How can type 2 diabetes be cured?

[ZoeSparks]

I found this article and thought it would be useful tips for all of us.

Type 2 diabetes can be reversed and cured, but, in order to understand how it can be reversed, you need to understand how type 2 diabetes starts.

Our pancreas makes a hormone which is known as insulin. Insulin is responsible for turning glucose from the food consumed into energy that our body can use. Type 2 diabetes diagnosed people do make insulin, but their cells are not able to use it as well as a healthy person does. So, pancreas is making more insulin, so the cells can’t really keep up and glucose starts to build up in your blood.

There are few causes for type 2 diabetes, and usually combination if two is required to get such diagnosis. American Diabetes Association lists out 6 main things that cause diabetes, and most of the time its a combination of two:

- Being overweight. Having extra weight or even obesity usually can cause insulin resistance.

- Genetics. Academical researches have agreed to the fact that there are different bits of DNA that affect how your body makes or uses insulin.

- Broken beta cells. If the cells that make insulin send out the wrong amount of insulin at the wrong time, your blood sugar gets thrown off. High blood sugar can damage these cells, too.

- Metabolic syndrome. People with insulin resistance usually also have a group of conditions that include high blood sugar, extra fat around the waist, high cholesterol level, high blood sugar and triglycerides.

- Too much glucose from the liver. When blood sugar gets too low, the liver makes and sends the glucose out. After food is being consumed, blood sugar goes up, and your liver will usually slow down and store its glucose for later. But some people's livers don't. They keep cranking out sugar.

- Bad communication between cells. Sometimes, cells send the wrong signals or don't pick up messages correctly. Those messages control how your cells make and use insulin or glucose, such chain reaction can lead to diabetes.

There is a lot of different opinions and discussions about diabetes. One thing is known for sure - diabetes can be reversed with the daily review, calorie intake calculations, and, most importantly, with the right meals that are carefully picked up by doctors and nutritionists. Replacing sugar and meats with healthy (most likely - vegan) substances is the key to a better living and healthier body in a longer run. It is very important to understand GI tracking and what it does. Glycemic index, or GI, measures how carbohydrate-containing food raises your blood glucose levels. The smaller the GI (glycemic index), the less impact certain foods have on your blood sugar levels.

I already been talking about the product list, that every diabetes diagnosed person should avoid. Some of the products will be obvious, some will be not, but going through this list and keeping these ingredients as foods non grata will help you stay focused on your diabetes management:

- Processed carbohydrates. Processed grains such as white rice, potato/corn starches take all the carbohydrates and pump into your food. They’re not complex, they’re fiberless and they will also spike your blood sugar.

- Added sugar. It’s kind of obvious but let’s differentiate two sugars. Most of the time you will hear doctors or friends saying “stay away from the sugar” but that’s not necessarily the truth. You want to stay away from added sugars, which are found in soft drinks, juices, yogurts, ketchup, pasta sauces. Try to avoid it because it’s pro-inflammatory and it will spike your blood sugar.

- Dairy. With dairy it’s tricky. If you’re diabetic, you can easily consume dairy products as long as you’re doing it with moderation. It’s okay if products are without added sugars and flavours. It could be a low-fat variety of yogurts, skim, fat-free milk, etc. Be aware because lactose can definitely raise up your blood glucose.

- Fried foods. Or simply just fast food. When you deep fry in such a high heat with so much oil and fat, you need to understand that fat puts you at risk for diabetes, pre-diabetes, type 2. A crushing combo is sweet things such as doughnuts. Imagine eating something sweet, plus deep-fried, you’re getting triple trouble: added sugar + processed carbs + fat. Onion rings, french fries, fried meat, unfortunately, you should say goodbye to these tasty treats. Fat will muck up your cells and cause issues functioning properly with insulin.

- Processed meat. It’s a group 1 carcinogen, meaning you should try to avoid it at all costs. Also, it’s causing more inflammation in your body, and a lot of times with meat you’re getting endotoxin that affects the boost of inflammation. What do we mean by processed foods? Hotdogs, any meat in the can, lunch meat (full of nitrites, preservatives, poor quality meat).

[Koalajane]

I reversed my type 2 diabetes within 6 months by going on a LCHF diet and walking over 10,000 steps a day. For my polymyalgia rheumatica I have to take steroids and these spike the blood sugars. My hba1c has now been 35 for the last year

[Fowey2009]

Like Koalajane I seem to have reversed diabetes using low carb, loads of exercise and losing weight. My HBA1C has reduced from 91 to 35 in a year. The specialist nurse has told me I need two tests to be declared in remission.

[O2Trees]

My HB1ac went from 38 last April to 48 at Christmas. I managed to get back down to 40 in six months by tweaking my diet and doubling my exercise. I have a lot of family diabetes plus I have taken huge amount of IV steroids during various hospitalisations for COPD flare-ups (pneumonia, respiratory failure etc). I have also taken a regular steroid inhaler daily for many years.

So I've lost weight I can ill afford to lose, and am thin and can easily get underweight which is a big threat for COPD. All the diet advice seems to be addressed to people who are overweight and while I understand why, it is very frustrating or people like me as my problem is the opposite - I have to keep my weight up.

I already had a good diet with practically no processed foods - only exception I would have a piece of home-made cake around three times a week for the weight issue. So I cut the cake out and reduced whole grains and other carbs plus all fruit except berry fruit. So that now I only have a large bowl of porridge for breakfast, and either a single whole grain sourdough rye piece of toast or a couple of whole grain oatcakes for lunch. Then fish mostly, chicken once a week, loads of salad and vegetable plus berries.

I'd be so grateful if anyone has tips for keeping weight UP without compromising my blood glucose levels.

[EmmaL76 in reply to O2Trees]

I don’t have any tips but am in exactly the same place as you. I was diagnosed type 2 around 3 months ago. I’ve always been very slim and athletic and my diet has always been good. My doctor has told me to not lose any weight as I’m already underweight but all the help groups and information I’m given are focused on losing weight to bring down my bs. I cut out all carbs /sugar and I have never eaten junk food, I’ve lost nearly a stone in a month I’m on sukkarto but unlike you my bs gets worse by the day, I’m exhausted and have had to stop my running, I used to run about 3 miles a day no problem and now I struggle to do the school run! I’m miserable and desperate. My current hba1c is around 55 I think. Got more tests on Wednesday antibodies or something. I was hopeful at the start that I could reverse this but they tell me it’s not likely in my case.

[O2Trees]

Hi Emma, many thanks for getting back to me. Maybe we need a sub-group since pretty much all diabetes help centres on need for weight loss. Im so sorry to hear what you are going through, it sounds exhausting and looking at what you say, I think you are much younger than me (age 74!). So you really need your energy for bringing up child(ren) and other stuff people your age do. And just living a decent life.

I find health professionals in general have very low expectations about what people with health conditions can achieve. E.g. after I had my second hospitalisation with pneumonia my respiratory physio told me "people with copd never get back to how they were before they had the pneumonia" but with a lot of exercise I became better than before I had it.

Could you ask to see a dietician about weight gain without the carbs? I lose a lot when Im seriously ill and Im always told to eat stuff like cheese, butter, peanut butter, nuts. There are protein shakes - pea protein looks good (I cant eat it as it has iron in it and due to another condition that is a no-no for me) but Ive heard it works with weight gain. Have you had other tests such as to see if your iron levels are low? My daughter has that and uses Floradix which she maintains helps her energy levels.

Since you lost a stone in a month, I wonder - and ignore this if it's not appropriate - if you have tried to cut the carbs too quickly? Could you add any good ones back in but always making sure you also eat protein at the same time to slow the bs spike? I eat an enormous plate of organic jumbo oat porridge with plain yoghurt and a large fistful of different nuts and seeds for breakfast and that gives me energy. Fibre is important but I expect you know this.

None of this may be helpful but I can see how desperate you are and am wanting to help. Do feel free to pm me in the chat if you want to discuss more. Diabetes UK have a helpline and i found them very friendly and helpful.

Please let me know how you get on following the tests. Good luck

[EmmaL76 in reply to O2Trees]

Hi there, thanks for your reply, it was My first post so lovely to get a response. Sorry to see you have so many challenges yourself. Yes anaemia was discovered at the same time as the diabetes, I’ve tried to take the prescribed iron but I’m also on tablets for reflux and the sukkarto doesn’t agree with me and it’s all been a bit much in one go. I’m 43 and have 4 children and a business so it’s a real struggle when I feel so rubbish. Thanks so much for the diet tips, and yes maybe I have cut the carbs too quickly, Im pretty tough on myself but still get high numbers especially fasting bs. It doesn’t seem to matter what I eat the numbers don’t come down. I usually have plain yogurt and flaked almonds and blueberries for breakfast, vegetable stir fry or omelette at lunch and evening meat with salad and veg or homemade soup , No snacks the odd glass of wine and that’s it ! I was referred to a specialist month ago because of my unusual circumstances but I’ve heard nothing and I’ve had no diet advice apart from a flyer for slimming world sent through the post!! my nurse says I should be able to eat as normal on my tablets but that’s not the case for me. I will certainly let you know the results of my next batch of tests and will be sure to look into diabetes uk. Thanks so much and you look after yourself xx

[O2Trees]

Jeez, a flyer from Slimming World?? Their protocols are so one size fits all they cant just cope with anyone who doesnt fit the mould.

Im sorry the meds cause you problems. There is something natural called Berberine which you could google - studies done have shown it works as well as metformin etc. It would be wrong to recommend it though, as it might not be suitable for you but maybe worth checking out? Lots on google.

Sounds like you may be vegetarian which can make it hard to put on weight. I would love to go veggie but cant afford to as I would be underweight. I hope you can get the anaemia sorted - your have massive pressures with your 4 children and a business to run. We ones with copd have to learn to pace ourselves, it's hard at first but Ive got used to that and have just enough energy to get through the day.

Keep in touch Emma and let me know how you go on. Take care x