Today the World is approaching an epidemicWith the global number of diabetics at about 500 million, many western countries realize that in the future it will be too expensive to treat all diabetics. ! The worse news is that the number of people with diabetes in the UK, the western world & the emerging economies, doubles every 20 years. Diabetes is not a trivial illness. 50% of diabetics die early with heart disease, over 50% of blindness, amputations, kidney failure and Impotence! are caused by diabetes!
There is, however, some good news:
“Diabetes Can be Prevented &
Reversed!”
In my years as a Lifestyle Doctor I’ve had the pleasure of reversing diabetes in many patients so that they have normal blood sugars without any medication. Once you know how diabetes works, it becomes clear how we should reverse it. This brings me on to the children’s game ‘knock down ginger’. This is the game where you knock on someone’s front door and run away, the person comes to the door but nobody is there. You repeat this a few times until the person stops coming to the door. This is similar to how diabetes works.
In order for our cells to take in glucose for energy, Insulin must first ‘knock on the cells doors’ to allow glucose in. so every time we consume something with lots of calories, the pancreas releases insulin to make our cells take up the glucose. If this is repeated over and over again (a Big Mac meal followed by an ice cream followed by a mars bar!), eventually the cells stop responding to the insulin, they become ‘Insulin-resistant’ and the glucose level in the blood rises as it can’t get into the cells. High levels of glucose in the blood damages the arteries, nerves, immune system etc. As the glucose levels rise, even more insulin is released to deal with it, therefore making the insulin-resistance worse. This becomes a vicious cycle.
So if this is how people become diabetics, the key to preventing & reversing this disease is to stop the insulin surges:
- Cut out ALL added sugar & fat from your diet. The main part of your diet should be vegetables, beans, nuts & seeds. Try to avoid bread, rice, pasta & potatoes for the first 2 months, if you do have them, they must be wholegrain!
- Avoid any meat or dairy products
- Drink only water. No juice, fizzy drinks or alcohol.
- After EVERY meal do a half an hour walk
- Limit yourself to 2 meals per day.
Sometimes when faced with this diet people say “ I’d prefer the diabetes!” Actually it’s not that bad and there are great recipes for tasty meals out there. Every one of my patients who has been on my regime has come of their diabetic and blood pressure medication. Share this info with someone who needs it, make their year a Happy New Year!
