Trucking is an industry that has many pluses, and yet, many pitfalls. How to avoid the pitfalls can be a challenge. Why?? Because all too often we don’t realize we’re in for a fight until it’s either too late, or we’ve heard of a freind or family member that ran into that perverbial “Brick Wall” that put an end to their dream,… or life.
Easily the biggest challenge truckers face, is their health, with both diet and physical activity being the two outlyers. I’ve said before that trucking is by far the greatest creator of a sedintary lifestyle. (sedintary meaning: lack of activity and excersize. A point where muscules can deteriorate from lack of use) Just because you get in and out of the truck to secure loads, check your equipment from time to time, and walk across a parking lot to take a shower or eat, doesn’t mean that youre getting the workout you need. And, running inside to grab a quick bite to eat (via a burger, fried chicken, or a sub) doesn’t mean you’re getting a healthy diet. So excersize is One necessary aspect that can help you. Even if it is only getting out and walking around the truck during breaks, or when you park for your 10 hour rest periods. Walk as much as you feel comfortable, then look toward taking a shower and having a light meal.
One very Major affect all this can have on the body, besides high blood pressure, which many drivers suffer from, due to both diet and the stress of the job, is Diabetes. This disease can put you down in a variety of ways, one of which could either take you out of the trucking profession permanently, or if not caught and treated quickly, could cost you your life. And when treated, depending on your level of effect, can have you on either the pill form of medication, or injections. Currently, if your diabetes is treatable by way of daily medication from pills, you can stay driving trucks and keep your CDL. But if you fall in the category of having to take daily injections, the FMCSA has not made allowance for you to keep your CDL license and drive because of their concern that you could have a diabetic attack which could cause you to lose concienceness and result in a crash that could involve others as well.
Some of the side affects and warning signs of diabetes are a feeling that you feel like your socks have fallen down into the front of your shoes or boots. This is the simplest of identifiers to me, see your doctor right away, early detection and treatment can mean a great deal. Another will be a sudden change in drinking and urination. It can come on suddenly, where you feel a constant need for fluids, with your mouth feeling dried out, and Very frequent urination which could have you stopping far more often than normal, and having a hard time keeping it under control to get to a restroom. This is your pancreas having a hard time putting out sufficient insulin to flush your system of excess sugars and fat. So it is demanding the additional fluids to flush your system out before something catastrophic takes place. If you don’t respond in time, and see a doctor quickly, further developements will take place, such as a strong lack of energy, or feeling of sudden exhaustion, a lack strong of tolerance to heat, and a lack of desire to eat much of anything, and can cause excessive weight loss. Also, vision changes will take place as well. It could suddenly change toward improvement, or worsen, it varies from person to person. And as you gain treatment, it will change again, so a piece of advice with vision,…. if you wear glasses, go to your optometryst and advise them of your situation, you will end up having to go for eye exams at least once per year. But before you get new glasses, ask the eye doctor how long they think you should wait to get an upgrade on your lenses. Again, each person is different, but your eyes could take some time to settle down from the initial affects of the diabetes.
If you respond and get to a doctor for treatment quickly, this can be gotten under control and prevent permanent damage. Again, these are just Some of the side effects and precursers to diabetes, there are more that you can learn about, along with what you can do to help treat it.
Two very reliable websites you can go to for recommendations on diet and treatment are, Diabetes.org and Mayoclinic.com . There, you will find all kinds of helpful information and even an online community at the diabetes.org site and wide range of help that can be found on both.
Stay active, stay healthy, and visit your doctor regularly. It could help change your life.
Truckers Lives in the Balance 