Is Type 2 Diabetes Reversible Mayo Clinic

Diabetes

Overview Diabetes mellitus refers to a group of diseases that affect how your body uses blood sugar (glucose). Glucose is vital to your health because it's an important source of energy for the cells that make up your muscles and tissues. It's also your brain's main source of fuel. If you have diabetes, no matter what type, it means you have too much glucose in your blood, although the causes may differ. Too much glucose can lead to serious health problems. Chronic diabetes conditions include type 1 diabetes and type 2 diabetes. Potentially reversible diabetes conditions include prediabetes — when your blood sugar levels are higher than normal, but not high enough to be classified as diabetes — and gestational diabetes, which occurs during pregnancy but may resolve after the baby is delivered. Symptoms Diabetes symptoms vary depending on how much your blood sugar is elevated. Some people, especially those with prediabetes or type 2 diabetes, may not experience symptoms initially. In type 1 diabetes, symptoms tend to come on quickly and be more severe. Some of the signs and symptoms of type 1 and type 2 diabetes are: Increased thirst Frequent urination Extreme hunger Unexplained weight loss Presence of ketones in the urine (ketones are a byproduct of the breakdown of muscle and fat that happens when there's not enough available insulin) Fatigue Irritability Blurred vision Slow-healing sores Frequent infections, such as gums or skin infections and vaginal infections Although type 1 diabetes can develop at any age, it typically appears during childhood or adolescence. Type 2 diabetes, the more common type, can develop at any age, though it's more common in people older than 40. When to see a doctor If you suspect you or your child may have diabetes. If you notice any p Continue reading >>

Conventional Wisdom Fails To Produce Benefit In Type 2 Diabetes

The only real solution, according to this naturopathic doctor, is a concerted effort of diet, lifestyle and proper dietary supplementation. We are nearing a tipping point in the realization that the over reliance on drug therapy in treating chronic diseases like type 2 diabetes is literally a dead end. A new study published by Mayo Clinic researchers finally states what has been demonstrated repeatedly in the medical literature: physicians have been sold a false bill of goods on the benefits of drugs like metformin in altering the course of diabetes. The conventional wisdom is that since elevations in blood sugar levels are associated with the complications of diabetes, tightly controlling blood sugar levels with drugs should stop the progression of the disease and extend life expectancy. However, that does not appear to be the case. The researchers themselves concluded that “despite guidelines that confidently recommend tight glucose control for preventing complications of type 2 diabetes, there is little evidence that this approach helps patients.” Wow—that is clearly setting the record straight to all doctors who have drank the Kool-Aid of what the drug companies have been selling them for years. There are obvious reasons why the drugs don’t work. They are short-sighted. Yes, they can effectively improve the key numbers, but sometimes numbers do lie. The drug approach does not truly alter the progression of the disease. Fortunately, there is a more rational and effective approach that not only achieves the real benefits of tight blood glucose control but also can reverse type 2 diabetes. Short-term improvements do not equal long-term benefits While the drugs are quite effective in the short term, they create a false sense of security and ultimately fail by st Continue reading >>

What Is The Mayo Clinic Diabetes Diet?

The Mayo Clinic Diet Plan encompasses more than adjusting eating habits and is a complete lifestyle change program. Dieters are provided with tools and advice that will help them to let go of negative behaviors while incorporating positive habits. For the first two weeks dieters follow the ‘lose it’ phase, which helps to kick-start weight loss and allow dieters to lose up to ten pounds. After these initial two weeks dieters progress to the ‘live it’ phase, which is followed over the long term for healthy weight management. The authors say that the key to weight loss is to eliminate five bad habits, adopt five good habits and, over the longer term, take on five bonus habits. Adopt Five Good Habits: Eat a healthy breakfast, but don’t eat too much. Eat at least 3 to 4 servings of vegetables and fruits a day. Eat whole grains, such as whole-grain bread. Eat healthy fats, such as olive oil and nuts. Walk or exercise for at least 30 minutes a day. Eliminate Five Bad Habits: Don’t watch TV while eating, and spend no more time watching TV than you do exercising. Eat no sugar except what is naturally found in fruit. Eat no snacks except vegetables and fruits. Limit the amount of meat and low-fat dairy that you eat. Eat no restaurant food unless it fits in the diet program. Add five bonus habits: Keep records of what you eat. Keep records of your physical activity. Walk or exercise at least 60 minutes a day. Eat mostly fresh foods and healthy frozen or canned foods. Write down your daily goals. Continue reading >>

Youth-onset Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: Lessons Learned From The Today Study

Jump to Section Abstract Type 2 diabetes mellitus is increasingly diagnosed in obese children and adolescents. Evidence suggests that this disease commonly progresses more rapidly in youth compared with adults and is associated with high rates of early microalbuminuria, hypertension, and dyslipidemia. The Treatment Options for Type 2 Diabetes in Adolescents and Youth (TODAY) study was the first multiethnic, multicenter randomized trial in the United States to compare 3 treatment approaches in obese youth with new-onset type 2 diabetes (n=699; ages 10-17 years): monotherapy with metformin, metformin with rosiglitazone, and metformin with an intensive lifestyle intervention. The primary outcome was glycemic control. Diabetes-related complications and cardiovascular risk factors were also examined. Approximately half of the participants could not maintain glycemic control by using metformin alone. Combination therapy with metformin and rosiglitazone resulted in better durability of glycemic control, and metformin plus intensive lifestyle intervention was intermediate but not superior to metformin alone. Deterioration in glycemic control was associated with rapid loss of beta cell function, not worsened insulin sensitivity, and could not be explained by differences in adherence or body mass index. After 3.9 years, 236 (33.8%) of participants had hypertension and 116 participants (16.6%) had microalbuminuria. Only 55.9% of participants had a low-density lipoprotein cholesterol level less than 100 mg/dL (to convert to mmol/L, multiply by 0.0259) after 3 years, and 71 of 517 participants (13.7%) had retinopathy. The significance of the findings from this important trial for the management of youth and young adults with youth-onset type 2 diabetes and its complications is discu Continue reading >>

New Study Questions Type 2 Diabetes Treatment

Kelly Crowe is a medical sciences correspondent for CBC News, specializing in health and biomedical research. She joined CBC in 1991, and has spent 25 years reporting on a wide range of national news and current affairs, with a particular interest in science and medicine. It's a curious case of missing evidence. When a diabetes specialist searched the medical literature looking for proof to support the use of glucose-lowering drugs for Type 2 diabetes, he couldn't find it. That absence of evidence raises questions about one of the most firmly entrenched beliefs in modern medicine — that tightly controlling elevated blood sugar will reduce the risk of death, stroke, kidney failure, blindness and other dire outcomes associated with Type 2 diabetes. "Does controlling your sugars reduce the risk of complications?" Dr. Victor Montori, of the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., asked in a paper released this month in the journal Circulation: Cardiovascular Quality and Outcomes. "Most experts say yes. The evidence appears to say 'not so fast.'" Conventional wisdom challenged Right now, millions of people are taking glucose-lowering drugs, routinely pricking their finger to check their blood sugar level, and fretting over test results that aren't as low as their doctor wants them to be in hopes of avoiding the dire outcomes associated with the disease. But with the drugs comes the risk of side-effects including weight gain and, if blood sugar falls too low, dizziness, coma or even death. Add to that the distress of being branded with a "disease" based on a routine blood test, even though most of the people diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes have no symptoms. "We have taken for granted or assumed that the evidence was very clear that if you control you blood sugars tightly, you will Continue reading >>

What Is The Best Way To Reverse Type 2 Diabetes?

Most people have arrived at the state of Type 2 Diabetes because of three factors: 1) Their pancreas has max’ed out on insulin production (usually after increasing insulin production >800%) and the beta cells are in a state of exhaustion, bordering on literal suicide. 2) The adipose tissue mass, especially in the abdomen has increased, developed insulin resistance and is now chronically inflamed by a deficiency of Macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF) and similar cytokines. 3) Deconditioned muscles no longer properly process fats and sugars, are among the organs with insulin resistance. Note I did not say they have been overeating, because there is no reason to rehash the obvious and give an answer which is doesn’t add much to our understanding or historically useful action. How to best fix the system? Fix the largest (potential) metabolic organ in the body - skeletal muscle. Eating small meals is like attempting to tiptoe around the sleeping lion, a temporizing method at best. Bariatric surgery violates Loeb’s Law (Don’t let the surgeon get ahold of your patient ;-)) but seriously has a significant ten-year failure rate and low calorie diet alone contradicts a millennium of evolved metabolic, self-preservation mechanisms. There are three mutually prongs to the best strategy: Diet (Low carbohydrate, possibly with higher fat versus protein) Aerobic exercise Progressive weight training There is plenty of research supporting this including the ADA’s website. If you wish to see a video explaining the scientific basis, check out this YouTube video by yours truly: With Type 2 Diabetes, A Randomized Controlled Trial JAMA. 2010;304(20):2253-2262 Continue reading >>

Is Type 2 Diabetes Reversible?

Type 2 diabetes is a serious, long-term medical condition. It develops mostly in adults but is becoming more common in children as obesity rates rise across all age groups. Several factors contribute to type 2 diabetes. Being overweight or obese is the biggest risk factor. Type 2 diabetes can be life-threatening. But if treated carefully, it can be managed or even reversed. Your pancreas makes a hormone called insulin. When your blood sugar (glucose) levels rise, the pancreas releases insulin. This causes sugar to move from your blood to your cells, where it can be used as an energy source. As glucose levels in your blood go back down, your pancreas stops releasing insulin. Type 2 diabetes impacts how you metabolize sugar. Either your pancreas doesn’t produce enough insulin or your body has become resistant to its effects. This causes glucose to build up in the blood. This is called hyperglycemia. There are several symptoms of untreated type 2 diabetes, including: excessive thirst and urination fatigue increased hunger weight loss, in spite of eating more infections that heal slowly blurry vision dark patches on the skin Treatment for type 2 diabetes includes monitoring your blood sugar levels and using medications or insulin when needed. Doctors also recommend losing weight through diet and exercise. Some diabetes medications have weight loss as a side effect, which can also help reverse diabetes. If you start eating healthier, get more exercise, and lose weight, you can reduce your symptoms. Research shows that these lifestyle changes, especially physical activity, can even reverse the course of the condition. Studies that show the reversal of type 2 diabetes include participants who have lived with the condition for only a few years. Weight loss is the primary fact Continue reading >>

Type 2 Diabetes

Print Diagnosis To diagnose type 2 diabetes, you'll be given a: Glycated hemoglobin (A1C) test. This blood test indicates your average blood sugar level for the past two to three months. It measures the percentage of blood sugar attached to hemoglobin, the oxygen-carrying protein in red blood cells. The higher your blood sugar levels, the more hemoglobin you'll have with sugar attached. An A1C level of 6.5 percent or higher on two separate tests indicates you have diabetes. A result between 5.7 and 6.4 percent is considered prediabetes, which indicates a high risk of developing diabetes. Normal levels are below 5.7 percent. If the A1C test isn't available, or if you have certain conditions — such as if you're pregnant or have an uncommon form of hemoglobin (known as a hemoglobin variant) — that can make the A1C test inaccurate, your doctor may use the following tests to diagnose diabetes: Random blood sugar test. A blood sample will be taken at a random time. Blood sugar values are expressed in milligrams per deciliter (mg/dL) or millimoles per liter (mmol/L). Regardless of when you last ate, a random blood sugar level of 200 mg/dL (11.1 mmol/L) or higher suggests diabetes, especially when coupled with any of the signs and symptoms of diabetes, such as frequent urination and extreme thirst. Fasting blood sugar test. A blood sample will be taken after an overnight fast. A fasting blood sugar level less than 100 mg/dL (5.6 mmol/L) is normal. A fasting blood sugar level from 100 to 125 mg/dL (5.6 to 6.9 mmol/L) is considered prediabetes. If it's 126 mg/dL (7 mmol/L) or higher on two separate tests, you have diabetes. Oral glucose tolerance test. For this test, you fast overnight, and the fasting blood sugar level is measured. Then you drink a sugary liquid, and blood s Continue reading >>

Symptoms

Print Overview Diabetes mellitus refers to a group of diseases that affect how your body uses blood sugar (glucose). Glucose is vital to your health because it's an important source of energy for the cells that make up your muscles and tissues. It's also your brain's main source of fuel. If you have diabetes, no matter what type, it means you have too much glucose in your blood, although the causes may differ. Too much glucose can lead to serious health problems. Chronic diabetes conditions include type 1 diabetes and type 2 diabetes. Potentially reversible diabetes conditions include prediabetes — when your blood sugar levels are higher than normal, but not high enough to be classified as diabetes — and gestational diabetes, which occurs during pregnancy but may resolve after the baby is delivered. Diabetes symptoms vary depending on how much your blood sugar is elevated. Some people, especially those with prediabetes or type 2 diabetes, may not experience symptoms initially. In type 1 diabetes, symptoms tend to come on quickly and be more severe. Some of the signs and symptoms of type 1 and type 2 diabetes are: Increased thirst Frequent urination Extreme hunger Unexplained weight loss Presence of ketones in the urine (ketones are a byproduct of the breakdown of muscle and fat that happens when there's not enough available insulin) Fatigue Irritability Blurred vision Slow-healing sores Frequent infections, such as gums or skin infections and vaginal infections Although type 1 diabetes can develop at any age, it typically appears during childhood or adolescence. Type 2 diabetes, the more common type, can develop at any age, though it's more common in people older than 40. When to see a doctor If you suspect you or your child may have diabetes. If you notice any poss Continue reading >>

Doctors Admit That Type 2 Diabetes Can Be Reversed!

List of Doctors: Type 2 Diabetes Can Be Reversed! Dr. Mehmet Oz: Diabetes Is Treatable and Reversible Dr. Neal Barnard Tells Dr. Oz on Oprah Winfrey Show: Type 2 Diabetes Can Be Reversed With Diet Dr. Gabriel Cousens: You Can Reverse Diabetes With Raw Food Dr. Joel Fuhrman: Heart Disease and Diabetes Are Easy to Reverse Dr. Mark Hyman: Type 2 Diabetes Is Reversible Next Steps: Start Reversing Your Diabetes Today Author's Perspective: Although there is no medically-approved cure for Type 2 diabetes, there is a lot of evidence that indicates that you can definitely control the disease and prevent the development of the complications such as amputation, kidney failure, and blindness. In addition, there is evidence that you can reverse the cellular and tissue damage caused by the diabetes and its complications -- as long as your body obtains the key nutrients to facilitate the healing and repair processes. Unfortunately, healthcare professionals including doctors, nurses, diabetes educators, and others receive their formal education from various universities and colleges. During their education process, they are taught how to treat most diseases with various drugs. Interestingly, many of the universities and colleges receive funding from the pharmaceutical industry, giving this industry the "right" and the power to dictate course curriculum! Of course, no one is going to admit this, but, think about it: With all of these smart and educated people, not one single doctor or healthcare professional believes that there is or could be a cure for a disease such as Type 2 diabetes? Really? The above was the perspective of most medical experts concerning Type 2 diabetes several years ago. But, slowly and gradually, their thinking has begun to change! Doctors are good people -- they Continue reading >>

Diabetes Mellitus

Overview: Types of Diabetes Mellitus Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a common disease in which the blood sugar (glucose) is abnormally elevated. Normally, the body obtains glucose from food, and additional glucose is made in the liver. The pancreas produces insulin, which enables glucose to enter cells and serve as fuel for the body. In patients with diabetes, glucose accumulates in the blood instead of being properly transported into cells. Excess blood sugar is a serious problem that may damage the blood vessels, heart, kidneys, and other organs. About 5-10% of patients with diabetes are diagnosed with type 1 diabetes mellitus, an autoimmune disorder in which the immune system mistakenly attacks the insulin-producing beta cells in the pancreas, causing the organ to no longer produce insulin. Type 1 DM most commonly occurs in children or young adults, and the incidence of new cases is increasing. Approximately 90-95% of people with diabetes have type 2 diabetes mellitus, which occurs when the body becomes unable to use the insulin produced by the pancreas. This condition is also called insulin resistance. The prevalence of type 2 DM is increasing dramatically worldwide. In the past, type 2 DM was associated with adulthood; however, it is rapidly increasing in children because of the rise in childhood obesity. Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) occurs during pregnancy. This form of diabetes usually resolves after delivery, but patients with GDM have an increased risk of developing type 2 DM later in life. Causes and Risk Factors Type 1 DM is an autoimmune disorder and the exact cause is unknown. Causes may include genetic factors, environmental factors, and viruses. For type 2 DM, the major risk factors include a family history of type 2 DM, increased age, obesity, and a sed Continue reading >>

Is Type 2 Diabetes Reversible?

I just wrote an answer to this question about 5 minutes ago and will answer it again because it is so very important for you and for millions of other people. The answer to your question is yes. From my personal experience Type 2 Diabetes can be reversed. In March of 2017 I was diagnosed with Type II Diabetes. It really scared me. My father was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes at 60 and I watched him have to inject insulin 2 times a day. His body still deteriorated due to the diabetes. I did not want to end up like that. I was a chocoholic and ate huge portions. I was too heavy for my height and did not get enough exercise. I immediately got on the internet and started researching for cures for Type II Diabetes. I read all the information at the American Diabetes Association website and was thoroughly depressed. I was being told that I had a progressive disease with no cure that would last the rest of my life and finally cause my death. I learned that I would have to take progressively stronger medications to control my diabetes and BG, (Blood glucose levels). I decided that this path was not for me. I knew there had to be a cure for this terrible disease even if all these doctors and pharmaceutical companies were saying that there is no cure. I read everything I could find on T2 Diabetes. Causes, treatments, reversal and cure. I decided that changing my diet drastically to a low carb high fat diet, LCHF, was the way to go. I found a great deal of good information at Diet Doctor - Making low carb simple. So I did it. I absolutely changed my diet completely from that day. It was very difficult. My body was craving carbohydrates, especially sweets. I had physical flu symptoms from the body adjusting to this new diet. I used meditation and mindful eating to get through those Continue reading >>

What If Type 2 Diabetes Could Be Completely Reversed

I have recently spent more time in drugs stores than I would like helping my sister on her journey through (and hopefully to the other side of) cancer. Rite Aid, CVS and Walgreens all had large diabetes sections offering support for a “diabetes lifestyle” — glucose monitors, lancets, blood pressure cuffs, medications, supplements and pharmacy magazines heavily supported by pharmaceutical advertising. Patients are encouraged to get their eye check ups, monitor their blood pressure, track their blood sugars, have foot exams and see their doctor regularly for better management of their blood sugars — all apparently sensible advice for diabetics. But ? What if it weren’t, as we believe, an inexorable, progressive disease that has to be better “managed” by our health care system with better drugs, surgery and coordination of care? What if intensive lifestyle and dietary changes could completely reverse diabetes? A ground breaking new study in Diabetologia proved that, indeed, Type 2 diabetes can be reversed through diet changes, and, the study showed, this can happen quickly: in one to eight weeks. That turns our perspective on diabetes upside down. Diabetes is not a one-way street. We used to believe that once cells in your pancreas that make insulin (beta cells) poop out there was no reviving them and your only hope was more medication or insulin. We now know that is not so. Continuing misconceptions about what causes diabetes and our unwillingness to embrace methods know to reverse it have lead to a catastrophic increase in the illness. Today one in four Americans over 60 years old has Type 2 diabetes. By 2020, one in two Americans will have pre-diabetes or diabetes. Tragically, physicians will miss the diagnosis for 90 percent with pre-diabetes or diabetes. Continue reading >>

What Are The Benefits And Disadvantages Of Caffeine?

There are many conflicting reports about coffee but on the whole, it's likely that coffee has a mild net positive effect on health. The problem with coffee data is that, as in many things that are lifestyle related, there are confounding variables such as diet, obesity or lack thereof, exercise, smoking, alcohol which are all independent risk factors for poor health outcomes such as diabetes and cancer. Epidemiology studies are always fraught with design flaws and need to be taken with a modicum of skepticism. In 1981, there was a study in the NEJM, the leading medical journal linking coffee to pancreatic cancer. A lot of people put away their coffee mugs after that. But many studies subsequently refuted the coffee and pancreatic cancer link, and that 1981 study became an example of study design flaw and selection bias. Coffee and Cancer of the Pancreas — NEJM CTSpedia.EgBiasCancer A meta-analysis of coffee consumption and pancreatic cancer This is from the Mayo Clinic: Recent studies have generally found no connection between coffee and an increased risk of cancer or heart disease. In fact, most studies find an association between coffee consumption and decreased overall mortality and possibly cardiovascular mortality, although this may not be true in younger people who drink large amounts of coffee. Why the apparent reversal in the thinking about coffee? Earlier studies didn't always take into account that known high-risk behaviors, such as smoking and physical inactivity, tended to be more common among heavy coffee drinkers at that time. Studies have shown that coffee may have health benefits, including protecting against Parkinson's disease, type 2 diabetes and liver disease, including liver cancer. It also appears to improve cognitive function and decrease the ri Continue reading >>

Am I Cured Of Diabetes?

When it comes to type 2 diabetes, these three words are everywhere: reversal, remission and cure. There are so many people who claim to have the answer to type 2 diabetes either through a diet plan or supplement. They claim to have a cure or that they can reverse your type 2. The argument that ensues takes offense at the idea that type 2 can be cured or reversed or even put into remission. I think that the evolution around these arguments stems from the irritation we feel when people tell us, “All you have to do is this…and you’re cured.” Sometimes, we get hypersensitive, and I’m as much to blame as anyone else. So let’s take a look at these three words. Here are the definitions taken from a medical dictionary: Reversal: a change to an opposite condition, direction, or position.Remission: a temporary or permanent decrease or subsidence of manifestations of a disease. Cure: a restoration of health; recovery from disease. Let’s say I’m someone who has type 2 diabetes (Hey! I DO have type 2 diabetes! Not much of a stretch, eh?) and I find a food plan that I think will work for me and I try it. I work hard at lowering my bg numbers. I exercise. I kick diabete’s butt. So now I have an A1c of 6.0 percent, which is pretty darn good for someone with diabetes. Based on the definitions above, have I reversed my diabetes or put it into remission? Am I cured? Well, I could say that it’s reversed because I have changed the direction of my disease. My blood glucose was going up and now it’s going down: reversal. I could also say that my diabetes is in remission because I have a decrease in the manifestations of the disease. As for cured, I may have restored my health but I have not recovered from the disease. In all three cases, diabetes is still there lurking, Continue reading >>