Numerous success stories can be found online of people who have cured or reversed their type 2 diabetes. Fake news or not?

When do you have type 2 diabetes?

Normally, the body keeps the blood sugar level exactly in balance: not too much and not too little. With diabetes, that balance is gone.

Only a blood test can tell if someone has diabetes. The amount of blood sugar (blood glucose) is measured in the blood. The following values are considered.

Blood sugar value — tested fasting (eight hours before eating or drinking anything except water):

• Below 6.1 mmol/l — no diabetes
• Between 6.1 and 6.9 mmol/l — pre-diabetes
• Above 6.9 mmol/l — diabetes

Blood sugar value — not tested fasting (about one and a half to two hours after a meal, when there is the most blood sugar in the blood):

• Below 7.8 mmol/l — no diabetes
• Between 7.8 and 11 mmol/l — pre-diabetes
• Above 11 mmol/l — diabetes

What’s going wrong?

In type 2 diabetes mellitus, there is a combination of several factors that cause blood glucose levels to become too high. On the one hand, insufficient insulin is produced by the pancreas (reduced beta cell function). On the other hand, the action of insulin is reduced, so that the cells in different tissues cannot use the available insulin optimally (insulin resistance).

Can you cure or reverse type 2 diabetes?

The discussion often goes in all directions. That’s because there is no clear definition for curing or reversing type 2 diabetes.

So what does everyone agree on?

 What everyone agrees on: there are people with type 2 diabetes who adjust their lifestyle and no longer need medication.

What do you mean by lifestyle change?

 If you have type 2 diabetes, you can ensure that your body responds better to insulin by choosing a healthier lifestyle. Losing weight (in the case of overweight), getting enough exercise and eating a healthy diet can contribute enormously.

Your blood sugar will be lower and more stable. So there are stories of people who no longer need insulin or medicines at all as a result. That is good news!

Are there many people who would benefit from this?

Of course. More than 1.2 million Americans have diabetes. That is one in four Americans and 1,200 new cases are added every week! One in three of the current adult Americans population will develop type 2 diabetes. This has been calculated by researchers.

In short, a solution is very welcome!

Click Here to watch this simple video on: How to Cure/ Manage Diabetes Without Drugs

Is reversing the same as healing?

This is again a definition issue. Are you cured of type 2 diabetes if you no longer need medication?

Some people who have succeeded say this…

 There are indeed people who say that, including doctors. But the question is whether this is really the case.

Because?

 It depends on what exactly happened. Think of a bathtub that overflows (high blood glucose) because the drain (insulin resistance and reduced beta cell function) is clogged. If you turn off the tap (stop eating carbohydrates), the overflow stops (no more high blood glucose). But, has this solved the problem, the clogged drain? New.

How do you translate this into practice?

Suppose someone lets go of his or her good habits or starts eating more carbohydrates again, then the high blood sugar comes back. The symptoms of disease were only absent. In the medical world, they call this ‘remission’.

But regardless of the definition of ‘cure’ or ‘reverse’: it is of course fantastic if you manage to live medicine-free and without complaints! I can’t imagine what it’s like to have to prick several times a day and have to inject insulin.

Apart from that, better blood sugar levels make you feel better. In addition, you are less likely to have complications from type 2 diabetes in the longer term, such as heart disease, eye problems or kidney disease.

How can you reverse type 2 diabetes?

It is actually quite simple, but in practice it turns out not to be that easy. These are: not smoking, losing weight (if you are overweight), getting enough exercise and eating healthy.

I understand the first three, but what is healthy eating?

Just eat healthy. As I explain it so often. Eat enough vegetables and fruit. Avoid refined carbohydrates (white bread, white pasta, soda, fruit juice, etc.). Choose the whole grain variety of bread, rice and pasta, eat this in modest portions. Meat in moderation…

In my article on Which Fruit Can You Eat With Type 2 Diabetes? Explanation + 13 Healthy Tips , you get a comprehensive overview of what type of fruit to eat and forbid in order to manage get your blood sugar.

Whoa! Carbohydrates? Those are the cause, right?

This is often called out, but it’s a lot more complicated than that. It is never one thing anyway, it is the sum of several factors. Roughly summarized, we know that smoking, being overweight, little exercise, unhealthy eating (in the broadest sense of the word), aging and heredity increase the risk of type 2 diabetes. But in some people with type 2 diabetes, the causes are still unclear.

Hmmm, okay. What else is healthy eating then?

 Eat fish once a week. Opt for lean meats and unsaturated fats in olive oil, liquid margarine, unsalted nuts and seeds…

Yes, bye. You are telling the exact opposite of what I read online. It is precisely the people who eat Low Carb High Fat that get results.

There are indeed quite a few people who have achieved very good results with Low Carb High Fat (LCHF) or, for example, the ketogenic diet (keto). Because of the hype a lot is written about it, but the question is: what really made the success? Eating a lot of saturated fat or no more refined carbohydrates (white bread, white pasta, soft drinks, fruit juice, etc.)? There is quite a big difference between carbohydrates packaged in the shape of an apple and packaged in the shape of a lollipop. Or did they just eat less junk in general and exercise more? Or is weight loss responsible for the great result?

What is the success factor?

By limiting the carbohydrates you turn off the tap. This helps prevent high blood glucose. That has a share.

But often people also lose weight if they change their lifestyle and you quickly see the blood sugar levels improve. Already after a few kilos less on the scale, the body responds better to insulin. This plays a very big role! Because every person is different, there is no diet that is equally suitable for everyone. Every advantage has its disadvantage.

What is the disadvantage of LCHF or keto then?

Nowadays, the focus is very much on carbohydrates. This as a counterpart to ‘watch out with (saturated) fat’. However, it is not one or the other, there are several ways to arrive at an unhealthy diet.

Carbohydrates are not bad, but it is better to avoid refined carbohydrates (white bread, white pasta, soft drinks, fruit juice, etc.). Keto is the completely different extreme of ‘watch out with fat’. The question is therefore what the long-term effects of keto are.

Sometimes people see LCHF or keto as an ‘excuse’ to be able to eat a lot of saturated fat in the form of full-fat dairy, butter, fatty meat, etc. That is unwise anyway.

What does a lot of saturated fat have to do with type 2 diabetes?

In addition to high cholesterol and low inflammation, consuming a lot of saturated fat is also linked to reduced insulin production in beta cells and insulin resistance. In short, by cutting carbohydrates you turn off the tap, the symptoms disappear, but the drain may become even more clogged in the long term if you then start eating a lot of saturated fat. These kinds of drawbacks are only masked in the beginning by the health benefits of losing weight.

So losing weight plays a big role in success?

Of course. Being overweight weighs heavily when it comes to preventing and reversing type 2 diabetes. This is again shown by very recent research.

A few kilos less, if you are overweight, already ensures that your body responds better to insulin. It can help to eat fewer carbohydrates. Always do these kinds of things in consultation with your doctor or diabetes nurse. Especially because it affects your medication. A dietician can also advise and guide you in this.

Do you have another tip?

Yes, make sure you get enough exercise. Exercise also makes your body more sensitive to insulin. You don’t have to be a fan of sports: walking, cycling or working in the garden is also good. It is recommended to exercise at least half an hour of moderate intensity per day.

Can anyone reverse type 2 diabetes?

Yes! but depend on how much health gain you can achieve with the above advice depends on how long you have had type 2 diabetes and also on your age. One works better than the other. It also depends on where the center of gravity is. Is that insulin resistance or does it mainly have to do with the cells that produce insulin?

But even if medication remains necessary, it is worth eating a healthy diet and getting enough exercise, because it improves blood sugar and reduces the risk of complications from type 2 diabetes.

How so? What do you advise?

 There are simply science-based dietary guidelines for the prevention and treatment of type 2 diabetes.

These are guidelines from organizations such as: American Diabetes Association, European Association for the Study of Diabetes, Canadian Diabetes Guidelines and Diabetes UK.

Would you like to read more about the prevention and treatment of type 2 diabetes? Then read the NDF Dietary Guidelines for Diabetes 2015.

What is the conclusion?

Do you want to get started with type 2 diabetes by adjusting your lifestyle? Top! Good choice. By choosing a healthier lifestyle you can achieve a lot of gains and perhaps even reverse your type 2 diabetes.

Consult with your doctor or diabetes nurse and ask for a referral to a dietician for support.

Does Low Carb High Fat or keto sound like something to you, because you think it will help you lose weight? Then just discuss that. Sometimes the end justifies the means and a good dietitian can guide you in this. Mind you, there are more roads to Rome. A good dietitian can tell you all about that too.

In any case, I wish you a lot of health and I am curious how quickly you will notice the positive effects of choosing a healthier lifestyle. Go for it!

The Diabetes-Free Secret

Now you know that type 2 diabetes can be reversed and cured.

It has recently been discovered that it is possible to reverse type 2 diabetes. You can find everything you need in the supermarket.

You turn it around with one powerful method. It’s what I call “The Diabetes-Free Secret.” About this secret We have written several pages that will change your life forever. You will learn in it:

• Why You Got Type 2 Diabetes
• What mechanism can you use to reverse diabetes
• The best tips to be diabetes-free in a few weeks

Enter your best email address to get the Free E-Book, Click Here…

Greetings,

John Scott

P.s: which fruit do you eat with type 2 diabetes? Which fruits do you try to avoid as much as possible? Leave a comment below.

Originally published at https://khalories.com on September 7, 2021.