“I just need to forgive myself for not eating right and start exercising,” said the distraught woman, after discovering her illness.

“I have accepted that I have type 2 diabetes, and now I have to face it. I was diagnosed about a year ago. I never used to visit the doctor, but I started feeling sick all the time. Eventually I forced myself to go and that day my doctor diagnosed me with diabetes,” she said.

‘Wake-up call’

The news came both as a shock and a wake-up call. She realised that if she did not change and seek treatment she would die soon.

“I went home and looked at my life. I asked how I could have messed up so badly that this happened, and I had to face my bad habits of eating junk food and drinking fizzy drinks all the time. Food was my comfort, and I would eat lots of carbohydrates and fats,” she said.

A nursing sister at Bolata Clinic, Dipuo Mokoena, stepped in to help. She advised Mosia to change her diet and make better choices.

I had to face my bad habits of eating junk food and drinking fizzy drinks all the time. Food was my comfort, and I would eat lots of carbohydrates and fats.

“I knew that at the end I had to change. I started doing research on the Internet about healthy lifestyle changes and I started living healthy and eating healthy,” Mosia said.

“I continued to see the sister during my check ups and she was so willing to guide me all the way. She even taught me how to monitor my blood pressure and sugar. I joined the support group at the clinic and I learned that I need to get my blood sugar under control. I needed daily monitoring and to take my medication and also exercise,” said Mosia.

‘Feeling better’

Mosia said her efforts had already been successful as she was feeling better and back on the road to good health.

Nurse Mokoena said increasing numbers of patients at Bolata Clinic were being diagnosed with type 2 diabetes.

“When we ask them what went wrong, they will admit to bad eating habits. Some try and blame the popular Twizza fizzy drinks, so we advise them to cut out fizzy drinks and to start following a healthy eating plan and making sure they exercise,” Mokoena said.