by Jon Shore, Former Type 2 Diabetic, Psychotherapist at www.dietingmindfully.com
I was really addicted to sugar and carbs. I ate a lot of both every day. I did not exercise regularly as much as I should have and I was overweight. I also had to be on a medicine that caused insulin resistance and I had a genetic predisposition to Type II Diabetes. I was sweating all night and was very uncomfortable.
So in March of 2017 I was diagnosed with diabetes with a blood glucose level of 14.5 (261). The endocrinologist told me that I would need to take medication and that I would have to live with this disease for the rest of my life. I watched my father suffer and die from diabetes. I saw him inject insulin every day and did not want to end up like this. So I did my own research. I saw a video of a TED talk on reversing diabetes.
This gave me hope. I did a tremendous amount of research at that point and then committed myself to a strict Low Carb High Fat diet, LCHF. I did this diet as if my life depended on it. I ate less than 20 grams of carbs a day, no sugars of any kind, none. No fruit or juices. I checked my blood sugar level at least 6 times a day to get a complete picture of what everything did to my blood glucose levels. Including sleep and stress. After 6 weeks my blood sugar was perfect for a non-diabetic. No meds. Just diet and exercise.
It has now been about 9 months. I now do a moderate carb moderate fat diet. Very little red meat. Fish, chicken, lots of veggies and salads with oil and vinegar, cheeses, whole grain breads. Now I live in Italy for the winter and I eat pasta, some pizza and even a little fruit now and then. No sugars. If I really want a sweet I eat chocolate with Stevia. Stevia has no effect on BG levels.
My blood glucose levels are in the normal range for a non-diabetic every day. I check my BG levels every morning before breakfast. I have lost about 15 lbs. I walk every day at least 4 km and usually more. Yesterday I had my first gelato scoop and it was awesome.
My BG level never exceeds 5.6, (100). It usually ranges from 4.3 to 5.2 even if I have pasta or pizza at dinner. I do my best to live with as little stress as possible. Stress increases BG levels. I do my best to get a good night’s sleep each night. Poor sleep increases BG levels. My AC1 was 5.2 last month.
Did I reverse the diabetes? Absolutely. Did I cure it? Not yet. After I have lost another 3 kg and have a longer track record of normal BG levels I will try a delicious looking sweet pastry at my favorite cafe in my village in Italy and see what happens.
I am not unique. There are thousands of people who have similar stories. There are those who sincerely believe that Type 2 diabetes is an irreversible and progressive disease. They are only repeating what they have been taught and told by the pharmaceutical and medical industries who have a financial interest in not curing diabetes. Do your own research. Find what works for you. There are new alternatives that offer hope as well.
The website Diet Doctor - Making low carb simple was also very helpful for me.
One more thing. Changing your diet and lifestyle can be very difficult physically, emotionally and psychologically. I used mindfulness meditation to help me get through the tough times and still use it. I even recorded some guided mindfulness exercises to help myself.
You can download them and work with them yourself if you wish. They are called the Dieting Mindfulness Meditations.They help lower stress levels and deal with the discomforts of dieting as well as breaking the sugar and carb addictions.
It was not an expensive process in terms of money. Buying fresh vegetables is usually cheaper. The only real cost were the 2 guided meditations, $10, and the cost of food. I ate a lot less so the cost of food went down. My portions were at least 50% less than before Exercise is free. I just walk with my dog and camera.
I hope this is helpful. Good luck. You can do this. Take care
Jon
Read more >> More about reversing Diabetes Type 2 Here
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