Diabetes and other things

[Jo_the_boat]

No, appreciate your detailed response. I do understand your points and think there's definitely validity to what you say. However, when you say:

"Many of us, as T2 diabetics, have experienced first hand how a change of lifestyle can lead to a reversal of our symptoms and being able to come off medication."

I worry that might predispose you to believe those changes would have the same effect in other scenarios where it might not necessarily be so simple. I'm not saying this to wipe away your whole response as invalid, but it's always important to avoid applying experience outside of its relevant context. It's certainly more comforting to believe that everything is within our immediate control, as that gives us complete and total power over it.

The article is very wide-ranging in what it's talking about, and there's not clear evidence that lifestyle changes could eradicate cancer (which, to oversimplify for a second, is due in part to what Cancer it is bodies aren't made to last forever).

To sum up, I think there's a balance between the points you're making and acknowledging there are some things outwith our individual control which do require investigation by specialists to make any progress, and I worry the article doesn't strike that balance.

On your second paragraph, I made specific reference to me and others regarding T2. You have no reason to tie it with 'other scenarios', and I don't suggest that. My T2 is in my control.
The fact that I have lost weight and improved my diet may well have lessened the chance of my arterial problems developing because my glucose is under pretty good control. I have a blood test tomorrow which will follow 5 weeks on the wagon so it'll be interesting to see what happens. (Though I know that the HbA1C measures the past 3 months).
Regarding cancer, there is overwhelming evidence that obesity can vastly increase the liklihood of developing a range of cancers. Tackle obesity, you decrease the chance of cancer.
So much of it comes back to diet and lifestyle but you're quite right, there are some things we can't do much about. The author of the research was mentioning areas where she thought we could make a difference.

 

[NicoleC1971]

I think we're on the same wavelength Nicole.
Just on the cash point (to coin a phrase)....

"Pfizer recently released its second quarter of 2021 results and, not surprisingly, they were nothing short of fantastic for shareholders and corner office dwellers alike.

Sales revenues for the second quarter of 2021 were $19.0 billion, reflecting 86 percent operational growth and 92 percent revenue growth. When the company's COVID-19 vaccine, BNT162b2, is excluded, sales revenues rose by a much more modest 10 percent."

Well yes they have a great model with booster shots forever and the expansion of the market for jabs to the under 12s before you even look at the rest of the catalogue. Not sure when viagra goes off patent but that's another great reason not to cure type 2 diabetes!
To balance this crude point I will say that my life is saved everyday by the genetic research that went on into producing human insulin following on from Banting and Best's extraction of the canine variety in 1922. The latter made a point of not patenting the process of course so it is a shame to see blatant profiteering in the US re insulin prcies. Again much of the type 2s on insulin could reverse their own condition (see Virta Health's research).