Diabetes is not reversible and controlling your blood sugar with drugs or insulin will protect you from organ damage and death.
That is what the medical profession would have you believe, but medication and insulin can actually increase your risk getting a heart attack or dying.
The diabetes epidemic is accelerating along with the obesity epidemic, and what you are not hearing about is another way to treat it.
Type 2 diabetes, or what was once called adult onset diabetes, is increasing worldwide and now affects nearly 100 million people — and over 20 million Americans.
We are seeing increasing rates of Type 2 diabetes, especially in children, which has increased over 1,000 percent in the last decade and was unknown before this generation. One in three children born today will have diabetes in their lifetime.
Yet this is an entirely preventable lifestyle disease.
In a report in The New England Journal of Medicine, Walter Willett, MD, PhD, and his colleagues from the Harvard School of Public Health demonstrated that 91 percent of all Type 2 diabetes cases could be prevented through improvements lifestyle and diet.
Today, I want to review in detail this new way of thinking about diabetes and outline the tests I recommend to identify problems with blood sugar. Then next week I want to tell you exactly how to prevent, treat, and reverse Type 2 diabetes.
The Road to Diabetes Starts Early
Diabetes is often undiagnosed until its later stages. Insulin resistance, when the body becomes resistant to the effects of insulin, is primarily what causes diabetes.
When your diet is full of empty calories, an abundance of quickly absorbed sugars and carbohydrates (bread, pasta, rice, potatoes, etc.), the body slowly becomes resistant to the effects of insulin and needs more to do the same job of keeping your blood sugar even.
High insulin levels are the first sign of a problem. The high insulin leads to an appetite that is out of control, and increasing weight gain around the belly.
High levels of insulin are warning signs — they precede Type 2 diabetes by decades.
Insulin resistance and the metabolic syndrome associated with it is often accompanied by increasing central obesity, fatigue after meals, sugar cravings, high triglycerides, low HDL, high blood pressure, problems with blood clotting, as well as increased inflammation.
These clues can often be picked up decades before anyone ever gets diabetes — and may help you prevent diabetes entirely.
If you have a family history of obesity (especially around the belly), diabetes, early heart disease, or even dementia you are even more prone to this problem.
Most people know about the common complications of diabetes such as heart attacks, strokes, amputations, blindness, kidney failure, and nerve damage. Some may even know that it increases your risk of dementia and cancers and can cause impotence.
But most people don’t realize that insulin resistance or pre-diabetes can be just as bad causing heart attacks, strokes, dementia, cancer, and impotence — decades before you get diabetes.
In fact many people with pre-diabetes never get diabetes, but they are at severe risk just the same.
Living in Harmony with Our Genes
We were highly adapted to a nutrient-dense, low-sugar, high-fiber diet rich in omega-3 fats. But when we eat out of harmony with our genes, we turn on genes that promote diabetes.
Take Arizona’s Pima Indians, for example.
They were thin and fit 100 years ago, living on a diet of over 70 percent carbohydrates. They ate high-fiber, unprocessed plant foods and they had no diabetes or obesity.
Now, in just one generation, they are nearly all obese and 80 percent have diabetes by the time they are 30 years old!
That’s because they are eating food that turns on all the wrong gene messages — foods like sugar, trans fats, white flour, and processed foods.
Diabetes is Reversible: Diagnose Problems as Early as Possible
Diabetes and pre-diabetes ARE reversible.
New science shows that it’s possible, through an aggressive approach of lifestyle, nutritional support, and occasionally medications.
It is important to diagnose Type 2 diabetes early, but it is often not diagnosed until very late.
In fact, all doctors should aggressively diagnose pre-diabetes decades before diabetes occurs, and before any damage is done to your body. Damage begins with even slight changes in insulin and blood sugar.
Unfortunately, there is a continuum of risk from slightly abnormal insulin and blood sugar to full blown diabetes. This should be addressed as early as possible on the continuum.
In a recent study, anyone with a fasting blood sugar of over 87 was at increased risk of diabetes. The lowest risk group had a blood sugar less than 81.
Most doctors are not concerned until the blood sugar is over 110 — or worse, over 126, which is diabetes. Therefore, I recommend early testing with anyone who has a family history of Type 2 diabetes, central abdominal weight gain or abnormal cholesterol.
Don’t wait until your sugar is high.
Testing for Insulin Resistance and Diabetes
The tests I recommend include the following:
1. Insulin Glucose Challenge Test – This should be done with a 2-hour glucose challenge, 75 grams measuring fasting, 1- and 2-hour blood sugar AND insulin. Your blood sugar should be less than 80 fasting and never rise above 110 or 120 after one to two hours. Your insulin should be less than 5 fasting and should never rise above 30 after one to two hours. I recommend this test for everyone over 50, and for anyone with any risk of insulin resistance, even children.
2. Hemoglobin A1C Test РThis is an important measure of glycated hemoglobin, which can be an early indicator of sugar problems. It measures sugars and proteins combining into glycated proteins called AGEs (advanced glycation end products), like the crust on bread, or the crispy top on cr̬me brule. These create inflammation and oxidative stress throughout the body, and promote heart disease and dementia and accelerating aging. The hemoglobin A1C should ideally be less than 5.5. Anything over 6 is considered diabetes.
3. Lipid Profiles – These are also important. An HDL or good cholesterol level under 60 and triglycerides over 100 should make you suspicious of insulin resistance. An HDL under 40 and a triglyceride level over 150 usually means diabetes.
4. NMR Lipid Profile – This test is slightly different from the one above as it identifies the size of your cholesterol particles. With insulin resistance or Type 2 diabetes, you develop small LDL and HDL cholesterol particles. They are much more dangerous than larger particles and lead to increased risk of atherosclerosis or heart disease.
5. High Sensitivity C-Reactive Protein Test – This is a measure of inflammation, one of the classic conditions that is both the cause and result of insulin resistance and diabetes. It should be less than 1, and is often associated with diabetes. In fact, anyone with a high C-reactive protein has a 1,700 percent increased risk of getting diabetes.
6. Homocysteine Test – Homocysteine levels are often abnormal in people with diabetes. The test is a measure of folic acid deficiency. It should be between 6 and 8.
7. Fibrinogen Test – This measures your risk of clotting, which can cause heart attacks and strokes. It is also a sign of inflammation and is associated with insulin resistance and diabetes. It should be less than 300.
8. Check Ferritin Levels – These are often elevated in people with diabetes. It is a nonspecific marker of inflammation associated with the disease. It also can mean an overload of iron in the body. It should be less than 150.
9. Uric Acid Test – Your level should be less than 6. Higher level
Mark Hyman, MD, believes that we all deserve a life of vitality—and that we have the potential to create it for ourselves. That’s why he is dedicated to tackling the root causes of chronic disease by harnessing the power of Functional Medicine to transform healthcare. Dr. Hyman and his team work every day to empower people, organizations, and communities to heal their bodies and minds, and improve our social and economic resilience.
Dr. Hyman is a practicing family physician, a nine-time #1 New York Times bestselling author, and an internationally recognized leader, speaker, educator, and advocate in his field.
He is the Director the Cleveland Clinic Center for Functional Medicine. He is also the founder and medical director of The UltraWellness Center, chairman of the board of the Institute for Functional Medicine, a medical editor of The Huffington Post, and was a regular medical contributor on many television shows including CBS This Morning, Today Show, Good Morning America, CNN, and The View, Katie and The Dr. Oz Show.
Dr. Hyman works with individuals and organizations, as well as policy makers and influencers. He has testified before both the White House Commission on Complementary and Alternative Medicine and the Senate Working Group on Health Care Reform on Functional Medicine. He has consulted with the Surgeon General on diabetes prevention, and participated in the 2009 White House Forum on Prevention and Wellness.
Senator Tom Harkin of Iowa nominated Dr. Hyman for the President’s Advisory Group on Prevention, Health Promotion, and Integrative and Public Health. In addition, Dr. Hyman has worked with President Clinton, presenting at the Clinton Foundation’s Health Matters, Achieving Wellness in Every Generation conference and the Clinton Global Initiative, as well as with the World Economic Forum on global health issues.
He is the winner of the Linus Pauling Award, The Nantucket Project Award, and was inducted in the Books for Better Life Hall of Fame, and the Christian Book of the Year Award for The Daniel Plan.
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Yes I have been diagnosed with diabetes since 2004 of February. I was taken medication. However the medication was making my sugar higher. And I had stopped taking the medication on my own . My sugar is very low now . I eating better and doing extercise. Also am taking vitamin, and watching how I eat. Yes It can be Reversible. Thanks G-d
Yes I understand what you say….may i ask what drugs you were taking???My husband had a bunch of knee surgerys, so his lifestyle went from very active to way slowed down.. needless to say he gained some weight, finally they did a total knee and on the morning of surgery dr said your blood sugar is terrible you are a diabetic, most likely from being overweight and not active, so they started him on diabetes meds, this was done in southern ca, blood surgar did get better, he had no problems with the wound healing ect, when we moved to northern ca new dr changed his meds and its been a nightmare since then, we cant get it to stay less then 325, its a yo yo and the meds have caused even more weight gain even thou the man get exercise. He will ride his bike, swim, walk dailey. I watch what he eats, do sugarfree or use sugar subsitute, watch the carbs ect….we just dont know what to do anymore…..
It might pay to get a second opinion since the new meds are causing so much trouble or ask (insist?) the current physician to put him on something else.
We do have the right to say NO if necessary.
My readings are between 106-110 when I test at home. My dr says diet and exercise and doesn’t want to see me until I am a diabetic! However, he doesn’t specify why type of diet.
Disgusted with health “maintenance” philosophy!
I recently had a blood test as part of a yearly exam and my sugars came back high. Dr said I have diabetes which stunned me. She told me to go back in 3 mos after trying to lose some
weight. She said not to eat anything white: flour, potatoes, rice, pasta. Switch to whole grains and limit alcohol. That has helped
me lose about 8 lbs so far. Be careful with breakfast cereals,
even though they say “whole grain”. Start reading the carb content on the labels. In a book I read written by a diabetes
specialist I found the recommendation that a person not eat more than 60 grams of carbs at each meal. Good luck.
Every 1 point of carb raises your blood sugar 5 points. I would NEVER eat 60 carbs at a meal – how about 6 – 12 carbs at each meal, that is much better and make those carb veggies.
yes i have been told diabetes is irreversible, i have tried very hard to lose weight but just can’t seem to lose any. i have tested my blood in the morning fasting and it runs about 160 to 190 after meals it runs from135 to 125. i want to controll this with diet and exercise. can you help me by telling me what to eat, how much and when i should check my blood sugar what time of day and how long i should wait after meals to check it. thank you
It is refreshing to see a website that actually is telling the truth. I have been insul;in free for about thirteen weeks now. It has not been easy but the end result is well worth the effort. My sight has inproved and I am down from 240# to 188# The thing you have to be able to do is say no to your self. It took years to get this way and it is going to take some time to have your body reverse the damage that has gone on in side. The body is a amazing thing and if you take care of it, it can in many situations can reverse your problems. Think about those who have quit smoking. After a period of time thier lungs are almost like new provided the damage has not gone to far. Exercise is a key factor is the whole sceme of this. It forces your muscles to burn suger. stay away from starch!! Potatoes, Rice, Noodles and the like. Find a chart for the glycemic index. This will help you see which foods are better for you. Do not eat anything after you last meal of the day. Your body burns fat when you sleep and if you feed it empty calories it will burn those first and and any left overs will be stored as fat. There is a article from Healthiertalk.com About ” 10 DRUG FREE WAYS to BEAT DIABETES FOR GOOD” get serious about diabetes or it will take care of you in ways you will not appreciate. Loss of limbs, sight, kidney failure, ect…….
Doctors,for the huge majority, keep treating you with more insulin production and that is the last thing we need I have been down that road and have suffered many complictions due to this way of treating this revesable problem. Get educated apply what you learn. You will have to do things that you may not like at first. Remember, you are not the only one this affects. It affects you, and your family and your friend. The people who love you. Try to live by this thought, “What goes in to your mouth got you in trouble and what goes in to you mouth can get you out of trouble.” I would like to go on and elaborate on much of this but due to a time constraint I am unable to at this time. Good luck, every journey starts with the first step! A about twenty year diabetic. Also do not let anyone sway you from you path . They will say just once won’t hurt you. Wrong !!!!!!!!! Any time you cheat you only hurt your self when you step backwards. I am concerned for my fellow man, a recovering diabetic.
I’m 62 years old and was diagnosed with diabetis in 2007, after cervical spine surgery. My first symptom was weight loss and blurry vision. I did very well controlling it with diet, but after the honeymoon period it went off the chart. Today it is like a yo-yo. No matter what I eat ( I weigh 130 ) it is very high within two hours. It’s not unusual for it to be four or five hundred and has been so high it won’t register. I’m on Apidra and Levimir. I also take 1,000 mg of metformin.
I’m a nocturnal dropper. I wake up shaking and sweating and head for the O.J. After drinking about eight ounces, I then check my sugar and it will be in the twenty’s. Some times I am so confused I can’t think what to do and am afraid I will go into a coma. My doctor is thinking about putting me on an insulin pump. I have studied everything I can get my hands on about diabetes. My diet is good. Lot’s of veggies … I’ve talked to lot’s of people with this horried disease..and everyone tells me the’ve never heard of anyone being this bad. I don’t have high cholesterol or triglycerides. My blood pressure is 126 over 73… normally. I’m so confused!! I’ve been to different doctors that seem to not know what’s going on and had one tell me that I must be doing something wrong. I was totally taken aback because I’m eating right and taking my meds like I was told. I’m at my witts end!! I met someone with brittle diabetes, which I had never heard of. I did a google search and am now really confused!! It says it is very rare and is a diagnoses for type one. My doctor says I am a one and half??? Do you think I need to change doctor..yet again??
Lots of veggies is always good, but don’t eliminate fats. This is, in my opinion, one of our biggest dietary blunders. Why on earth we recommend that diabetics stay away from fats is beyond my comprehension. I’m not talking about chips and pastries. I’m talking about grass fed animal products that are rich sources of essential fatty acids as well as fat soluble vitamins that actually act as hormones in the body. The link between D3 and K2 deficiencies and diabetes is finally getting some “airplay” so to speak. And these are nutrients (though the best source of D3 is sun and supplements) that naturally occur in these animal products. Try protein and fat before bed…maybe a small chunk of raw goat cheese and a small handful of almonds. Skip the OJ and go for free range organic eggs. The best way to stabilize blood sugar is through protein and fats, with veggies on the side!
I have been diagnosed with insulin resistance and take 1 500 mg Metformin daily. Have waist much, much larger than woman should have – 45 in. 6 ft tall. No energy, no ambition, tired, don’t care attitude.
Can you help?
I was diagnosed with Diabetes 2 seven years ago and according to my doctor, who scorns the idea of a cure or reversal, the only way to go is to gradually increase my medicine, with insulin being the next step. I do keep a reasonable diet and I am not overweight. The thought of eventually going on insulin is abhorant to me, so I bought the book, The Thirty Day Diabetes Cure. I did okay in following the instructions till about day twenty, then succumbed to what the craving for something sweet. I have not given up on the Thirty Day Diabetes Cure, but I need some help on how to curb the need for something sweet and wondered if you could assist?
Happy New Year
I too have tried to follow the Thirty Day Diabetes Cure and seemed to lost my way on day 17. Yeaterday & the day before, I let my sugar cravings grab a hold of me. I also have not been totally able to eliminate “Junky Protein” because good proteins cost so much more!
I have to admit, what I have done so far has me feeling much better and full of energy! but I seem to be regaining weight! I have just started on a similar program called The Diet Solution Program, and hope learily it helps even more! The advantage of this latter program seems to be the author gives me pretty precise quantity limits. Until the last two days I felt sure I was on the right path, but now I am less optimistic. I know I have ceased virtually all sugars, white starches, artificial sweetners and sodas, but now I seem to be eating even larger quantities of so called good foods! (but my energy levels are up and my bowels are much better! – – 15+ times a week!)
I have been told I have type 2 Diabetes I have been keeping it down in the 100-125 thru diet. I am disabled and can do some light exercises, I need to loose 140 pounds, what is a good way to achieve this and what is a safe rate of weight loss for someone with Type 2 Diabetes? I also use Xylitol as a sugar substitute because it does not raise the glucose levels as sugar does, the only side effect I have seen is occational bowel movements due to the birch bark extract in it.
Well here is a good one for everyone. My Diabetes MD has me at 1.5 not a type 2. She can’t not understand how I’m still able to produce insulin. My blood sugar has been as high as 400 and no I do not monitor with blood strips. The reason I know it is high is my A1C is at 14+. She told me that it could be higher then that but the reading only goes to 14. She put me on the needle which under protest I agreed to do the shot. I have also been doing the 30 Day Diabetes Cure and followed it! When I took the shot, my blood reading went over 350 and kept climbing (as high as 400+), each time I did the shot. I stopped the shots and stayed the course of the 30DDC (Book), with 30min walks, and guess what! I,m at 139 🙂 Follow the book. It will help. Good luck.
To me it never made sense that our cells could ever become insulin “resistant”. Why would they refuse the nourishment they need to function (glucose) and choose instead to starve themselves to death? Conventional medicine would have us believe that it is the consumption of carbohydrates that causes insulin “resistance”, but if this were truly the case then we should have seen high diabetes rates throughout history in cultures where there is a high consumption of grains. This has not been the case until the last 50 years or so when diabetes rates have skyrocketed.
Sorry Lori but the culprit is indeed fat, specifically cooked fat. Cooking temperatures above 160 degrees alter the molecular structure of the fat, essentially changing it into a trans-fat. These fats “clog up” your cell membranes and prevent insulin receptors from functioning correctly. The past 50 years has seen the vastly increased availability of processed foods that contain cooked oils. Also the consumption of beef and chicken has risen sharply in America since the end of World War II. I contend that this has more to do with causing insulin “resistance” than eating grains.
Dr. Hyman’s advice to avoid carbohydrates only treats the symptom of type 2 diabetes– high blood sugar– but does not address the cause. Yes, carbs are bad if you already have impaired glucose metabolism, but carbs do not cause diabetes.
If you eliminate cooked fats from your diet, your body will, in a matter of just a few months, replace the corrupted cooked fats it had incorporated into your cells with good raw fats, and your cells will once again be able to recognize and metabolize glucose. This is the approach used so successfully by Dr. Gabriel Cousens, who claims a 99.99 cure rate for type 2 diabetes. His book, “There Is A Cure For Diabetes” is a must read.
I was diagnosed with P.C.O.S. in which im insulin resistant. I told drs. For 2 years that there was something wrong and no one did anything up until recently. I continued to gain weight and had other problems that i found out was from P.C.O.S. THIS IS VERY HARD FOR ME SINCE THERES NO CURE FOR THIS CONDITION.. I WOULD LOVE TO KNOW IF I CAN ATLEAST REVERSE THE INSULIN RESISTANCE.. I USED TO BE FIT ALL THE TIME AND I HONESTLY WAS NOT DOING ANYTHING DIFFERNT WHEN I NOTICED THE CHANGE. IM SICK OF TAKING ALL THIS MEDICATION….PLEASE HELP!!!
hubby diagnosed with
diabetes – on insulin
heart disease – 2 stents and balloon
on LOTS OF MEDS.
but doing very well with lots of exercise and
watching diet some.
concern = too many prescription drugs!
I am a prediabetic, and was wondering what is P.C.O.S ?
I have a book I’ve been reading and it is called Diabetes Without Drugs by Suzy Cohen, and it is a very good book, I also got another book by her called The 24 -Hour Pharmacist, and it is very good she is a Trusted Phamacist and gives great advice on all things. Try reading her books. And Thanks to all you who have give helps of other books sure am going to get them and read them . It never hurts to read up on things and try to get all the help one can.
I love this site I learn so much from it.
One doesn’t have to be heavy to have Diabetes, my mother was a diabetic and she was very thin, I believe it has to do with what they are doing with our food, and how they process it. I agree with staying off the flour & sugar. Also stay away from any processed foods. Exercise is good to keep from being full a full blown diabetic. I for one have a hard time to get myself to exercise and also have cravings for sweets also, I think at one minute I’m going to stay away from them then sabatoge myself. My N/P told me to think of it being poisin. I used to eat donates and can stay away from them now. It takes hard determanation to do that and sometimes I can and sometimes I can’t stay away from other sweets. Thank You for this site and all the imput sure does help.
It is discouraging to hear so many complain of a man made disease. In other words,each one caused their diabetes.
However, they are not alone in this folly as the food industry has done much to hurt them.
I fully agree that many doctors know little about diabetes exceptng what the rep from big Pharma has told them “use this driug or that one”.
You must understand this one outstanding fact. Drugs are not miracles. Drugs are chemicals. You were not born to eat chemicals, so you get many known and unknown side effects that harm you.
I have assisted and guided many so as to reverse their diabetes. If it has gone so far as diabetic neuropathy or retinopathy, you can still be helped. Drugs will not help you.
yuear old doctor who has gone through many phases of medicine ending up drugging patients and not curing therm. My realizing this caused me to rebel against big Pharma, and the curing of patients returned again.
I know 33 ways to cure cancer but am not allowed to publish, teach, lecture them, for cancer is a giant money making industry.
There are many veryu good doctors, but like all else, there are those who care not to keep up with knowledge as it advances s as to help patiints, There is the corruptiong influence of Big Pharma, the FDA, CDC, National Academy of Sciences and more.
Good luck
dokteur