If you could reverse your diabetes by giving up processed/preserved food, would you?

[Lana F]

I'm sure by now everyone knows how processed and preserved foods affect our bodies. They give us inflammation and inflammation is a breeding grounds for all kinds of scary diseases, one of them being diabetes -- both types, no less! In the face of chronic inflammation, the immune system mistakenly attacks normal cells, and the process that ordinarily heals becomes destructive. But, what if I told you that you could reverse your diabetes (for those with type 2) and control your diabetes with less insulin (for those with type 1) by giving up processed and preserved foods FOREVER -- would you do it? Or, does the thought of never being able to eat junk food, fast food and snacks freak you out? I suppose the real question is: What freaks you out more -- having diabetes or giving up bad food? Years ago, I couldn't bear the thought of having to part with my dessert, so I did what my doctor told me and just took more insulin with my junk food. That didn't go very well, because I could never quite control my blood sugar the way it should be. So, I experimented -- I gave up ALL processed and preserved foods and only eat the raw fruit and vegetables (and I watch the GMOs!). I have an occasional piece of poached fish or chicken (and I watch the GMOs!) and sometimes, a boiled egg. And I do moderate intensity exercise every day. And in the past 2 years, I've been able to wean myself off fast-acting insulin completely and reduce my intermediate-acting insulin by half! My blood sugar is finally cooperating. My A1c has come down from a mind-boggling 11% to a very comfortable 6%. (No thanks to my doctor!) I'm convinced by eating this way, I have significantly reduced the inflammation in my body and as a result, I am not insulin resistant anymore! It can be done; I'm living proof -- and I don't crave the bad food anymore, to boot! So, I ask you: If you could reverse your diabetes by giving up processed/preserved food, would you? (Please be honest; there's no sense in lying on a diabetes forum!) Thank you. I appreciate your honesty.

 

[Indy51]

I gave up all processed food nearly 3 years ago and have never felt better in my life. However, I haven't reversed my Type 2, though my control is excellent. I don't think reversal really matters if you don't plan on ever eating that junk again.

 

[Lana F]

I gave up all processed food nearly 3 years ago and have never felt better in my life. However, I haven't reversed my Type 2, though my control is excellent. I don't think reversal really matters if you don't plan on ever eating that junk again.

In all honesty, no, there's really no such thing as a cure for diabetes, or reversal. I just asked because I wanted to see how many people would be willing to give up bad food for good health. Not too many, sadly. The thing is, even though you can't go back to being non-diabetic no matter how hard you "try" the good news is, if you eat good for the rest of your life and quit all processed and preserved foods, you'll better manage your blood sugar, for one, and secondly, if you're type 2, you can go off all diabetes meds completely. If you're type 1, you can end up taking a lot less insulin and the best part -- your overall health will be better and your immune system and your gut will be a lot stronger and healthier, too. Too bad not too many people (both diabetic and non-diabetic) are willing to give up processed and preserved food -- not entirely. Sadly, they're hooked and don't have the willpower to quit cold turkey. At least you and I did, and we're better for it!

 

[Mike d]

So, I ask you: If you could reverse your diabetes by giving up processed/preserved food, would you? (Please be honest; there's no sense in lying on a diabetes forum!) Thank you. I appreciate your honesty.

Only a fool would say "no". I personally doubt few lie here and pretend control of their BS don't assume a greater priority than their long term health. If they do, that isn't a lie, it's simply denial.

 

[Lana F]

Only a fool would say "no". I personally doubt few lie here and pretend control of their BS don't assume a greater priority than their long term health. If they do, that isn't a lie, it's simply denial.

With all the attention the new inhaled insulin Afrezzas(US only) been getting lately, it seems to me that diabetics would much rather eat bad food and take more insulin (no matter what the health risks are) than eat good food and take less or no insulin. You simply cannot deny a diabetic his *gasp* sugar! (Or pizza or cereal or hot dogs, or...) Maybe I'm reading too much into it. Who knows? :-/ Hell, I'd give up 10 years of my life just to be cured of diabetes! But, I wouldn't dare go back to eating the way I used to--or I'd be back in the same boat again!

 

[Mike d]

I was speaking as a T2.

 

[Daphne917]

I've never eaten a lot of processed foods but still got T2 diabetes - possibly genetic. However I did eat a lot of 'carby' foods such as fruit, jacket potatoes, w/meal bread and pasta which I considered to be healthy!

 

[dawnmc]

Ditto Daphne. I always home cooked. Was veggie for 6 years and got Diabetes. My entire life I never ate junk food.

 

[CollieBoy]

<snip>. I just asked because I wanted to see how many people would be willing to give up bad food for good health. Not too many, sadly. <snip>

@Lana F
You post a question @ 10:53pm then at 1:22 then conclude that not many people are interested.
If your question was anything other than rhetorical I would allow more than 2.5 hours late at night,before jumping to conclusions. In anwer to your query I have quit all OVER processed foods (I reserve the right to process my foods to the extent of cleaning & cooking my food) but not preserved foods (No sugars or excess salts but fermented pickles are OK)

 

[CollieBoy]

With all the attention the new inhaled insulin Afrezzas (US only) been getting lately, it seems to me that diabetics would much rather eat bad food and take more insulin (no matter what the health risks are) than eat good food and take less or no insulin. You simply cannot deny a diabetic his *gasp* sugar! (Or pizza or cereal or hot dogs, or...) Maybe I'm reading too much into it. Who knows? :-/ Hell, I'd give up 10 years of my life just to be cured of diabetes! But, I wouldn't dare go back to eating the way I used to--or I'd be back in the same boat again!

On this I agree to a certain extent where, esp in the US, for T2s, insulin seems to a "cure all" for the "T2 D ill" and insulin seems to be a "cop out" from knuckling down to making the hard choices of exercise and dietary change!

 

[zand]

It's not just processed foods that are the problem though. I couldn't eat the fresh food example shown in your avatar either.

 

[gemma6549]

I don't mind my diabetes that much so I'm happy to keep it. Still like a bit of processed food every now and again but not very often

 

[Lana F]

I've never eaten a lot of processed foods but still got T2 diabetes - possibly genetic. However I did eat a lot of 'carby' foods such as fruit, jacket potatoes, w/meal bread and pasta which I considered to be healthy!

I refer to bad food and junk food and processed food and preserved food a lot, but what I miss saying sometimes--and this is very BIG as far as disease goes--it's NOT JUST the processed/preserved foods and the junk foods that are bad. It's NOT JUST the sweets and carbs that are bad. Some of the "healthiest" people get diabetes and it's not because they don't eat a "healthy" diet; it's because they eat seemingly healthy foods like fruit and vegetables--the only problem is...the GNOs!!!!! And the pesticides and herbicides and antibiotics and hormones in both produce and meat and dairy that's making us very sick. Our immune systems can't process all the GMOs and other junk, so even if you eat seemingly good foods, if they're not raised, grown or treated properly, it's just as bad as eating processed and preserved foods, if not worse!

 

[Lana F]

It's not just processed foods that are the problem though. I couldn't eat the fresh food example shown in your avatar either.

The apple in my avatar is NOT the enemy. It's one of the most perfect foods on the planet if 1) eaten in moderation and 2) not GMO!!!!! I save fruit for my hypos. I don't eat candy or crackers or glucose tabs. No matter how low I go, I always treat a hypo with fresh fruit, not even juice! A good fruit for a bad hypo is an orange or a banana. Those hit you fast! I wouldn't eat an apple during a hypo, the fiber will slow it down; but in a pinch, I'd say even an apple is better than a candy bar! You don't want to risk giving yourself possible diabetes related complications from candy and crackers down the line, even when you have to save your life in the moment!!!!!

 

[Lana F]

Ditto Daphne. I always home cooked. Was veggie for 6 years and got Diabetes. My entire life I never ate junk food.

Again, it's NOT JUST the junk food; because GMOs veggies are just as bad as junk food. They do evil things to our guts--they strip them and give us chronic inflammation and that confuses our immune system and then, blamo! It attacks a vital organ -- call it a case of mistaken identity! That's why so many vegetarians are "coming down" with diabetes, too. Ever since they introduced the first GMO on the market, the world has not been the same. For the past 30 or so years, GMOs have gotten more and more abundant and people have gotten sicker and sicker. See the connection?

 

[Lamont D]

The apple in my avatar is NOT the enemy. It's one of the most perfect foods on the planet if 1) eaten in moderation and 2) not GMO!!!!! I save fruit for my hypos. I don't eat candy or crackers or glucose tabs. No matter how low I go, I always treat a hypo with fresh fruit, not even juice! A good fruit for a bad hypo is an orange or a banana. Those hit you fast! I wouldn't eat an apple during a hypo, the fiber will slow it down; but in a pinch, I'd say even an apple is better than a candy bar! You don't want to risk giving yourself possible diabetes related complications from candy and crackers down the line, even when you have to save your life in the moment!!!!!

As someone who has an allergy to most fruits, I do eat small pieces of Apple through the day.
Fruits can be lethal to someone who suffers from blood glucose problems. There is a hereditary condition which can lead to fruit.
I have had many, many hypos and I would never treat one with a piece of fruit because of the time factor as it is very difficult to ascertain the amount of carbs in a certain piece of fruit.
Which fruit do you use for hypos?

 

[Jaylee]

Again, it's NOT JUST the junk food; because GMOs veggies are just as bad as junk food. They do evil things to our guts--they strip them and give us chronic inflammation and that confuses our immune system and then, blamo! It attacks a vital organ -- call it a case of mistaken identity! That's why so many vegetarians are "coming down" with diabetes, too. Ever since they introduced the first GMO on the market, the world has not been the same. For the past 30 or so years, GMOs have gotten more and more abundant and people have gotten sicker and sicker. See the connection?

Isn't that just a case of a V high carb diet with very little else... Most conscientious "veggies" wouldn't touch GM stuff anyway. Opting for "home grown."

 

[zand]

The apple in my avatar is NOT the enemy. It's one of the most perfect foods on the planet if 1) eaten in moderation and 2) not GMO!!!!! I save fruit for my hypos. I don't eat candy or crackers or glucose tabs. No matter how low I go, I always treat a hypo with fresh fruit, not even juice! A good fruit for a bad hypo is an orange or a banana. Those hit you fast! I wouldn't eat an apple during a hypo, the fiber will slow it down; but in a pinch, I'd say even an apple is better than a candy bar! You don't want to risk giving yourself possible diabetes related complications from candy and crackers down the line, even when you have to save your life in the moment!!!!!

I don't have hypos so I can't save fruit for those!

 

[RosieLKH]

Like Daphne and Dawn I got Type 2 through 30 years of eating largely unprocessed food. We've always cooked from scratch from fresh ingredients, but that used to include a lot of carbs and I have always found it hard to shift weight I put on. I allowed it to creep up and up over the last 30 years, but I think I may have had problems with blood sugars since I was a child as I have had yeast infections for over 40 years.

 

[Heathenlass]

The apple in my avatar is NOT the enemy. It's one of the most perfect foods on the planet if 1) eaten in moderation and 2) not GMO!!!!! I save fruit for my hypos. I don't eat candy or crackers or glucose tabs. No matter how low I go, I always treat a hypo with fresh fruit, not even juice! A good fruit for a bad hypo is an orange or a banana. Those hit you fast! I wouldn't eat an apple during a hypo, the fiber will slow it down; but in a pinch, I'd say even an apple is better than a candy bar! You don't want to risk giving yourself possible diabetes related complications from candy and crackers down the line, even when you have to save your life in the moment!!!!!

Diabetes complications are not caused by the necessary treatment for a hypo - but by elevated BG over a period of time. If it really was a case of " saving your life in a moment " I seriously doubt that * possible* complications from a dextrose tablet would be foremost in your mind

Signy