Type 2 Diabetes

Type 2 diabetes has become so prevalent in developed and developing countries that it has quickly become an epidemic in many areas of the world, including in the U.S., where approximately 8-10% of the population has diabetes¹ and another 36% are thought to have pre-diabetes.² The following signs and symptoms are common in someone who has developed type 2 diabetes:

• Fatigue
• Feeling thirsty
• Urinating often
• Blurry vision
• Wounds on skin difficult to heal
• Tingling, numbness or even pain in hands or feet

Type 2 diabetes can lead to many health complications such as:

• Eye disorders, including blindness
• Kidney failure
• Neuropathy (damage to nerves)
• Skin infections, discoloration, itchiness, and/or rashes
• Limb amputations
• Heart attacks and strokes
• Increased risk of cancer

Type 2 diabetes is primarily a dietary-caused disease related to eating processed foods highly prevalent in the Standard American Diet (SAD) and across the modern world today. Excess fat on the body increases insulin resistance leading to diabetes, but other factors that place a biochemical stress on the beta cells in the pancreas that secrete insulin, such as repeated glycemic stress and chemicals, can play a contributory role. Even though the risk of developing type 2 diabetes may be higher if you have others in your family with the disease, it doesn’t necessarily mean that you will develop it. Being overweight and eating too many animal products and refined foods is so common today that diabetes is exploding world wide. Lifestyle changes, which include regular vigorous exercise and a Nutritarian diet-style, are not only preventative but in most cases, they enable patients with this condition to make a complete recovery.

Diet

Evidence from studies, especially those from the last two decades, has shown us that the quality of our food intake matters a lot when it comes to diabetes risk. Diets rich in vegetables, legumes, whole grains, fruits, and nuts, as well as low in alcohol, refined grains, refined sugars, and animal products dramatically reduce the risk of developing diabetes,¹ and a Nutritarian eating style, with attention to reducing glycemic load at meals, is an excellent strategy for managing and even reversing type 2 diabetes. For 25 years, I have been caring for hundreds of patients with Type 2 diabetes and making most of them non-diabetic. I even published a study that showed that 90% of diabetics who followed a Nutritarian diet were able to come off of all of their diabetes medications and still achieve non-diabetic glucose readings.²

• Fruit is allowed, but you may need to limit or avoid dried fruits and very sweet fruits such as tropical fruits.
• Limit the overall daily intake of fruit to 2-3 servings, making berries (strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, etc.) the primary fruit choice.
• Reduce all grain and potato intake, and eat more greens and beans, squash, peas, avocado, seeds, and nuts in their place. Beans have been shown to provide health advantages over whole grains in diabetes, and nuts provide healthy fats and are very low-glycemic calorie source.^{3, 4}
• No snacking or overeating at meals.
• Combine your higher glycemic foods (fruit, etc.) with raw vegetables (such as a salad) at the same meal. Do not snack.

Meal plan: Diabetes Reversal

Supplements

• Dr. Fuhrman’s general supplement protocol for adults (see Vitamin Advisor for details) includes:
  • Multivitamin (without beta-carotene, vitamin A, vitamin E, folic acid, copper), such as Women’s Daily Formula +D3,  Men’s Daily Formula +D3, or Gentle Care Formula.
  • Omega-3 DHA and EPA, such as DHA+EPA Purity.
  • Optional: Consider adding a mixed mushroom immune supplement, such as Immune Biotect, because of the potential immune system benefits throughout life from assorted mushroom phytochemicals not normally consumed in the diet.
• Consider adding:
  • Thiamin and chromium: People with diabetes are at risk of low thiamin (vitamin B1) and chromium levels, and additional supplementation may be appropriate.
  • Cinnamon: Many human trials have suggested that cinnamon powder or supplemental cinnamon extract can support healthy blood glucose levels.^{5, 6} Discuss taking purified cinnamon extract with your doctor, especially if you are taking medication, as it may require an adjustment medication.⁷
  • Green tea extract: A meta-analysis of 17 trials using green tea extract as a supplement concluded that green tea extract reduced fasting blood glucose and HbA1c (a long-term indicator of blood glucose levels).⁸
  • Aloe vera gel: In people with either diabetes or prediabetes, supplementing with aloe vera gel powder resulted in decreases in fasting blood glucose.⁹
  • White mulberry leaf, banaba leaf, gymnema leaf, and fenugreek seed phytochemicals may also be helpful, according to preliminary studies ^10-13

For supplement recommendations personalized to you, your health condition and goals, visit the Personalized Vitamin Advisor and answer a few questions. 

Exercise

Exercise daily, even multiple times a day as a strategy to lower blood glucose, such as after meals.

Read

• The End of Diabetes contains the scientific information and full program to most effectively enable you to reverse your diabetes.

• Transformation 20 – Diabetes Edition.

  • Reduce or eliminate type 2 diabetes medication and lose weight in 20 days.

  • This e-book supplies the menu plans, shopping list and recipes for 20 days, for you to reverse your type 2 diabetes quickly.

  • Most people will lose at least 10 pounds during this time and a majority will not need diabetic medication after this initial period.

• Study: Glycemic and cardiovascular parameters improved in Type 2 Diabetes with the high nutrient density (HND) diet
  • In this study on type 2 diabetics following a Nutritarian diet, 90 percent of participants were able to come off all diabetic medications, and the mean HbA1c after one year was 5.8%, which is in the non-diabetic (normal) range.¹⁴

Other Considerations

• Weight loss is key to improving diabetes, and a Nutritarian diet will produce steady weight loss.
• If you are taking medications for diabetes, it is very important that you work with your doctor to reduce your medication so glucose levels do not get too low.