Reversing Type 2 Diabetes: I Learned in West What is Practiced in East

Type 2 Diabetes is at epidemic proportions. But it is preventable and even reversible – if caught soon enough – without any negative consequences or long term medical complications. In fact, the following are just two of the millions of stories of people who reversed diabetes in their lives…

Read Narayan’s and Jane’s inspiring personal stories – and please add your own story at the end of this article in “comments.”

A Personal Story by Narayan Singh

“Growing up in India, I ate the typical Indian diet. I used to play a lot of soccer and cricket and spent a lot of time outdoors.

When I graduated school, got married and began my work in the Foreign Service, everything changed. I lived all over the world and my work hours became extended. There was not much time for sports and physical activity, and I got busy with my family life. I was outdoors less and less. I also started eating more food that wasn’t traditional Indian food, more sweets. I had more access to money so I ate what I felt like without thinking about it. I began gaining weight.

After being stationed in the United States I was put on anxiety medications. I was having symptoms like heart palpitations. After one year I got pneumonia. The doctor found I was diabetic. This was a shock to me as I was still so young. The doctor told me about Katherine’s program and said if I changed my habits and lost some weight I may be able to control my blood sugar without medications. Well, I’m happy to say I achieved even more! My wife and I lost 25 pounds each. On top of that, I no longer take any medications- for anxiety or for diabetes.

While I was working with Katherine, my wife supported me, and she lost weight as well. We both chose a few of the Diet Simple strategies, and began cooking delicious meals. To some extent I have gone back to a more traditional Indian way of eating and living.

Now I feel good, very good, much better. My wife is also maintaining the weight she lost. Katherine explains things that you didn’t know before. Like WHY you need to be physically active. What it does for your metabolism. These are the kinds of things we are not always aware of generally. That kind of awareness is required to lose weight and change your lifestyle. I learned about my body and how my body functions. Now I feel that I don’t need to go to the doctor as much. One can keep away from medicine if one controls one’s diet and exercise.

My father in India maintains this lifestyle. He is now 80 and is still very energetic and free of most diseases. Ironically, I learned the value of my father’s habits from Katherine, who gently guided me into a lifestyle mixing ancient wisdom and practice with the science and technology of today.”

A Letter to Naryan from his Doctor

 “I can only report a miraculous conversion from severe risk for diabetes to absolutely no evidence for diabetes at all. Your work … and your weight loss has paid off dramatically…Your current diet must be working beautifully. I recommend that you continue it.”

“Also with this diet, your cholesterol profile has improved dramatically.”

“These are such dramatic improvements that I can only say that your health must be truly excellent now. But you must maintain this, Mr. Singh, for the rest of your life… remain vigilant. The pre-diabetes and cholesterol is out there and it may come back. My recommendation to you is that you get your blood tests checked at least once a year for the rest of your life, and certainly if you leave the United States, I’d try to keep up that regimen as well. I think you can do it.”

“Congratulations for a truly wonderful improvement in your health.”

A Personal Story from Jane

“Dear Katherine, you may not remember me, but I worked with you in the early 2000s to try to get my weight under control — I am 5’8” and had gained to 235 lbs after years of practicing law, not taking care of myself, and never losing the weight I had gained prior to beginning treatment for Hashimoto’s in the late 1990s.  I did lose about 15-20 pounds while working with you, and kept it off, but I allowed the demands of my work to divert me from continuing with you long enough to get down to a healthy weight.  I just read the article ‘Reversing Diabetes’ in the latest edition of your e-mail newsletter, and I wanted to share my experience with you and let you know how much having worked with you has helped me over time.

In late 2010, at the age of 60, I was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes — an A1C of 10.3 and fasting blood sugars in the 290 range (not to mention an LDL of 190).  Dr. M (whom I believe you know and who had sent me to you years earlier), spent a lot of time with me, explaining what I needed to do both to lose weight (I was at 205 lbs) and get my blood sugar under control.  Miraculously, I went out and did it.  Having worked with you and read your book Diet Simple helped and encouraged me enormously.  Although Dr. M initially wanted me on medication (he had every reason to assume I would never do what was needed myself or that, even if I did, it would not have the necessary results), he gave me the chance to try without medication. 

For the past 6 months, I have been at a normal, healthy weight, and — with the healthy diet and exercise that I have made an indispensable part of my daily life, thanks in large part to your influence — for the past 6 months and more – I have had normal A1C’s (5.8 or below), normal fasting blood sugars (in the 70 – 100 range) on a consistent basis, and my LDL is around 100.  I can even eat the occasional sweets (but only when it is worth it, like a reasonably-sized piece of one of my niece’s wonderful Southern cakes) without any negative consequences on my blood sugar.  I don’t think Dr. M would say that my diabetes is “reversed,” because that is not part of the medical protocols (it should be, but it isn’t), but he has been amazed at the results of something as simple as doing what he — and you — told me to do!  I am also fortunate that my natural insulin production does not appear to have been compromised.

Thank you for the wonderful work you do, your influence on me and so many others, and your newsletter.  Keep the good articles coming!”

With warm regards,  Jane

Please share your own story in “comments” below!