As you know, No Limits Diabetes was formed to help teens work through the “transition years” from being under the care and management of your parents to taking care of yourself.  As you grow into  young adulthood there are a number of factors that you must sort out.  As we were forming a “game plan” to create a meaningful framework to best help in this time in life, we happened onto Balance and Stretch. 

The basic concept of Balance and Stretch is that there are a number of influences that must be balanced in everyone’s life.  There are two stars, one (the green star) contains the factors that influence daily life.  The Blue star shows the five points influencing health (in our case, diabetes).   If you consider the figure of a star, you can start at any point in the star and come up with illustrations of how every point on the star can be influenced by a change in one point.  In the case of the green star, it might be time commitments or a positive or negative family member or friend.  The health star is easier to visualize.  If you exercise, you might need to eat more, change your insulin and so forth.

Balance And Stretch is being brought to your attention under this heading due to a change that was made by some of the teens in No Limits Diabetes.  You will note that “faith” appears on both stars.  That is no accident.  As explained by the teens who made the suggestion, the faith on the life star (green) was faith in something outside yourself.  It could be religious, it could be in individuals, an institution like your country, government, school or it could be in a group such as your family or friends.  The faith in the health star (blue) is faith in yourself.  This is a massively big and weighty point on the stars!!  How can you possibly manage any of the other points on the stars without faith in yourself?  You must have this faith to face all the pressures on the life star and to do all the “jobs” of diabetes to bring good control.  One put it that you really have to care (believe or have faith) about yourself to set schedules, give shots, take blood sugars, watch what you eat, etc.   Life is no blast with diabetes making having faith in yourself essential.

 The press is full of stuff about the separation of church and state.  When the word “faith” comes up, the immediate thought is religious faith.  Might be in some cases, but the word for the purposes of No Limits Diabetes and this website is SO much more.  When you encounter the word “faith” in this site or at No Limits Diabetes, be aware of the depth of the definition of this word.

IF there is a number one goal of No Limits Diabetes, it is to help establish a stronger sense of “faith in one’s self” to allow growth and self care.  All that a person must go through to obtain this level of faith is a very personal journey.  Let us help, be a GPS of sorts; however, remember that even the most expensive GPS does not always know the ONLY, best way. 

When you can balance the points of the stars, combine the two stars and stretch to be the best you can be, you truly become a No Limits Super Star.  Working to manage all of these points result in fewer and fewer “limits” on your life!  Specifically, diabetes cannot hold you back!