How to reverse diabetes and lose 93 pounds without hunger
Before and after
What an amazing transformation. Peter struggled for a long time with his weight. He tried every possible diet but always ended up failing because of how ravenous he felt while on them.
At 32, Peter was told he had type 2 diabetes. And, the advice he received after being diagnosed only made things worse.
Finally, out of desperation, Peter searched for dietary resources on Google. That’s when he found Diet Doctor. Here’s what happened:
Peter’s story
Hi Diet Doctor!
First of all, I would like to thank you for all you are doing. The information you and others share were life saving for me.
My name is Peter Szombati and I live in Transylvania, Romania and this is my story. I was a normal-weight child and had normal weight until my early 20s, when I weighed about 185 pounds (85 kilos). Then I started to work at a place were I had to sit a lot and started to ignore homemade food and opted for fast food and soft drinks.
From 185 pounds (85 kilos) in my early 20s, I went to 309 pounds (140 kilos) at 25. It didn’t get any better even though I have tried every possible diet. I always lost some weight but put it all back on in the next months because I was always hungry.
Eventually, when I turned 32, my blood results showed I was a type 2 diabetic. I was always tired, was sweating a lot, was always thirsty etc. My doctor gave me a “type 2 diabetic” guide book. I still have it today, even though it is rubbish. The first picture you see when you open the book is that deceiving food pyramid.
Anyway, I started to live like the food pyramid says (no more coca cola, but orange juice, whole grain breads, low-fat stuff) and my diabetes got worse, I got fatter and more tired than I was before.
Now the problem was that I am also married and have two little boys and a beautiful wife and had no physical or mental power for the entire time. This went on like this until May 2014, with a lot of stress because the way I looked (stress for me) and the way I felt (always tired). In March 2014 my doctor told me that my metformin was no longer enough (taken for 2 years), so that he would have to put me on insulin soon.
I have an aunt who has had type 2 diabetes for some years and she was on insulin and that scared the hell out of me. I didn’t like to poke my fingers all day long for my blood-sugar testing, and now I was going to take insulin shots all the time, and that for life?! I was scared and my weight was at 317 pounds (144 kilos.)
After meeting with my doctor I went home and researched (without a lot of optimism, because the doctor told me diabetes type 2 is for life, I should get used to it) first on google. I was surprised how much info I found by the first hit. Then I started to select the info I found and read day and night. I could not stop reading and the information I found (from you and other professors and doctors) was impressive.
I had started my journey, skeptical but with a positive mind, because I had always liked real food in my past, I just had got disconnected from it for some reasons…
In my first month I lost 22 pounds (10 kilos). I know, it was water. But I also measured my blood glucose levels every day (about 6 times) and realized after just 2 weeks of LCHF that I didnt need the medication anymore, my blood glucose levels went down from 185 (with metformin) to 75 – 90 (with food). My mental and physical energy went from -100 to +500. Since then I am so fit, I guess I never was like this before.
My diet is a very strict LCHF. I’m now a year into my new life and I have lost 93 pounds (42 kilos), I always have energy and am an active husband and father. I found a new passion, I cook together with my wife really delicious foods. I could not have imagined doing this before.
In the past I also had severe sleep apnea and stressful snoring. All is gone. My blood results have all improved. I’m including some before and after pictures.
Thank you for informing people. I also inform by giving the information to my friends, family and to all the people I meet who mention they would like to change. My biggest dream is to become an LCHF-registered nutritionist some day, because I love to speak and spread the truth.
I have watched all your posted videos on this theme, but also the ones of Dr. Volek and Dr. Attia. All are very impressive works on health of humanity and I just hope that the message gets through to people.
With all my respect,
Peter
Comment
What a fantastic success story Peter, congratulations and best of luck in helping others!
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For the question about the reaction from my diabetes doctor: After treating me 2 years with metformin and then in march 2014 telling me this was not enough anymore and we need to think about insulin soon - after seeing my results, the reaction was this: " I think you didn´t even have type 2 diabetes at all." WHAT???
This explanation you've given is the best as it shows your direction and good intentions:
"Giving away EVERYTHING for free means we'll have to sell out to advertisers, affiliate marketers, corporate sponsorships etc. instead. We don't want to do that as we feel it would be selling our credibility.
On this site you'll instead find 100% ad-free and independent information, no strings attached, supported by our members."
As long as you intend to protect your readers from corporate vultures, why not tell us this more? Reading this certainly made me feel like supporting you.
Instead the approach used to "sell" seems manipulative. Enticing readers with what appears to be important and free information only to learn it is not all free. Readers are manipulated to feel pain from not knowing all the information. They then either "buy" and feel relief that the "pain" has subsided (and there's more behind that psychology)... Or they don't buy and then feel the "loss" and therefore more "pain". Hence why they come here and whinge... because they've been emotionally manipulated.... but not by their own choice.
So, the question is... is there really no other approach you can use to sell memberships? How about selling based on your good intentions? Why use a method that many other profit driven e-businesses use?
Nonetheless, you do good work with your team and for that I am truly grateful. All the best!
@Sunshine - I think Andreas provides enough free information for the first steps of any newcomer's journey. Andreas has to put bread on his table too... bacon, I mean bacon!
http://www.wheatbellyblog.com/2015/06/wheat-belly-works-no-matter-wha...
I am thrilled by your results. I am sad, though, that most diabetics and obese people still believe the FALSE corporate line (diabetes not curable, sick for life, take your pills or else) and that most physicians do not even brush on the subject of diet and exercise, which are central to diabetes treatment (types 1 and 2). Keep on spreading the news as to how you dramatically improved (and saved yourself from suffering diabetes complications) so that more people just like you will be able to live to see their kids grow. Congrats. You truly are an inspiration!
I shared my health benefits on LCHF/Paleo in a guest blog post at Strictly Paleoish last week.
Hope to inspire a lot of people around the world with my story.
http://strictlypaleoish.com/guest-post-birgitta-hoglund-of-lchf-made-...
You can now enjoy your time with your family without tiredness and/or breathlessness. You are an inspiration.
Kindest regards x
Please consider using a more accurate and sensitive term like "remission."
Diabetes. 2014 Sep;63(9):2962-76. doi: 10.2337/db13-1459. Epub 2014 May 8.
Altered DNA methylation and differential expression of genes influencing metabolism and inflammation in adipose tissue from subjects with type 2 diabetes.
Nilsson E1, Jansson PA2, Perfilyev A3, Volkov P3, Pedersen M4, Svensson MK5, Poulsen P6, Ribel-Madsen R7, Pedersen NL8, Almgren P9, Fadista J9, Rönn T3, Klarlund Pedersen B4, Scheele C4, Vaag A7, Ling C10.
Author information
Abstract
Genetics, epigenetics, and environment may together affect the susceptibility for type 2 diabetes (T2D). Our aim was to dissect molecular mechanisms underlying T2D using genome-wide expression and DNA methylation data in adipose tissue from monozygotic twin pairs discordant for T2D and independent case-control cohorts. In adipose tissue from diabetic twins, we found decreased expression of genes involved in oxidative phosphorylation; carbohydrate, amino acid, and lipid metabolism; and increased expression of genes involved in inflammation and glycan degradation. The most differentially expressed genes included ELOVL6, GYS2, FADS1, SPP1 (OPN), CCL18, and IL1RN. We replicated these results in adipose tissue from an independent case-control cohort. Several candidate genes for obesity and T2D (e.g., IRS1 and VEGFA) were differentially expressed in discordant twins. We found a heritable contribution to the genome-wide DNA methylation variability in twins. Differences in methylation between monozygotic twin pairs discordant for T2D were subsequently modest. However, 15,627 sites, representing 7,046 genes including PPARG, KCNQ1, TCF7L2, and IRS1, showed differential DNA methylation in adipose tissue from unrelated subjects with T2D compared with control subjects. A total of 1,410 of these sites also showed differential DNA methylation in the twins discordant for T2D. For the differentially methylated sites, the heritability estimate was 0.28. We also identified copy number variants (CNVs) in monozygotic twin pairs discordant for T2D.
Taken together, subjects with T2D exhibit multiple transcriptional and epigenetic changes in adipose tissue relevant to the development of the disease.
As I said before, there are many people that claim that you can prevent or reverse diabetes but the science does not support that. I don't disagree that environment and lifestyle are an element of how genes can express and how T2 diabetes can progress to the point where your blood sugar gets out of whack, you become overweight and suffer metabolic disturbance. But there is no evidence that you can undo the expression of these genes and the damage that comes from their expression. It is just inaccurate and misleading to use the term "reversal" because it implies that once you have suppressed the symptoms of diabetes you can just go back to your old life. You can't. Please use the term remission.
Never commented before but have spent years reading and researching etc. I believe in what you say to be true.
I believe that it is largely environmental (lifestyle and diet related).
Sometimes I underestimate the lifestyle change required to turn my health around; that is to stop doing what caused it in the first place; ie, high processed carbs and refined sugar, stress and lack of activity. Obviously it is for life, so what. It is worth it.
Eating in excess ( esp. Carbs?) Will of course increase the fat in and around your organs. Were else is to go?
I admit I crave carbs, due to the dopamine high in the short term but is not worth the long term consequences and serious complications of poor health and early death.
A very active lean non diabetic friend of mine and I regularly practise 'IF' (intermittent fasting) which I do icw with LC. When done on a regular basis, I have found that this eliminates my two main symptoms of thirst and sugar in the urine. This practise translates to one moderate meal a day.
I guess that I am using up my fat stores, I feel
Light and energetic and happy. I still have plenty of energy for activity. If I am ravenous and have truly earn't the need to refuel I sometimes will have a snack of say some nuts or half an omlette, till dinner. I an skinny fat so icw with weights and other activities, ' IF' seems to have been helpful. My lean friend, who is ripped says he too has benefited in his chosen sport and a little weight loss. Dr Jason Fung also talks about fasting but we both have trouble sticking toa fast above 20 hours due to the initial hunger you feel. Apparently the hunger leaves after 2-3 days but much longer, it is generally recommended that it be supervised and with complete rest.
I believe that we can completely overcome this set of symptoms with a permanent diet and lifestyle change. Come on people you can do it!
For starters try being with a friend(s) in nature more, go for interesting nature/bush/forest walks, climb or ride or swim if it is safe for you to do so. KEEP TRYING UNTIL YOU FIND WHAT WORKS FOR YOU AND YOUR LIFE. YOU CAN DO IT .. AND YOU ARE WORTH IT.
Amanda
Sydney
Australia
I am allergic to Metformin.
Diabetes can be changed without medication and the recommended diet:
Your plate consists of 50% vegetables without carbs; 25% carbs; and 25% protein.
God Bless
Tamarah
Maybe you should read more about the hormone Insulin, and Leptin. And also the enzyme mTor (Mammalian Target of Ramapycin). Diabetic is Not a Disease Blood Sugar. Cholesterol is Not the Cause of Heart Disease. Look up on Dr. Ron Rosedale's website.
To Diet Doctor, great work. Keep up the good work.
Metta (Loving Kindness)
I am starting this diet now and I can't wait to see all these changes
Greetings from Hungary :)
Have a look at this:
https://www.dietdoctor.com/low-carb/recipes?s=&st=recipe&kd...