Reader Email - I am a 56 year old diabetic…

I was in a similar position as you are.I am a known diabetic for the last 15 years & was taking insulin shots (30/70 Huminsulin) for over 10 years in addition to an array of tablets. But now I am free from insulin shots and have reduced the tablets to half. My blood sugar level is well within the parameters.I just did it by dramatically (drastically) altering my food. I am a Chartered Accountant by profession (sedantary job) and I live in India.

If you are willing to give a try, I can elaborate the method followed by me. Please let me know your place so that I will try to mention the local name for the foods I have standardised for me.

Regards.

P.V.Sankar

There are a lot of diets that can impact diabetes, but there are no “magic cures”. I have been on insulin for a decade or so and have had feet / ankle swelling (and plenty of other) challenges. #1, avoiding sugar (sweets) alone is not the answer. Many foods we eat contain carbohydrates - which turn straight to sugar in the body. Read the labels for what you eat - you will be surprised. #2, TEST often - and adjust insulin as needed. Be sure to visit a specialist as often as you can. The goal is to keep your BG level below 170 at all times (actually, in a perfect world below 130 is best).

I hope this helps. Feel free to email if you have any questions.

To the reader who has BG levels of around 250, with afasting level of around 130:

This is a BIG problem! You will also soon be losing function in several other vital organs, not just your feet. You risk becoming blind, having kidney and heart failure, and brain problems due to these circulation issues you are now feeling in your extremites.

Your morning glucose levels need to be UNDER 100, preferably 90 or lower. While difficult for a diabetic, it is not impossible, with the right medication, diet, exercise and supplements. Your A1C test should be done at least 4 times per year by your physician, and it should be under 6.0. The A1C measures the average glycenated hemoglobin levels, which change slowly over a period of about 90 days. When sugar levels are high in the blood, they ’sugar coat’ your proteins in your blood to produce the so-called glycenated hemoglobin. This is the problem you are experiencing. Yours is far too high, leading to blood-flow issues in all your organs; brain, eyes, hands, feet and kidneys among others.

Other problems are also happening in your system. They include high levels of oxidizing free radicals that are the product of high insulin levels themselves. Your Type 2 Diabetes disease is really INSULIN RESISTANCE, which results from high levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines throughout your body, and also from high levels of ‘intramyocellular free fatty acids or triglycerides’ inside your muscle cells and inside your liver.

These fatty acids inside your cells prevent the function of certain messenger molecules that signal the cell to respond to insulin. Lower the free fatty acids inside the cells and your insulin will work more efficiently. When it works better, you will burn glucose better (instead of storing it as adipose tissue, ‘fat’). Your blood sugar levels and A1C levels will go lower, and your circulation will improve in your feet, hands, eyes, etc.

To effectively manage your disease you need to reduce your insulin resistance and inflammation. Research demonstrates that most people with type-2 diabetes can do this successfully in less than 3 weeeks! Start the 3 week program by doing these things:

1. Exercise at least 30-45 minutes per day at a rate equal to 70% of your heart’s maximum rate. See the maximum heart rate calculator at How Much Exercise for Diabetics? to calculate that heart rate for you. Low impact exercise such as bicycling, walking, rowing are best to prevent bruising, blisters, and join injuries. Walking briskly in padded socks and soft running shoes is fine. A heart rate monitor wrist-watch may help but isn’t absolutely required. Morning exercise is best, since it will increase your metabolism during the day, helping you burn up the food you eat during your day’s meals. Do this NOW and come back and read the rest of the page…

2. Avoid all pro-inflammatory foods, which include foods that are high in omega-6 polyunsaturated fats like most vegetable oils (including corn oil, peanut, soybean oil, etc. except olive and canola oils). These bad oils block a digestive enzyme needed to keep inflammation low, called D6D (delta-6-desaturase). Avoid cows milk or cheese products, which contain casein that causes persistent inflammation (goats milk or cheese is okay). Avoid saturated fats from red meats, and processed sugars or sweet foods. Do not overcook your food, which tends to make them more ’sugary’, easier to digest. Overcooked foods produce higher blood sugars and are less nutritional, since the delicate anti-oxidants and phyto-nutrients in them have been destroyed. Lightly steam or stir-fry your vegetables, or eat them raw. Avoid all mushy, powdered, processed starchy foods. Do not eat fried, crispy, browned, barbecued, grilled, charbroiled meats or other foods. The browned or blackened edges of the foods have been converted into gycenated proteins that taste sweet. They are precisely what we do not want in our systems. Just like similar products in your blood measured by the A1C, these products cause circulation problems, increase risks for cancer and other diseases.

3. Increase your intake of fresh, crisp, vegetables that are colorful and full of anti-oxidants and fiber. Fruits and vegetables of this sort should be about 60-65% of your diet. They will lower your blood sugar, lower your A1C, lower inflammation and reduce insulin resistance. The high fiber will carry some saturated fat out of your system before it can be digested. Higher levels of minerals and vitamins they contain will also help lower inflammation and insulin resistance. Your plate at each meal should be 2/3’s full of high fiber, colorful green, yellow, red, blue, brown and purple vegetables. Minimize any white vegetable like potatoes. No pasta, rice, hominy, mashed or overcooked veggie. Beans and peas are fine, of course, but not overcooked or mashed. Remember to avoid the fried or highly processed foods. The other 1/3 of your plate should be a protein dish, with either beans, peas, or 3-4 ounces of lean chicken, fish, turkey, or very lean free range beef. Use lots of spices every day, like ginger, cinnamon, turmeric (yellow curry), red and black pepper, oregano, chili, etc. Eat at least 3 high fiber fresh fruits per day; apples, pears, or 3-4 ounces of black/blue berries. Avoid sweeter or starchier fruits such as bananas, pineapples, grapes. Avoid excess salt. Drink lots of green tea; at least 3 cups per day, more if possible.

4. Take these supplements every day: (1) Fish oil capsules containing at least 3 grams (3,000mg) of EPA+DHA. That means about 10 capsules of the average kind of fish oil, or 7-8 capsules of ‘pharmaceutical grade’ concentrated fish oil brands. (2) At least 400mg/day of a chelated magnesium (the aspartate, citrate or other forms ending in “…ate” are best, since they are more easily absorbed). (3) At least 600mg/day of Alpha Lipoic Acid. (4) A good quality fiber supplement to insure you get enough fiber, at least 20 grams per day stirred into your drinks (teas, coffee, or even water). Look for the kind that stirs up well into the drinks, such as Benefiber brand. (5) Take at least 3 grams of vitamin-c per day, with a high-gamma vitamin-e containing 200mg of the gamma form, and a regular alpha vitamin-e, containing 200-400mg of the alpha form. (6) Take at least 1,200mg of Borage Oil containing at least 250mg of GLA per day. You may take one of these capsules per meal - 3 times per day - if you have high levels of A1C like many diabetics do.

5. Take metformin (Glucophage or other trade names) as prescribed by your doctor. It is very inexpensive and available everywhere; costing about $10-15 or less per month, in the USA). The highest dose prescribed is usually around 2,000mg/day in divided doses. Most diabetics take around 850mg, morning and evening. Talk to your doctor about this. Metformin will improve your insulin resistance without high risks of side effects. Blood tests by your doctor will monitor your liver and kidney for any possible problems, which are very rare with this medicine.

6. Take either a statin drug like Lipitor, or a combination of policosanol, plant-sterols/stanols, red rice yeast, cinnamon, fiber supplements, aged garlic and other similar natural products to effectively lower your LDL cholesterol to below 200, and take Niacin (vitamin b3) to raise your HDL to above 40, above 50 is better. Talk to your doctor about these products. Monitor your cholesterol at least 4 times a year with a blood test done by your doctor.

7. Remember to eat a LOW FAT, LOW SUGAR DIET, HIGH FIBER. This will result in the best results for type-2 diabetes. Fats in your diet like saturated animal fats and high omega-6 vegetable oils help produce inflammation and insulin resistance. Fats like omega-3 oils from fish, some plants (like borage and flax seed) and nuts (like walnuts) help lower inflammation and insuln resistance. Sugars and highly processed low fiber carbohydrates help increase insulin resistance and inflammation. Some sugars like HFCS high fructose corn syrups found in processed foods and soft drinks can result in very high levels of FFA free fatty acids and triglycerides, resulting in immediate increases in inflammation and insulin resistance. This diet solves these problems.

Together, these six steps will reverse type-2 diabetes in most people (about 56% or more according to some studies). They will eventually not need insulin or other prescription medications, and can improve their chance for a long and enjoyable life. The other 44% of people will see a reduced dependence on drugs, and fewer diabetic complications, even though they may continue to require at least some medication.

I’ve been diagnosed with Type-2 Diabetes since 2003, and had been undiagnosed for at least 10 years prior to that. I’ve been following this regimen for over two years now and have lost about 100 pounds (down from over 370 lbs in January 2003), and no longer require insulin injections, nor any drug other than metformin. My blood pressure, cholesterol and A1C are all well controlled. My fasting blood sugar was above 300 in 2003. It is now around 105-110 daily, sometimes lower. I feel great and my friends can’t believe my energy and ‘glowing face’. My doctors have been amazed. See pictures and read my story at Level1Diet.com, where I publish all this sort of thing to help people like us.

Try this program for yourself! And, remember that you can’t succeed without exercise. Go out for that brisk walk every single morning of your life; twenty minutes out, twenty minutes back. Do it now!

Good luck to you!

– Thomas Bond

Thomas, what is your opinion on Byetta? Have you tried it?

Also what about drinking diet coke rather than sugary drinks?

Hi Sankar

Check out this website about many has been able to overcome like you especially manage their blood sugar and healing of leg wounds. http:/www.springwell.biz

Are you taking other medications? My mother had this problem and it turns out the Abilify she was taking was the culprit. 15 mg dose, once a day, led to blood glucose of 250 and up until the doc discontinued it.