Reverse Type 2 Diabetes Naturally: A Case Study

Type 2 Diabetes is one of the most prevalent chronic disease around, especially in developed countries. Truth be told it is a disease of lifestyle. Some people are more prone to the development of the disease, but if the right lifestyle patterns are followed it can often be prevented and in some cases we can even reverse type 2 Diabetes naturally.

The next case study is a special one to me, as it is my mum. Sometimes family and friends can be a pain in the backside to work with, but I am fortunate as my mum always has time to listen to me, and as you will see from her story a strong motivation to make change, which is probably the most important part of any health transformation.

“Health issues come to us all as we get older and if we can delay these for as long as possible then it can only be for the better. Once the taking of various medications start there is very rarely any going back.

I have been labelled as a type 2 diabetic or pre diabetic for nearly 15 years never really fully accepting the fact that I was, because up until recently I have managed to eat sensibly together with a little exercise things were jogging along quite nicely. Over the last few years my lifestyle, without my realising, was beginning to change.

In a nutshell my personal life had taken quite a battering, no doubt, no different from many of you. I think perhaps losing my mum to cancer at the age of 87 in March 2012, although a very good age, was the hardest thing for me. To see the change in someone you love dearly, go down-hill in such a short time and feeling so helpless was sometimes unbearable. Looking back I had fallen into bad eating habits filtering all my time and energy towards my mum, which is a natural thing to do. It was the skipping of meals as I had ‘no time’, or perhaps ‘couldn’t be bothered’ and it wasn’t important that started the downward slope.

Up until 2012 my yearly Diabetic check-ups had been going smoothly. After losing mum in the March and then being made redundant in the October my husband and I decided to move back to Norfolk. Registering with a Doctor was one of my first priorities so this was done. As I was not on any medication I did not have to see a Doctor but I was told that an appointment for my annual diabetic review would be made for the following March, which is when it was due.

My appointment came and bloods were taken with an appointment the following week for my results. Not to my surprise, as I knew from my change in lifestyle, my results had changed quite dramatically. My blood sugars had increased from a previous 7.2 to 8.6 and so to my cholesterol levels had also gone up, with an increase in weight. The initial reaction from the nurse was to start medication, as I am not a ‘pill pusher’ I asked if she would give me 3 months to try and sort myself out, which she agreed stressing that if there was little or no change then it was for my benefit that I should start ‘medication’. This did not bode well with me!

When I returned home I contacted Steve and explained the situation. He requested a copy of my blood results, this I did, for him to study. This was the start of the ‘six day food diary’, no doubt many of you are aware of this.

I completed my first 6 days of eating and drinking and emailed this off to Steve. The response was quick and I was told that I was not eating enough. He had looked at my blood results and he pointed out to me a few things that needed attention, we then ran a couple of additional lab tests so that Steve could build up a bigger picture and work towards resolving the underlying cause. Initially I felt a bit of a lost cause and felt I was on a downward slippery slope and that age was catching up with me and all self-confidence was gone. Steve had every confidence that we could reverse these results and I had every confidence that ‘we’ could do it.

Steve forwarded me a list of foods I could have and things to avoid stating that I must eat Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner as a minimum, but also gave me some ideas for snacks that I could include along with some supplements that would be helpful. I was ready and determined to try and get back to some form of normality, after all I was the only person that could do it, no one could do it for me.

For the first time in a long time my eating began to get back to normal following Steve’s instructions to the letter. As the weeks went by the weight started to drop even though I was eating much more. I was testing my bloods before I ate and 2 hours after every meal. As the weeks passed I could see a reduction in my blood sugars. I followed this religiously for the following 3 months, dropping my weight by 11 kg.

The day arrived for my fasting blood test to be done and the following week for my results. To the nurses amazement my (HbA1C) blood sugars had gone down from the previous 8.6 to 6.7, and my cholesterol ratios had improved, in just 3 months, the nurse was amazed and asked me what I had been doing, I explained how fortunate I was to know of an unbelievable ‘nutritionist’ and whatever he told me to do I would do and this had shown in my result. Steve is aiming to get my average blood sugars (HbA1C) under 6 and I will work alongside him to try and achieve this.

So with hard work and a good, knowledgable ‘Nutritionist’ results can be achieved.

In such a short time I feel so much better in myself and my self-confidence is returning. Without your help, knowledge and understanding I would have had to succumb to medication.

Thank you son x”

I Hope this story can help others realise that there are many options within our power that can help us establish significant health improvements. Also most importantly that you are in control of your health, not me, not your doctor, nurse or OK magazine. Our own motivations for change are often triggered by certain events. Tackling issues like type 2 diabetes prior to medications is much more simple that when medications have started, try not to let your trigger come too late, make good nutrition and lifestyle practices the foundation of your health, not medications, stress and sausage rolls.