “The only time I’ll be satisfied enough to just lay around is when I’m in a casket. Until then, I’m going to keep right on living—really living.”

 

The “Faces of Diabetes” series was done in partnership with The Richmond County 2020 Task Force, which is comprised of health care professionals and Richmond County residents who are working together to make Richmond County a healthier place to live.

 

Staff Write Kelli Easterling can be reached at 910-997-3111, ext.18, or by email at keasterling@heartlandpublications.com.