THE MEDICAL PROFESSION WOULD have you believe that diabetes is not reversible and only controlling your blood sugar with drugs or insulin will protect you from organ damage and death. But medication and insulin can actually increase your risk of getting a heart attack or dying.
The diabetes epidemic is accelerating along with the obesity epidemic, and what you are not hearing about is another way to treat it.
Type 2 diabetes, or what was once called adult onset diabetes, is increasing worldwide and now affects nearly 100 million people — and over 20 million Americans.
We are seeing increasing rates of Type 2 diabetes, especially in children, which has increased over 1,000 percent in the last decade and was unknown before this generation. One in three children born today will have diabetes in their lifetime.
Yet this is an entirely preventable lifestyle disease.
In a report in The New England Journal of Medicine, Walter Willett, MD, PhD, and his colleagues from the Harvard School of Public Health demonstrated that 91 percent of all Type 2 diabetes cases could be prevented through improvements lifestyle and diet.
Here, I want to review in detail this new way of thinking about diabetes and outline the tests I recommend to identify problems with blood sugar. Next I’ll tell you exactly how to prevent, treat, and reverse Type 2 diabetes.
The Road to Diabetes Starts Early
Diabetes is often undiagnosed until its later stages. Insulin resistance, when the body becomes resistant to the effects of insulin, is primarily what causes diabetes.
When your diet is full of empty calories, an abundance of quickly absorbed sugars and carbohydrates (bread, pasta, rice, potatoes, etc.), the body slowly becomes resistant to the effects of insulin and needs more to do the same job of keeping your blood sugar even.
High insulin levels are the first sign of a problem. The high insulin leads to an appetite that is out of control, and increasing weight gain around the belly.
High levels of insulin are warning signs — they precede Type 2 diabetes by decades.
Insulin resistance and the metabolic syndrome associated with it is often accompanied by increasing central obesity, fatigue after meals, sugar cravings, high triglycerides, low HDL, high blood pressure, problems with blood clotting, as well as increased inflammation.
These clues can often be picked up decades before anyone ever gets diabetes — and may help you prevent diabetes entirely.
If you have a family history of obesity (especially around the belly), diabetes, early heart disease, or even dementia you are even more prone to this problem.
Most people know about the common complications of diabetes such as heart attacks, strokes, amputations, blindness, kidney failure, and nerve damage. Some may even know that it increases your risk of dementia and cancers and can cause impotence.
Diabetes and pre-diabetes ARE reversible by aggressively changing lifestyle, nutritional support, and occasionally medications.
But most people don’t realize that insulin resistance or pre-diabetes can be just as bad causing heart attacks, strokes, dementia, cancer, and impotence — decades before you get diabetes.
In fact many people with pre-diabetes never get diabetes, but they are at severe risk just the same.
Living in Harmony with Our Genes
We were highly adapted to a nutrient-dense, low-sugar, high-fiber diet rich in omega-3 fats. But when we eat out of harmony with our genes, we turn on genes that promote diabetes.
Take Arizona’s Pima Indians, for example.
They were thin and fit 100 years ago, living on a diet of over 70 percent carbohydrates. They ate high-fiber, unprocessed plant foods and they had no diabetes or obesity.
Now, in just one generation, they are nearly all obese and 80 percent have diabetes by the time they are 30 years old!
That’s because they are eating food that turns on all the wrong gene messages — foods like sugar, trans fats, white flour, and processed foods.
Diabetes is Reversible: Diagnose Problems as Early as Possible
Diabetes and pre-diabetes ARE reversible.
New science shows that it’s possible, through an aggressive approach of lifestyle, nutritional support, and occasionally medications.
It is important to diagnose Type 2 diabetes early, but it is often not diagnosed until very late.
In fact, all doctors should aggressively diagnose pre-diabetes decades before diabetes occurs, and before any damage is done to your body. Damage begins with even slight changes in insulin and blood sugar.
Unfortunately, there is a continuum of risk from slightly abnormal insulin and blood sugar to full blown diabetes. This should be addressed as early as possible on the continuum.
In a recent study, anyone with a fasting blood sugar of over 87 was at increased risk of diabetes. The lowest risk group had a blood sugar less than 81.
Most doctors are not concerned until the blood sugar is over 110 — or worse, over 126, which is diabetes. Therefore, I recommend early testing with anyone who has a family history of Type 2 diabetes, central abdominal weight gain or abnormal cholesterol.
Don’t wait until your sugar is high.
Testing for Insulin Resistance and Diabetes
The tests I recommend include the following:
- Insulin Glucose Challenge Test - This should be done with a 2-hour glucose challenge, 75 grams measuring fasting, 1- and 2-hour blood sugar AND insulin. Your blood sugar should be less than 80 fasting and never rise above 110 or 120 after one to two hours. Your insulin should be less than 5 fasting and should never rise above 30 after one to two hours. I recommend this test for everyone over 50, and for anyone with any risk of insulin resistance, even children.
- Hemoglobin A1C Test – This is an important measure of glycated hemoglobin, which can be an early indicator of sugar problems. It measures sugars and proteins combining into glycated proteins called AGEs (advanced glycation end products), like the crust on bread, or the crispy top on creme brule. These create inflammation and oxidative stress throughout the body, and promote heart disease and dementia and accelerating aging. The hemoglobin A1C should ideally be less than 5.5. Anything over 6 is considered diabetes.
- Lipid Profiles - These are also important. An HDL or good cholesterol level under 60 and triglycerides over 100 should make you suspicious of insulin resistance. An HDL under 40 and a triglyceride level over 150 usually means diabetes.
- NMR Lipid Profile - This test is slightly different from the one above as it identifies the size of your cholesterol particles. With insulin resistance or Type 2 diabetes, you develop small LDL and HDL cholesterol particles. They are much more dangerous than larger particles and lead to increased risk of atherosclerosis or heart disease.
- High Sensitivity C-Reactive Protein Test - This is a measure of inflammation, one of the classic conditions that is both the cause and result of insulin resistance and diabetes. It should be less than 1, and is often associated with diabetes. In fact, anyone with a high C-reactive protein has a 1,700 percent increased risk of getting diabetes.
- Homocysteine Test - Homocysteine levels are often abnormal in people with diabetes. The test is a measure of folic acid deficiency. It should be between 6 and 8.
- Fibrinogen Test - This measures your risk of clotting, which can cause heart attacks and strokes. It is also a sign of inflammation and is associated with insulin resistance and diabetes. It should be less than 300.
- Check Ferritin Levels - These are often elevated in people with diabetes. It is a nonspecific marker of inflammation associated with the disease. It also can mean an overload of iron in the body. It should be less than 150.
- Uric Acid Test - Your level should be less than 6. Higher levels indicate problems with insulin resistance. This can lead to gout, which is related to insulin resistance and Type 2 diabetes.
- Liver Function Tests - Elevated liver function can result from insulin resistance. This is the major cause of fatty liver and elevated liver function in this country. This is entirely due to sugar and carbohydrates in our diet that cause fatty liver, liver damage, and even cirrhosis.
These are tests any doctor can perform and are covered by insurance.
In another blog, I will tell you how to prevent, treat, and even reverse diabetes. I have seen this hundreds of times in my patients and there is no reason you can’t achieve the same thing if you apply these principles.
Till then, remember what Michael Pollan said: “Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants.”
Now I’d like to hear from you …
Have you been diagnosed with pre-diabetes or diabetes?
Have you been told that it is irreversible?
What steps have you taken to prevent diabetes?
Please let me know your thoughts by leaving a comment below.
Trying to order the Diabesity Prescription Action Plan
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For ordering information on The Diabesity Prescription see: http://diabesity.ultrawellness.com/is/516
Hi,for years I was tld that I had high c reactive protein and they had no idea why.for years I was suffering from depression(i was in a domestic violence marriage and only at the end found out my husband had been putting stuff in my cups of tea due to him having a preference for men.This meant that I frequently ate take away food as my husband would not shop for other food and I was not well enough to.The diet consisted largely of meat curries with rice or bread for sandwiches etc.On top of that when I was finally told I was pre-diabetic I was put on risperadol which itself is a risk factor for diabetes.i am still on that and zoloft in order to treat bipolar which hit me fully due to the stress of what I have livd through.I really value my health now and would appreciate knowing how to reverse diabetes if it is possible.i would follow any recommendations in order to avoid kidney disease.Thank you for any further info you can provide.Some doctors say its reversable and some don’t.What should I eat and when in order to reverse it.I am on two diabex 500mg pills per day in the evening before that meal.
Thank you for your message and your interest in Dr. Hyman’s work. Unfortunately, questions regarding conditions like these cannot be answered in a responsible manner via the Internet.
If you would like information on becoming a patient at The UltraWellness Center please see “How to Become a Patient” at http://www.ultrawellnesscenter.com. That site is designed to give prospective patients a comprehensive source of information about The UltraWellness Center. You may also feel free to call The UltraWellness Center at (413) 637 9991.
Regardless of becoming a patient at The UltraWellness Center, it sounds like you need to consult with a doctor. Please seek medical attention for the issues that you outlined in your message.
Wishing You the Best of Health!
THE BIGGIST PROBLEM I HAVE FOUND AFTER BEING TOLD I HAVE TYPE 2 DIABETAS IS FINDING GOOD INFORMATION THAT IS NOT FROM BIG PHARM. AND INCOMPETENT DOCTORS THAT I AM SENT TO SEE.
I just wanted to thank Dr.Mark Hyman for the valuable information he shares in his newsletters and website. Excellent!
My doctor, and most mainstream physicians have a pill for everything. If you talk to them about alternatives, like perhaps investigating the use of Niacin versus statin drugs, they don’t know what you’re talking about. How sad that conventionall medicine doesn’t talk very much with Alternative medicine. I guess there’s not enough greed dollars to be made in non-patented approaches to healing as opposed to patented medicines!
Thanks doc, keep up the fine work!
Although I have several of your books and seen your program, I am so confused by the conflicting information regarding Type 2. I was diagnosed approximately 5 months ago. I have lost 40-plus pounds and maintain my blood sugar under 100. It has been extraordinarily hard and I find myself immobilized by the lack of credible information.
Are there any statistics supporting your program? I really want to help myself and ensure that others are receiving care and meaningful information.
Scott
Are the tests at the end of Dr. Hyman’s post above listed in the order in which he recommends they be taken? And thanks for the great info!
New nutraceutical formulation called GalaChrom is available in the USA. Please contact for free consultation. Pslowinski@cox.net
thank you fou you post！
it is great!
i had for a couple of years systems of pcos – reading on the internet and found out it is expected from insulin resistance – took now for about 1 1/2 years about 1 teaspoon of cinnamon – the doctor before gave me hormontreatment and it didnt work – after 1 months cinnamon i had a period and after that regular – hair grows much less – i didnt have a big problem with weight – i eat much less sweet can i expect my body is no adjusted – for how long i have to expect to take cinnamon or take slowly less? i would be gratefull for an answer.
Thank you, Laila, for your message and your interest in Dr. Hyman’s work. Your question and constellation of symptoms represents a complex medical condition. Questions regarding conditions like these cannot be answered in a responsible manner via the Internet.
If you would like information on becoming a patient at The UltraWellness Center please see “How to Become a Patient” at http://www.ultrawellnesscenter.com. That site is designed to give prospective patients a comprehensive source of information about The UltraWellness Center. You may also feel free to call The UltraWellness Center at (413) 637 9991.
Regardless of becoming a patient at The UltraWellness Center, it sounds like you need to consult with a doctor. Please seek medical attention for the issues that you outlined in your message.
Wishing You the Best of Health!
Well, I really enjoy this article! It has pretty hot topic and delight and thoughtful thinking. Thank you for such a wonderful one for me! That can be so helpful!
I have type 2 diabetes – I am obese – I am trying to drop my weight by eating lots of vegis and fruit(with few results). I have been told it is irreveersible and have been taking Metformin for 10 years. Recently I have reduced my intake of Metformin because there are no notable changes in my blood readings with or without.
I love your article . I was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes in 1995, based on the evidence I believe it is reversible. I have you diabetes prescription book and tapes for over a year. I Read extensively other subject. I practise a discipline diet and lifestyle modification but my numbers are getting higher- diabetic, tryglecride, ldl, HDl is below 40. I have no belly fat. I am skinny. I am a total vegetarian for many years. I eat no junk food food for years. I am 55 years. I do brisk walking 5 days a week.
It seems I have type 1.5 diabetes.
Do you think my contdition is reversible with your program
I wantef to be in your program for yourp book. When I tried to fax the consent form it did go through.
Alo’ha,
I’m having great success w/ Gabriel Cousens’s green juicing. Lost a lot of weight and feel so much better. I’m just focusing on doing it at home. He has a very effective 28-day green juicing and raw food program in AZ assisting diabetics off all meds. I’ve been replacing 2 meals with green juices and have a low carb, healthy meal. And increasing my exercise!
Obesity is a serious and complicated eating disorder. We must stop beating ourselves up!
Low carb and Excercise Will do it , A1C is 5.5
Thank you Dr. Hyman. I was diagnosed 2 years ago with type2. I have been feeling very awful lately and stumbled accross your PBS special. It came at the perfect time. I ordered your book and am awaiting it’s delivery. I want to reverse this! I am tired of it and want to change. I feel I am so addicted to sugar, carbs, and fats. I know it’s going to be hard but want it so bad. I have been feeling bad pains in my feet and I will not allow this to kill me! Thank you for all your help.
This article was sent to me by a friend and I found this very enlightening..I have made drastic changes in my dietary habits after my sugar spike…
I am a 59 year old male who, for many years, had been referred to by my PCP as a “borderline” and “pre” diabetic. I believe it is a genetic trait that I carry, as my maternal grandmother, my mother and my brothers and sister were/are all diabetics.
After a two year battle to quit a three-pack-a-day smoking habit, I was finally smoke-free in mid 2006, but in the process I gained 70 POUNDS! Clinically and morbidly obese at 5’6″ tall and 270 pounds, I was then diagnosed with full blown Type 2 Diabetes.
After six years of nearly unsuccessful attempts to get my weight and sugar under control, I have only gotten down to 250 pounds and I am now on Metformin, Gliperzide, Victoza and Lantus, as well as numerous other heart and cholesterol meds. I had a cardiac episode a few years ago and had a stent implanted in my RCA. In addition, I am beginning to experience neuropathy in my toes. Bluntly, I’m a mess!
It is obvious to me that my problem started when I gained the weight and it is equally as obvious that losing the weight should reverse it. However, I have tried low carb/hi protine diets, glycemic index diets, hi fiber diets and several OTC diet pills, all to little or no avail.
I love vegetables and fruits of every kind and routinly eat leafy greens such as kale, chard, collards, cabbage and a wide variety of other veggies and fruits. Vegetables ALWAYS make up the largest part of my plate. Unfortunately I was raised in an obese Italian family, so starches are practically a part of my DNA. Although I can’t remember the last time I had a nice piece of crusty Italian bread (only eat whole wheat breads now), and I eat brown rice instead of white, I do still indulge in an occasional bowl of pasta, but not as often (or as much) as you might imagine. So why then can’t I lose weight?
You never know what to believe on the world wide web, but I’m starting to believe those who say that diabetes meds are keeping us fat! The exact same diets and exercise that worked to help me drop and extra ten or fifteen pounds when I was healthier, do absolutely nothing for my weight now. How can that be?
I realize I am pretty much just rambling here, but hopefully some other readers will identify with what I’m saying. In the mean time, any input you might want to suggest would be more than welcomed.