Susan's Story

Chocolate ice cream, chocolate sauce, chocolate morsels. Yummy!   These snacks were part of my daily food pyramid.  However, on January 21, 2016, that all changed when, my doctor informed me that I had diabetes!  I thought to myself, this is not possible.  Again, trying to get over the sickening thought, I said to myself, what did she just say?  Actually, I have no idea exactly what she said, because as soon as she said “diabetes” I didn’t hear anything else.  It was like I was sitting in the classroom with Charlie Brown and the teacher saying, “Wah, wah, wah, wah, wah, wah”!  I do remember my doctor handing me a tissue to wipe a tear as I had started to cry.  I vaguely remember her telling me I would have to test my blood sugar levels.  I knew that meant pricking my finger. 

I felt I was in a real-life nightmare. I hate the sight of blood, and more so the sight of needles.  It is so bad that my husband had to take the kids when they were little to get their immunizations.  Even when the doctors have to draw my blood, they know they have to get the smelling salts ready.

My doctor prescribed Metformin and spoke to me some more, but again my mind was elsewhere.  I thought I am pretty sure diabetes is not a good thing to have.   Could it cause me to lose my eyesight, a limb, have a heart attack or stroke?  Once you have it, don’t you have it forever?!  So, as I sat in the doctor’s office, I decided right then and there that since I had gotten myself into this mess, I was going to get myself out of it. 

I said good-bye to my doctor with prescription in hand and headed to the bookstore in hopes of an uplifting book to read.  I went to the health section and there was the book to help me.  Dr. Fuhrman’s The End of Diabetes.  There it was hope!  It said I could actually reverse my diabetes. I couldn’t believe it—there it was in WRITING, that it could be done; that it had been done, and so I bought the book so that I could do it also. I went home and immediately started devouring the book. I read every page.

Even though I thought I had been eating healthy, I realized my eating habits and sedentary lifestyle were a big part of the problem. I focused on myself and made changes to my lifestyle in hopes of waking up from my nightmare.  I lowered my meat consumption to six ounces a week.  I added, beans, nuts, seeds, and more greens to my diet.  I also added onions, mushrooms and berries.  I started walking every day to get exercise.  I lost over 30 pounds in 3 months.  

Not only did I lose weight, I did  it!  I no longer had diabetes! I reversed the diagnosis.  It has been about four months since my diagnosis and I am about 50 pounds lighter.  I am no longer on Metformin, and I am off all of my medications except for one, which I should also be off of when I go in for my next doctor’s visit.  

No longer having diabetes has been the greatest motivator to continue pursuing a healthy lifestyle. But some other benefits are that I have more energy and vitality, I am happier, I can keep up with my kids, I am more patient with my kids and husband, I am off most of my medicine and I finally fit in some stylish clothes.

People ask me what I am doing and I say, first and foremost, it’s been lots of prayer.  The secret for me has been my Lord’s help and lifestyle changes.  The interesting thing is that the changes were not very difficult. I just had to make the changes into habits which I will continue to do the rest of my life, kind of like brushing my teeth for the rest of my life.  I cannot just do all this work and then when I get to my goals, just stop and resume my prior poor behavior.  That is why it has to be doable for you so that you can continue it for the long haul. 

 I watch what I eat; it has become a new way of life. And I make sure to exercise every day.  I love how I feel.  I want to let you know that you can take control of your health.  What you put into your body does matter.  Food is medicine.  Kale, blueberries, pumpkin seeds.  YUMMY! My new food pyramid.  If I can do it, you can too!

Thank you, Dr. Fuhrman, for helping me get my health back. My hero.

 

Chocolate ice cream, chocolate sauce, chocolate morsels. Yummy!   These snacks were part of my daily food pyramid.  However, on January 21, 2016, that all changed when, my doctor informed me that I had diabetes!  I thought to myself, this is not possible.  Again, trying to get over the sickening thought, I said to myself, what did she just say?  Actually, I have no idea exactly what she said, because as soon as she said “diabetes” I didn’t hear anything else.  It was like I was sitting in the classroom with Charlie Brown and the teacher saying, “Wah, wah, wah, wah, wah, wah”!  I do remember my doctor handing me a tissue to wipe a tear as I had started to cry.  I vaguely remember her telling me I would have to test my blood sugar levels.  I knew that meant pricking my finger. 

I felt I was in a real-life nightmare. I hate the sight of blood, and more so the sight of needles.  It is so bad that my husband had to take the kids when they were little to get their immunizations.  Even when the doctors have to draw my blood, they know they have to get the smelling salts ready.

My doctor prescribed Metformin and spoke to me some more, but again my mind was elsewhere.  I thought I am pretty sure diabetes is not a good thing to have.   Could it cause me to lose my eyesight, a limb, have a heart attack or stroke?  Once you have it, don’t you have it forever?!  So, as I sat in the doctor’s office, I decided right then and there that since I had gotten myself into this mess, I was going to get myself out of it. 

I said good-bye to my doctor with prescription in hand and headed to the bookstore in hopes of an uplifting book to read.  I went to the health section and there was the book to help me.  Dr. Fuhrman’s The End of Diabetes.  There it was hope!  It said I could actually reverse my diabetes. I couldn’t believe it—there it was in WRITING, that it could be done; that it had been done, and so I bought the book so that I could do it also. I went home and immediately started devouring the book. I read every page.

Even though I thought I had been eating healthy, I realized my eating habits and sedentary lifestyle were a big part of the problem. I focused on myself and made changes to my lifestyle in hopes of waking up from my nightmare.  I lowered my meat consumption to six ounces a week.  I added, beans, nuts, seeds, and more greens to my diet.  I also added onions, mushrooms and berries.  I started walking every day to get exercise.  I lost over 30 pounds in 3 months.  

Not only did I lose weight, I did  it!  I no longer had diabetes! I reversed the diagnosis.  It has been about four months since my diagnosis and I am about 50 pounds lighter.  I am no longer on Metformin, and I am off all of my medications except for one, which I should also be off of when I go in for my next doctor’s visit.  

No longer having diabetes has been the greatest motivator to continue pursuing a healthy lifestyle. But some other benefits are that I have more energy and vitality, I am happier, I can keep up with my kids, I am more patient with my kids and husband, I am off most of my medicine and I finally fit in some stylish clothes.

People ask me what I am doing and I say, first and foremost, it’s been lots of prayer.  The secret for me has been my Lord’s help and lifestyle changes.  The interesting thing is that the changes were not very difficult. I just had to make the changes into habits which I will continue to do the rest of my life, kind of like brushing my teeth for the rest of my life.  I cannot just do all this work and then when I get to my goals, just stop and resume my prior poor behavior.  That is why it has to be doable for you so that you can continue it for the long haul. 

 I watch what I eat; it has become a new way of life. And I make sure to exercise every day.  I love how I feel.  I want to let you know that you can take control of your health.  What you put into your body does matter.  Food is medicine.  Kale, blueberries, pumpkin seeds.  YUMMY! My new food pyramid.  If I can do it, you can too!

Thank you, Dr. Fuhrman, for helping me get my health back. My hero.





    

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