Reversing T2 With Diet - Who Has Done It And Who Wants To Give It A Go?

[Living-by-the-beach]

@Bebo321
"In theory a LCHF diet (restricted calories) should gradually reduce the fat content of the liver and in and around other organs. It would be a much slower process however, and perhaps never quite as effective as a fast. Maybe there is some significance to the negative energy balance within the liver which is more or less constant when fasting that not only shifts the fat most effectively, but perhaps enables some sort of insulin resistance 're-set'."

I am still 10lbs heavier than my lowest weight in June of 2015. I did the "Gradual reduction of weight" yet, until this week I've not seen normalized numbers in 2½ years. So being able to sit on a couch last night (not exercising) was a Godsend. What the 4 of the 11 of Taylor's study may have experienced is similar to what I experienced. "Good control" yet no reversal. 7 of the 11 may have been low enough calories to detox the liver and pancreas and thus get non-diabetic numbers. Now I am 10lbs heavier than my 186lbs weight and now I'm getting non-diabetic FBGs. That's the catch that I think @Steve50 & I may have fallen into. Steve50 alluded to this in his earlier "Follow my 800kcal diet" postings from a while back. Taylor was adamant that it was overall weight loss that was important, not the pace of the weight loss. Yet here I am 10 lbs heavier than previously coming up with non diabetic numbers. I think that the relaxation from processing food (fasting) has also allowed my endocrine system to partially heal itself. Will I ever be completely healed? Probably not but skirting along in life with out T2DM will be a blessing

I am making some bone broth today https://intensivedietarymanagement.com/bone-broth-broth-can-cure-cold-idm-6-2/ I'll keep you all posted..

 

[kokhongw]

Thanks for your reply - I know there are amazing people on this forum who are an inspiration to others
I wonder what kind of proportion of people with T2 have reversed their condition through diet though? (so off all meds and blood glucose within the normal range) Are these just the rare 2%, or is it attainable for the majority? - and if not, what would make it attainable?

Many of us are able to achieve and normalized HbA1c levels <5.5%. Not sure if any of us managed to actually restore the first phase insulin response and normal OGTT results. So it really depends on the definition remission.

Ironically and tragically for many the medical community only recognize and accept normal HbA1c levels that are managed thru medication and insulin, but disregard and discourage those that have been achieved thru low carbs as dangerous and unsustainable...so we end up with a dismal 2% documented prolong remission rate.

Here's my thoughts one year from dx.
https://myhba1c.wordpress.com/2016/09/03/turning-mountains-into-molehills/

 

[Freema]

Maybe This is an interesting aspekt of the high fat diet among the inuits that was actually their Real Daily diet in old times

. As you know I am looking for evidence that the High fat diet is Healthy in the long run and Then I remembered the eskimoes and thought They be the Best argument for the High fat diet But disapointingly not

 

[Indy51]

Well, I'm not eating like an Eskimo, so can't say I'm really bothered by the vegan rant

One thing he didn't mention is that the Inuit lived in confined spaces and burned animal fat for light - the evidence from the mummies about their airways was shocking, especially in the women who spent even more time inside than the males. Probably had even worse effects on their health than smoking does in our society.

 

[Quirkybee]

Thank you for the link.
I already have the book and it's extremely interesting.

With the support, I'd be happy to try this and would hope that I could sustain it too. It's never easy though, but we know this, but I want to get better or at least, improve my bg readings.
Thanks

 

[Steve50]

Hi All.
I did the ND last year. Dropped 27kg - T2 went into remission - Dr took me off all meds. All good.

Weight bounced back a little - but still within 25bmi.

Then all of a sudden my hand started hurting! Not sure what that is all about? Anyway - started following this thread. Day 2 of a fast today. Weight dropped 2kg overnight (as expected - mostly fluids I guess). Day 2 of the fast today. Bloods a little high - still have hand pain. I'll see how it goes today and tomorrow and keep you posted. Not expecting instant results - but if intermediate fasting will address the pain - that's got to be better than codine!

 

[Living-by-the-beach]

I was out a my daughter's volleyball game last night and ate what would be late for me at 7pm. I had 1½ chicken breasts with some kimchee and a few delicious morsels of cornbread with butter. I'd had ½ a chicken breast at lunch time. As of last night that will have been almost 72 hours of fasting / minimal eating. I did jump on my Airdyne and do set of 10 x 10 second sprints

as I felt a bit guilty eating the carbs of cornbread. I have to remember I am a person on the mend. I've been fasting for 3 days now and without food your body doesn't have to fight the carbs. I tested this morning and came in at 98mg/dl (5.44mmol/L) still a non diabetic number but obviously higher than I was hoping for.

Game plan for today. More fasting for me (as I think its working.) I checked my weight as I do most mornings & I'm steady with yesterday at 196. Around 4pm-5pm I'll get on my bike and go and enjoy our world and cycle 18 miles gently. No Mark Cavendish / Chris Froome sprints for me. BTW did you all know that it was only when Chris Froome intentionally lost 18 lbs that he started winning the Tour de France.. I'll finish off my boiling of the real home made bone broth and freeze it up as cubes later on today too.. Have a good one.

 

[Steve50]

Ok - been fasting for 60 hours now. Only fluids. Weight down 3kg - bloods down too. Still have pain in my hand. So - the pain is either completely unrelated (which is what I suspect) or I am being typically impatient (which I believe is fair mitigation for a T2).

Might give it one more day and see how it goes. I'm over the tricky hunger threshold and feeling quite comfortable on just fluids - and if I'm honest, another few 100gms off would not be a bad idea.

 

[Living-by-the-beach]

Managed just a 24 hour fast before I gave into the munchies. I had a few slices of canadian bacon (sliced ham rounds) along with a couple of spoons of peanut butter + a few cashew nuts. Tested this morning and came in at 100mg/dl or 5.6mmol/L. Right at the threshold of T2DM or NonD. I can feel very light tingling in the feet right now. On my bike after some coffee. No weight loss today I rode 16 miles last night too..

 

[Canadian_cousin]

Thanks for your reply - I know there are amazing people on this forum who are an inspiration to others
I wonder what kind of proportion of people with T2 have reversed their condition through diet though? (so off all meds and blood glucose within the normal range) Are these just the rare 2%, or is it attainable for the majority? - and if not, what would make it attainable?

I just found out that I have reversed my diabetes, and I'm now prediabetic after four months of serious low carbonIng and intermittent fasting. I have been diabetic for 15 years, so there's hope for everyone. I will have to work to maintain, of course

 

[InVegas]

I went cold turkey and adapted a five-times-a-day mostly natural and organic diet after a first bout with hypoglycemia on October. Was diagnosed as pre-diabetic two weeks later, but felt completely healthy due to the diet by that time. Feel too good to go back to the way I felt before. Can't relate to people that would fall of their diet for any reason except access to good nutrition (financial or physical). I did find that my grocery budget decreased despite eating better and more expensive food.

 

[Winnie53]

Maybe This is an interesting aspekt of the high fat diet among the inuits that was actually their Real Daily diet in old times. As you know I am looking for evidence that the High fat diet is Healthy in the long run and Then I remembered the eskimoes and thought They be the Best argument for the High fat diet But disapointingly not.

.

Freema, I do empathize with you. Finding the right diet needs to be a thoughtful process. I encourage you to continue learning about the different diets...

This is not directed to you Freema, rather it's directed at people like Mike who irritate me.

What I've learned is that there is no one diet that works best for everyone, only the diet that works best for you.

I think the best way to determine which diet is best is to... pick a diet, follow it as designed, monitor health markers through lab work, and continue to monitor. [Edit: Then after three months, make adjustments as needed or try a different diet.] (Jenny Ruhl)

I use the LCHF diet and intermittent fasting. All health markers improved dramatically and are now in the normal or just above normal range. I've never been healthier. I'm in my mid-50's now.

Animal protein consumption doesn't increase with the LCHF diet - (because excess protein is converted to glucose which leads to unwanted spikes in blood glucose) - only carb and fat intake changes (because when we reduce carb intake, we have to make up the calorie deficit with healthy fats).

Additionally, we have vegetarians and vegans on this forum who use the LCHF diet.

I spent a lot of time last year trying to sort out the safety of the LCHF diet, by reading a lot of books, some studies, and listening to lectures by credentialed and seasoned experts in their respective fields, and also whether or not another diet was even an option for me to manage my diabetes with diet, exercise, and intermittent fasting.

What I learned is that which diet is best is dependent on your lineage. Some do best eating a whole foods, plant based diet but I believe they are in the minority. Volek and Phinney believe that conservatively, a minimum of two-thirds of us do best on a LCHF diet. That's why my local diabetes group supports all diets that work.

And again, the LCHF diet can be done paleo or vegetarian/vegan style. Most of us fall somewhere in between the two extremes.

I personally do best including animal sourced protein and fat with plant sourced fat, protein, and carbs in every meal.

I base my decisions on science and results, not philosophy or dogma.

 

[Freema]

Thanks Winnie 53 I'll Learned more and more it seems lchf does a lot of good in most people

 

[RichieA]

Hi guys. Yes I reversed my blood sugar from 68 to 42 in 3 months. Just by diet and exersise. Newly diagnosed in Feb decided no meds I'd try diet first. I'm fully aware that going back to what I used to eat, itmay well go back up as other members of my family also have been diagnosed so we' re suseptible to it. I also lost about 9 kg. The initial honey moon period is now over my weight has plateaued and I am always looking at the food I eat. Looked at the low card high fat diet and see the sense but not quiet taken it on board fully yet as I need to consider my wife and what she wants. We're in this together! Looking to go even more Mediterranean type diet which is working for me

 

[gungerdin]

Reading all these posts there is one thing that comes threw to me is that everybody is different what works for one person more often than not does not work for others ..To me its all trial and era you are and feel what you eat . I keep to a strict diet and walk plenty .
And then now and again I will have a ruddy great cream puff or a hand full of smarty's and feel great no side effects .But having said that I don't pig out on( lolly's or sweets) I can here the gasps from here .So as I say everybody's different and I honestly think T2 peoples in most cases should stop pigging out on sweet foods very small amounts maybe especially diet controlled T2 .There is no need to punish your self's .As I say you are and feel on what you eat. Your meter will tell you if you have gone over the limit .

 

[nemiabonny]

I commend you.
I do have a question. Were you 'ever' a carb addicted eater? Did you eat yourself silly with baked goods, chips, and fatty cold cuts?

I guess that was more than one question.
It's wonderful that you're able to refrain from eating sugary and fatty foods. Many of us find that really difficult to do but I'm learning it's definitely about priorities.

I am on medication for Type 2 but sure would be happy to do it your way.

Remedy,

Yes, I think that I am a carb addicted eater. In the Philippines where I came from, carbohydrates were the cheapest foods. I lived there during all the first 37 years of my life. We were very poor. Most days, we had sweet potatoes, rice, cheap fish like smelt. Baked goods, fatty cold cuts and chips were expensive. For any type 2 diabetic who wants to avoid the wrong foods for himself, he must be very disciplined. May I point out that by eating only twice a day and running the stairs 4 times a day, I am able to burn all the calories that I take in. I don't stop eating until I feel full.

Thanks for your questions.

Bonny C Damocles

 

[nemiabonny]

Most (not all) of the people that come roaring through here and achieve huge results in a very short amount of time seem to be relative newcomers to diabetes. I achieved those fast, great results when I was first diagnosed 11 years ago through diet and exercise and was declared non-diabetic by my doctor. He was wrong. @nemiabonny , what happens if and when you can't run up those stairs any more? Things change and other health issues can come into play that make it vastly more difficult to control the D. It is great if someone can get things under control quickly and efficiently and I applaud those that can, but it is irritating to listen to people go on about how everyone should be able to do it as easily. Those of us that cannot find control easily, or need medication to help with control are not somehow less motivated or less well informed. We are all different and we all have a different experience in our health and our lives. I wish you all the best and I am doing my best.

Chalup,

I am here to tell my story and nothing more. My purpose is to encourage other type 2 diabetics to discover for themselves a way to have a long, healthy and happy life. Please remember that my good result was maintained in no less than 25 years. What happens if and when I cannot run up the stairs anymore? Very easy. Walk up and down the stairs 4x/day for a total of 1 hour. My way of stair walking is as strenuous as my way of stair running. When I find a writer to do a guidebook for me, everybody will get the chance to know all the big and small things that I have been doing since my diagnosis as a type 2 in July 1991. Why have other health issues not come my way? Because I learned to eat foods that are medicines to me. And it is very true that daily exercise makes one lean, strong, and healthy. I am very aware all type 2s are different and there is no one good way to manage the Big D. But any type 2 has the time, power, and intelligence to know what works for him.

Thank you very much.

Bonny C Damocles

 

[chalup]

Chalup,

I am here to tell my story and nothing more. My purpose is to encourage other type 2 diabetics to discover for themselves a way to have a long, healthy and happy life. Please remember that my good result was maintained in no less than 25 years. What happens if and when I cannot run up the stairs anymore? Very easy. Walk up and down the stairs 4x/day for a total of 1 hour. My way of stair walking is as strenuous as my way of stair running. When I find a writer to do a guidebook for me, everybody will get the chance to know all the big and small things that I have been doing since my diagnosis as a type 2 in July 1991. Why have other health issues not come my way? Because I learned to eat foods that are medicines to me. And it is very true that daily exercise makes one lean, strong, and healthy. I am very aware all type 2s are different and there is no one good way to manage the Big D. But any type 2 has the time, power, and intelligence to know what works for him.

Thank you very much.

Bonny C Damocles

Hi

I am sorry if I came across as singling you out, it was not meant that way and I am in no way trying to minimize your success or discourage anyone from giving people hope. The day I wrote that was a very bad day for me and I should not have been posting at all. You have my sincerest apologies. My intention was to point out that not everyone is at the same stage of D or easily controlled not to pick on you. You are entirely right that the things we eat and the things we do have a profound effect on our health. I wish you well.

 

[lucullus]

I'm beginning to wonder if controlling blood sugars IS achievable. I can't say I've reversed my T2 with diet but I have been trying to maintain the HFLC approach since it was pushed at us so long ago. I do have the occasional small lapses (which I immediately regret) but I'm still utterly depressed at being diabetic. I've never been over weight (in fact I have always had the ideal BMI), never had a sweet tooth, rarely ate too much of what we now believe to be 'hazardous', always been physically active. I could go on airing my self pity, but I just have to accept it. I've drawn a short straw and must live with it as best I can.

David have u had ur adiponectin levels tested. I found out recently I was pre diabetic. I like u have lead a life of regular exercise and good diet. I decided to get some blood tests done which looked at my whole system. I was found to have hypoadiponectrinanemia. It is a hormone produced in your fat, if you have very low levels it can make u insulin resistant.

 

[Steve50]

Hi all

The Dam Burst at about 1pm yesterday. I felt quite ill having by that time fasted for 72 hours. I had to eat something. It's tricky to find what to eat because your stomach has a connection to your head and just refuses most things. I tried a little risotto - rice being great for stomachs etc. Stayed with me for 7.03 seconds (I wont go into detail!). Sugar spiked to 9.4 this morning. Yikes! Still have hand pain.

I will give intermittent fasting another go next week - once my bloods recover.