How to Reverse Type 2 Diabetes

Is type 2 diabetes a reversible disease? 

We are told by our medical doctors and the American Diabetic Association that type 2 diabetes is in fact a chronic disease. This means once you are diagnosed, there is no way of reversing type 2 diabetes. You are put on medication by your doctor, eventually more medication including insulin, then you will continue to develop complications that come with this disease.

But is this really true?

What if I told you that type 2 diabetes is a reversible disease? By making simple changes in your diet, you can see positive results in a matter of weeks.

What is the Best Way to Reverse Type 2 Diabetes?

You have to remember that type 2 diabetes is a dietary disease. Just by acknowledging this fact, we can focus our attention toward the food we are consuming on a daily basis.

Step 1. Eat Real Food

It is crucial for you to eliminate all added sugar, fructose and refined carbohydrates from your diet.

This step includes reading labels very carefully.

Added sugar is the cheapest way to make food taste better. Therefore, many companies add sugar to most processed food to enhance flavor and texture.

Be careful when buying ketchup, tomato sauce, flavored yogurt, salad dressings, applesauce, juice mixes and even meat products. READ LABELS CAREFULLY!

High fructose corn syrup contains 55% fructose, which means it is sugar, not corn. Carbohydrates are not always bad in and of themselves, but the refining process of these items are the major problem. Many of the wheat and whole grain products in the market today are highly refined and processed. Also, carbohydrates have the biggest effect on your blood sugar.

Avoid food products such as bread, pasta, muffins, cupcakes, potatoes, and chips and replace them with fresh veggies, lean protein and high quality fats like olive oil, avocado oil and nuts.

I promise you will see a huge difference in your blood sugar levels just by keeping your total carbohydrates between 20-30 grams per day. 

What about artificial sweeteners?

Avoid them altogether, or use stevia and monk fruit in moderation. I tell my patients to train themselves to like the taste of their coffee and/or tea without any added sweeteners. There is not enough evidence to suggest whether artificial sweeteners will harm your body or not. My question to you is: why even risk it?

Step 2. Practice Intermittent Fasting

This is the oldest dietary practice known to humankind. It is cost-effective, accessible and easy to practice. This amazing tool is the most powerful natural therapy available to you! Not only does it produce beneficial hormonal changes, but it also reduces insulin and insulin resistance. When you are not eating, you are fasting. A popular strategy is fasting for 16 hours, five to seven days a week. Another is fasting for 24 hours, two or three times a week. 

Intermittent fasting also helps your body get rid of your non alcoholic fatty liver that is seen in so many type 2 diabetic patients. Fasting helps you lose weight, extend the periods of low insulin, and also maintains the body’s sensitivity to insulin. This helps to reverse pre-diabetes and type 2 diabetes.

Step 3. Keep Moving

Exercise enhances insulin sensitivity. Walking and resistance training is very beneficial to reversing type 2 diabetes. The benefits of exercise include more than just weight loss. Exercise can improve blood pressure, cholesterol and blood sugar levels, and insulin sensitivity in your muscles.

How Long Does it Take to Reverse Type 2 Diabetes?

This depends on how long you have been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. The sooner you are able to treat your type 2 diabetes the correct way through your diet, as opposed medications, the higher chance you will have to promote beta cell recovery. This also depends on how strict you are with your carbohydrate intake, fasting schedule and daily exercise. Remember that reversing type 2 diabetes is a marathon and not a sprint. You have to be kind and patient with yourself. 

How Much Weight do I Need to Lose to Reverse Type 2 Diabetes?

This again depends on each individual. If you are injecting insulin on a daily basis, your number one goal should be to get your blood sugar under control so your doctor can safely get you off of insulin. This is very important because insulin is a fat hormone and as long as you are on insulin, it is going to be very hard for you to lose the excess weight. 

Also as a reminder, the body index is not the best way to understand your risk of type 2 diabetes— the waist circumference is. Waist circumference is the measurement of fat distribution around your midsection. This is related to many metabolic abnormalities such as type 2 diabetes. Your waist measurement should be less than half of your height. Focus on a low carb/keto diet, practice intermittent fasting, lead a more active lifestyle, and you’ll be on the path to losing weight and reversing your type 2 diabetes.

Can Type 2 Diabetes be Reversed Permanently? 

It can happen if you catch it early enough to normalize blood sugar, which in return will promote beta cell recovery. For most people, a low carb/keto diet will be their way of eating permanently in order to keep blood sugar under control without medication. Normal blood sugar and no medication means no progression of this disease. People who were diagnosed with type 2 diabetes may be able to live long, healthy lives— with toes, eyesight, and kidneys intact!

Can you imagine yourself being free from diabetes?

I can!

As Dr. Jason Fung states in his book The Diabetes Code, “This future doesn’t include kidney disease, diabetic ulcer, diabetic eye disease. No more diabetic nerve damage. No more diabetic infections. You will be less in risk of heart attacks, strokes and cancer.”

Imagine how much time, energy and money you will be saving.

You can do it!

Keep in mind that if you are on any medications for diabetes or any other conditions, it is best to consult with your doctor before beginning any lifestyle changes, such as a low carb/keto diet or intermittent fasting. Your medications might need to be adjusted safely as your blood sugar improves.

Michelle Nouraei
Licensed Vocational Nurse, Certified personal trainer and Health Coach. I have been working with type 2 diabetic patients for 12 years and specialize in helping clients reverse their type 2 diabetes naturally.

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