“My Diabetes- is it Reversible??

That’s the most frequent question I’m asked when I give one of my patient’s the unfortunate diagnosis of Diabetes. The answer to that is yes and no. Diabetes if not controlled, can lead to even more serious health conditions, such as heart and kidney disease, high blood pressure, strokes, nerve damage, cataracts, blindness, coma, and even death.

First we have to understand what Diabetes really is. Diabetes mellitus is a degenerative illness involving the pancreas and the hormone insulin. Normally, the pancreas releases insulin to regulate the level of blood sugar, or glucose, absorbed from meals, and to move it into the body's cells and tissues for nourishment. In people with diabetes, the pancreas is unable to fulfill its function and normal glucose blood levels cannot be maintained.

Diabetes can also be a genetic disease, such as juvenile diabetes. However adult-onset diabetes, in most cases, is produced by a combination of factors such as high stress, faulty diet, impaired digestion, and an overworked pancreas. In some cases, diabetes is primarily a dietary disease and therefore can be reversed and cured!

By switching to a healthier lifestyle you have the opportunity to potentially control this disease without diabetic medication.

Of course you know that eating right and exercising are good for you. But I want you to know that a healthy diet and regular physical activity are directly related to your ability to prevent and reverse diabetes!

If you have diabetes, it’s even more important to pay close attention to your diet and exercise routine.


What’s the first step?

JUST MOVE IT!

When it comes to exercise, you don’t have to follow any specific workouts. Just find a way to get your body moving and your heart rate up! Here is the recommendation of the CDC:

* 30 minutes of moderate exercise five days a week; OR
* 20 minutes of vigorous exercise three days a week.

But what do “moderate” and “vigorous” actually mean? You can tell how intense the activity you’re doing is by measuring your heart rate while you’re doing it.
First, figure out what your maximum heart rate is. That’s the number 220 minus your age. If you’re 40, your max heart rate is 180.

220-40= 180 max predicted heart rate for age (MPHR)

To measure your heart rate while exercising, pause briefly to take your pulse. Place your middle and index fingers on the artery of your neck or wrist where you can feel your pulse. Using a watch with a second hand, count the number of pulses, or beats, in 60 seconds. That’s your heart rate. (If you’d rather take less time to do it, you can count the number of beats in 30 seconds and multiply by two.)

Try to exercise at about 70% of you MPHR number which is about a moderate level of exercise. So, if you MPHR is 180 then 70% of 180 OR .70 X 180 = 126. So try to exercise at a pulse rate of 126 bpm. The closer your pulse is to 180, the more vigorus exercise you are doing.

Keep your eyes on the big picture, and that is to get moving every single day in whatever form that you choose!

Whats next?

Eat SMARTER

Your main goal: Fruits and Vegetables

• Fresh fruits (especially in-season) are the best options for you. Choose: melons, berries, apple, orange, pear, peach, kiwi, mango, papaya, pineapple, grapefruit, and banana.
• DON’T eat canned fruits. They are laden with additional sugar and syrup.
• If you cannot stand fruit juices, choose 100 percent fruit juice or Crystal light, don’t go for fruit punch or Kool-Aid.
• Fresh vegetables are also the best option you may have (especially in-season). Choose: leafy dark green vegetables (broccoli, spinach, dark green salad greens, collards, kale, and cabbage) and orange vegetables (squash, carrots, tomatoes, pumpkin). Then Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, green beans, peppers, asparagus.
• DON’T eat canned vegetables- too much sodium and preservatives. Choose frozen is fresh not an option.

Your whole grains choice.

Always remember when choosing grains, go for whole ones. The following diabetic food grocery list of whole grains can be useful:

• Whole wheat bread, seeded rye bread or whole wheat pasta. Make sure you would have two to three grams of fiber per slice.
• Choose brown rice. Say “No” to instant rice mixes.
• Go for cereals, oatmeal, barley, all bran, crackers (be sure to take two to three grams per serving).

Diabetic food grocery list – protein foods

Always go for lean meats.
Choose:
• Fish: tuna, mackerel, haddock, herring, wild salmon, talapia.
• Poultry: chicken, turkey (breast is better) and lean beef
• Low fat cottage cheese is a good alternative together with eggs (avoid big eggs to prevent high cholesterol. Do not eat more than three eggs per week.)
• Careful not to choose sausage, hotdogs, bologna, bacon.

Diabetic food grocery list – fat options.

Olive oil is your best alternative. Then, you may choose salad dressings with olive oil, canola or peanut oil.
Replace margarine with real butter! And if you like mayonnaise, go for fat-free one.

Search for foods rich in calcium :

Low-fat or skim milk is better than whole milk. Other alternatives to milk (in case you don’t like it) could be low-fat or fat free reduced milk. Or perhaps leafy green vegetables high in calcium: collard greens or kale.
If you decide for yogurt, choose fat-free, plain fat-free ones.

Reaching and maintaining a healthy weight is important for everyone with diabetes. Weight control is extremely important in treating type 2 diabetes because extra body fat makes it difficult for people with type 2 diabetes to make and use their own insulin. If you are overweight, losing just 10 to 20 pounds may improve your blood sugar control so much that you can stop taking or reduce your medication!

Cheers to a FRUITFUL Future!