Reversing diabetes is a top of mind subject for anyone who has ever suffered from the onset or daily threat of this disease. While the debate continues on about whether or not the disease can be reversed, here’s what I have found (resources listed within of this blog) through various resources including an interesting article written by CNN (http://www.cnn.com/2011/HEALTH/01/28/reverse.diabetes/index.html) reporting on a middle aged man who found a way to “stave-off” the onset of Type II diabetes.
What is diabetes?
Diabetes means simply one thing: Your blood sugar (glucose/sugar) levels are too high. Glucose comes from the food we eat, is stored in our muscles and liver and is used by our body to slowly supply us with the energy we need throughout the day. The pancreas produces insulin, which in turn helps the glucose transfer from our blood into our cells, converting the glucose into energy. Diabetes occurs when our pancreas doesn’t produce enough insulin or our body doesn’t use the insulin produced effectively or well. When glucose builds up in our blood it can’t get into our cells. If our blood sugar/glucose levels stay too high damage can occur to our eyes, heart, kidney’s and nerves.
Type I versus Type II Diabetes
Type I Diabetes is typically diagnosed in childhood, defined as “insulin dependent”, and rarely (unless a miracle occurs) reversible. Simply put, your body no longer makes insulin and requires medical intervention. However, just because you are using medicine to produce the insulin you need doesn’t mean you eat or drink anything you want and/or not exercise. Maintaining a balanced diet and exercise regiment is vital for those who suffer from this disease. The best methods to help your body handle this disease are: Avoiding processed food, refined sugar, fatty and starchy foods, while increasing lean protein, complex carbohydrates and daily exercise, along with the assistance of medicine and professional/medical advice from a diabetic specialist. Each proactive step you take will help you avoid the complications caused by this disease.
Type II Diabetes is very different from Type I: With Type I your body doesn’t produce insulin versus Type II your body’s fat, muscle and liver cells do not use insulin properly. Type II occurs when there is too much glucose or sugar in the blood, making the body “resist” or become “insensitive” to the cells that produce insulin. In other words, our body is producing insulin (a hormone produced by the pancreas) but not at a rate that is required to breakdown the sugar/glucose in our blood which comes through the food/beverage in our diet. When our body doesn’t produce the insulin we need to break down the sugar we’ve consumed our body suffers the consequences from the build-up of sugar in our body, which can eventually lead to loss of eye sight, limbs, etc. (http://diabetes.niddk.nih.gov/dm/pubs/type1and2/what.aspx)
Body shape/contour is a good indicator of those who are more susceptible to Type II diabetes but is not the only defining factor. Mid-section weight (belly weight) greatly affects the onset of Type II diabetes. However, don’t think that if you aren’t overweight you aren’t susceptible to acquiring this disease.
Pre-Diabetes
The onset of diabetes is called “pre-diabetes”, typically found in Type II diabetics. The good news is this: you can help stop the progression of this disease during the initial stage/onset through nutrition and exercise. The following nutritional/exercise tips will help you get started in your process. Always seek medical/professional advice from someone who specializes in diabetes.
Proper nutrition
Type II can be a reflection of lifestyle (poor diet and exercise) but can also be a genetic pre-disposition (http://www.diabetes.org/diabetes-basics/genetics-of-diabetes.html.) In other words, your pancreas might not function properly to produce what your body needs. If caught before it becomes full blown diabetes, Type II can be treated through proper diet and exercise, possibly allowing our body to “reverse” the disease. Avoiding fatty foods, processed food, refined sugar, alcohol, etc., and choosing fresh produce (fruits, vegetables), lean protein/seafood, healthy grains, legumes, and a regular/daily exercise program can help the body become balanced, avoiding the strain on our insulin to balance excessive glucose levels.
Some of the ways in which you can help your body to naturally heal and/or balance itself are as follows:
*Exercise – 30-45 minutes a day of aerobic exercise (walking, running, swimming, anything that requires a consistent breathing with some exertion). Cross training, body building are also helpful in restore/rebuilding the body. If you haven’t been exercising, start with what you can do now! Avoid making excuses and think of your daily 30-45 minutes of routine exercise as a gift you’re giving yourself.
*Nutrition – One way to determine what you should/shouldn’t eat to balance your glucose levels is to monitor your food/beverage intake. An easy way to do this is to monitor the Glycemic Index value for the foods you eat. Below are some resources for the GI values and charts.
*Antioxidants – Increase your daily intake of antioxidants through consuming more plant food (i.e. fruits, vegetables). Sometimes, supplements are required to meet the demand of your body’s needs. However, when possible, eat your antioxidants first through nutrition.
*Glycemic index – Monitor the food you eat using a GI chart. A helpful online resource is http://www.glycemicindex.com/. This resource allows you to input your food/beverage to determine its GI value.
GI values can be interpreted intuitively as percentages on an absolute scale and are commonly interpreted as follows: (resource http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glycemic_index)
| Classification | GI range | Examples |
| Low GI | 55 or less | most fruits and vegetables, legumes/pulses, whole grains, nuts, fructose and products low in carbohydrates |
| Medium GI | 56–69 | whole wheat products, basmati rice, sweet potato, sucrose, baked potatoes |
| High GI | 70 and above |
*Foods to eat – Oats, barley, whole grains, red and sweet potatoes, fresh fruit/vegetables (limit your “watermelon” intake), Basmati and Brown rice, salads (limit the dressing to olive oil/vinegar or vinaigrette dressings), lean protein/fish (oily fish at least twice a week), low fat butter (I Can’t Believe It’s Not butter Light), olive/flax/sunflower oils.
*Foods to avoid – Fast food/preservatives, alcohol, bottled/canned juice, energy drinks, sodas (if it’s been reproduced/processed it’s not worth eating). Enriched and/or bleached bread (usually white bread but also some grain bread). Most breakfast cereals (many have hidden ingredients and added sugar and/or corn syrup).
*Water – Half your body weight in ounces each day. Example: 150 lbs = 75 oz. Purified, distilled, or mineral water are good choices when it comes to water. Aqua Fina is my personal choice for bottled water.
*Labels – Learn to read the label on food. The USDA provides the following resource on learning how to read labels and understand what your body needs and what you are consuming through the food and beverage you consume. (http://www.fda.gov/food/labelingnutrition/consumerinformation/ucm078889.htm)
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