Back in 2011, CNN made some waves when they reported on a Morgan Stanley Executive Jonathan Legg who was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes at 39. Unlike most people who hear the shocking news of a diabetes diagnosis, Legg did not follow his doctor’s advice and go on meds to control his high blood sugar and took a more natural approach. Immediately, he began to exercise daily and dramatically changed his diet by cutting out alcohol, fatty foods and limiting his carbs.
“I wanted to be able to know the changes I was making were making a difference, and it wasn’t the drug,” said Legg.
In a short time, he lost 40 pounds and learned to become a voracious watchdog over everything he ate and drank. Amazingly (is it really “amazing,” or should we expect these types of results? More on this below!) Legg’s numbers were no longer in the diabetic range.
“I educated myself, I read the labels,” said Legg. “I enjoy what I eat. I met with nutritionists, and they helped me build a game plan.”
His physician, Dr. Lucy McBride of Foxhall Internists in Washington, D.C., warned Legg that reversing diabetes is not a one-time deal, but a lifelong endeavor.
“I told him, encouraged as I was, and proud and pleased [but] he’s got to keep up those lifestyle habits for things to stay in the right direction,” McBride said. “Without exercise, without diet and without weight control, the diabetes will come back. It’s something he will need to manage his whole life.”
Is Legg’s Testimony An Anomaly Or Should We EXPECT Diabetes Corrected In People Who Dramatically Change Their Lifestyles?
According to research, “No!” Legg’s case is not rare. Director of MedStar Diabetes Institute in Washington Dr. Michelle Magee says, “We have seen numerous people reverse their condition, but it takes a real dedication for the rest of their lives.” This phenomenon has been seen across the globe and scientists suggest that the earlier people catch Type 2 diabetes the easier it is to reverse it!
Newcastle University in the United Kingdom, for example, claims that the golden number is 4 years. “Our work has shown that Type 2 diabetes is not inevitably progressive and life-long,” Newcastle scientists insist. “We have demonstrated that in people who have had diabetes for 4 years or less, major weight loss returns insulin secretion to normal.”
Not discounting a life-changing diabetes cure, it should be duly noted that the long-term benefits for someone’s health after this happens are incalculable as insulin resistance and excess weight cause a plethora of other disease processes such as: heart disease, sleep apnea, high blood pressure and various neurological changes.
Newcastle researchers state that this is the key:
A crucial point is that individuals have different levels of tolerance of fat within liver and pancreas. Only when a person has more fat than they can cope with does Type 2 diabetes develop. In other words, once a person crosses their personal fat threshold, Type 2 diabetes develops. Once they successfully lose weight and go below their personal fat threshold, diabetes will disappear.
TAKING A NATURAL APPROACH
Acknowledging that bariatric surgery has long been praised to reverse Type 2 diabetes, researchers from Newcastle published the findings of a clinical trial testing the theory that a more natural approach could also produce dramatic results. The report, published in the journal Diabetologia, has become somewhat of a groundbreaking study as it is the very first trial to demonstrate the return of normal pancreatic beta cell function and liver glucose output due to calorie restriction in diabetic individuals. Essentially, researchers proved that natural diabetes reversal is possible for people who lose weight and, after just 1 week of dietary intervention, fasting glucose levels were normalized. Not only did these blood sugar levels remain normal during the full 8-week experiment, insulin levels fell after 1 week and sustained normal levels during the entire time as well!
30 DAYS, REALLY?
An interesting data set from the Newcastle study was that it demonstrated that blood glucose levels of diabetics on calorie-restricting diets were similar at 4 weeks as they were at 8 weeks after starting their diet. In other words, the long-term benefits of losing weight by adapting a healthy diet can be seen as early as 1 month!
Is it, therefore, far-fetched to say that diabetes can be cured in 30 days?
Well, as natural health expert Dr. Josh Axe says, “No, it’s not.” According to Dr. Axe, if someone is determined enough it’s very possible!
According to Dr. Axe, in addition to implementing a time effective exercise regimen like burst training into your schedule, adopting a diet rich in the following foods will help you along your way to rapidly lose weight and reverse diabetes:
- Chromium-rich foods – Research has shown that eating ample amounts of broccoli, grass-fed beef, green beans and raw cheese can improve GTF glucose tolerance factor in your body and naturally balance your blood-sugar levels.
- Herb power – Some of the best-kept secrets to controlling your blood sugar are hidden in your spice rack! Cinnamon, parsley and turmeric are must-haves for every diabetic and should be used copiously. “When eating lots of cinnamon choose “true” cinnamon, also known as Ceylon cinnamon and Saigon cinnamon, to avoid any negative effects.” Specifically, use turmeric as much as possible as natural health enthusiasts have heralded its disease-fighting ability for centuries. Just recently, studies have confirmed that turmeric actually can prevent and slow cancer growth!
- High fiber foods – To best slow down glucose absorption, aim for at least 30g of fiber per day from healthy sources such as fruits, nuts, seeds and veggies. To help you keep your fiber intake up, take the Avocado Challenge and make an avocado-banana-coconut milk-super green powder smoothie for breakfast each morning. Add some berries for extra flavor and fiber. Not only are avocados especially high in fiber they are arguably the most nutritious food on the planet, so you will certainly do your body good by making this a daily habit.
- MCFA’s (medium chain fatty acids) – One of the best ways to help balance blood sugar levels is by consuming unrefined, organic coconut oil. A preferred fuel source for your body rather than sugar, coconut oil has a wide array of health benefits that include everything from weight loss to fighting inflammation and yeast infections. It truly is a wonder food that can easily be used at every meal.
- Wild-caught fish – Rich in Omega-3 fats, this super food helps reduce inflammation and counteracts many of the negative effects of elevated blood glucose. Be sure to stay away from chemical-ridden farm raised varieties. Wild-caught salmon is second to none in nutrition value and you should add a few ounces to your diet once to twice a week.
- Low glycemic index foods – Widely known to prevent spikes in blood sugar, low glycemic foods should be eaten in copious amounts by people looking to reverse diabetes.
Dr. Axe also recommends taking these 5 supplements to balance your blood sugar, improve insulin sensitivity and reduce symptoms of diabetic neuropathy:
- Alpha-Lipoic Acid (300-1200 mg daily)
- Chromium Picolinate (600 mcg daily)
- Cinnamon (2 tsp daily)
- Fiber Powder from vegetables and seeds like sprouted chia and flaxseeds (10 g)”
- Fish Oil (1,000 mg daily)
Other supplements that may support diabetes include bitter melon, green coffee extract, gymnema sylvestre, magnesium and rhodiola.
At the end of the day, countless personal testimonials and a growing number of research trials all confirm that you can reverse Type 2 diabetes by simply modifying your diet and by implementing a regular exercise regimen. Take charge of your health and don’t wait another day.
How great would it be to see your story as the next addition of the people who have been cured of diabetes in 30 days or less!
Is there a recommended brand of nutritional supplements?
My suggestion is that you use whole food supplements. Also be sure that you know HOW the manufacturer is processing their ingredients. It is easy to bring great raw product to production and then kill the nutrients in processing.