“Let food be thy medicine and let they medicine be food.” – Hippocrates
According to many doctors, including Dr. Joseph Mercola, Dr. Michelle Magee, Dr. Caldwell Esselstyn, Dr. Neal Barnard, Dr. T. Colin Campbell, and others, you absolutely can and should use diet and exercise to reverse your Type II diabetes. In fact they claim that it will be better for you in the long run and that the worst thing you can do for Type II diabetics is give them insulin and other drugs.
Many people in the past considered this to be crackpot science but now with studies done by the National Institute of Health it’s becoming mainstream to realize that diet and exercise will reverse Type II diabetes. But, no one said it’s easy. You have to be very strict with yourself, but the results will amaze you.
Food is the first thing and best thing you can control about your health. The National Institute of Health recommends a whole foods, plant-based diet, eliminating as much animal products and added fats from your diet as possible, as well as all forms of processed sugar and food to combat and reverse Type II diabetes.
Many Type II diabetes sufferers find that they have normal blood glucose levels within a couple of months on the program depending on how overweight they were, or how unhealthy they were to start with. The great thing about eating this way is that you don’t have to count calories, or go hungry. You can enjoy delicious dishes as long as they’re made from unprocessed whole, plant-based foods.
Just eat until you’re satisfied from a wide variety of healthy plant-based foods such as vegetables, legumes, nuts, seeds, and fruit. You can also add true whole grains like steal cut oats, brown rice, wild rice, and quinoa. But, most of your plate should be full of vegetables, especially leafy green ones. Eat fruit for dessert and as an addition to salads and smoothies.
Eating this way is very pleasant and many people find, after an initial adjustment period, that they prefer it. The only two supplements you may need when eating a whole food, plant-based diet are vitamin B12 and vitamin D. Check with your doctor about these two supplements to be sure.
The next thing you should take care of is your exercise needs. Compared to popular myth and TV shows like “Biggest Loser,” you need surprisingly little exercise to stay healthy. Most people can do with about 30 minutes of exercise five days a week. The trick is to not be sedentary.
If you have a sedentary job, defined as sitting for more than four hours a day, you may need to be particularly picky about getting more exercise. Try taking the steps instead of the elevator, and parking far distances in your car at stores. Try to get up and move around every 90 minutes. Ask your boss if you can get a stand up, or treadmill desk.