Medication cannot "defeat" diabetes. They serve an important role in the management of diabetes. Some claim to slow the progression of the consequences of diabetes. This is likely true for some medications. However, they do not reverse diabetes. They do not halt the consequences (sequeli).

It is possible for MOST people with type 2 diabetes to gain victory! Type 1 diabetes can also achieve excellent result and decrease the likelihood of suffering the damage diabetes can cause.

I want to walk with you on your journey toward defeating diabetes. Medication may be part of the plan (for sure if you are type 1). But we will use many other tools.

There is a process to making the necessary life-style changes stick. And it can stick. It is NOT as difficult as you may think.

I offer a free 10 min discovery dialogue to see if we are a good fit for your needs. Do not put it off. Your journey toward victory can begin today.

Together we can explore options and break down the barriers that hinder our success.

​Schedule your appointment today to explore the possibilities!

Diabetes is believed to be twice as common in diabetes compared to the general population. Why? What can be done? In this episode we take on this important topic.

Depression can result in worse diabetes management. At the same time, poor diabetes management can exacerbate depression. Nevertheless, there is help and hope!

We address the following: Does genetics play a role? Why does a lack of sleep increase hunger? What are neurotransmitter and what role do they play in depression and diet? 

We also consider some simple steps to dealing with both depression and diabetes. We propose that the best results can be found in a holistic approach. This can include specific medications and supplements,.

If you are feeling depressed reachout to someone. If you are feeling suicidal call 911 or 800-273-8255 to be connected to help and support.

Imagine losing weight while eating the same amount of food. Even better, imagine losing weight while eating more food!

A study commissioned by Milk Processor Education Program reported in 2007 found that 22% of our (US) calories come in liquid form. Soda, energy drinks, fruit juice, cream, and sugar are a few of the contributors.

What are good alternatives?
Water is always an excellent choice. (ugh)! There are ways to make water more interesting without adding sugar. Give a squeeze of lemon or lime a try. A squeeze of orange or sliced fresh strawberries may be more your flavor. Try thinly sliced a cucumber and it soak in the water in the refrigerator. Fresh mint can add a pleasant touch.

Bubbly water is another option. There are several brands on the market. They may have “natural” or artificial flavorings. If this is a problem for you, add your own lemon, lime, orange, grapefruit to carbonated water to make your own natural flavors.

[At Defeating Diabetes we advocate progress, not perfection!]

Herbal teas are another great option! They come in many flavors. Many also have other medicinal benefits. However, the dosing for these benefits may differ from use for casual consumptions. For our purposes today, we are interested in herbal tea for enjoyment. Pick a variety of teas.

What about artificial sweeteners?
In a word: NO! (or on this in another post/episode)

What about natural sweeteners?
In moderation (whatever that means). These are highly refined substances. Stevia is not a white powder in nature. They extract it from the green leaves of the stevia plant. They extract erythritol from several fruits.  ​

The sweet taste response can also trigger the hunger response. This can cause us to eat more food. Try to use as little as possible.Also, some natural sweeteners (sugar alcohols) can cause gas, bloating, and abdominal discomfort.

In this episode, we explore these topics and much more.

​If you are ready to get started...

Medical appointments are available in WA.
To schedule a medical appointment: Schedule Appointment

To schedule a non-medical wellness (health) consultation email: office@RestoredLifeNow.com
(Through this service we provide education and information you can take to your local healthcare provider for medical management)

When diabetes shows up at your party, it doesn’t come alone. It brings along many of its friends. Some of which you may not notice at first. Two of them are high blood pressure and high cholesterol. These are quiet and may go unnoticed. All the while they damage your body without you noticing it.

These damage your blood vessels. Overtime this damage can lead to heart disease, neuropathy (nerve pain), and vision loss. Significant damage can occur before you experience symptoms.
So it is important to address these things before symptoms appear. But we, as typical humans, often wait until we’ve suffered enough in order to take action. It is a couple of other friends of diabetes that may stimulate us to take action.

Two of its other friends are really annoying. Fatigue and depression are common amongst diabetics. These two go hand in hand. They suck the life out of life. We often overlook fatigue and depression as part of the diabetes experience.

Fatigue and depression are barriers to addressing just about anything in our life. The lack of energy and the lack of motivation make it difficult to address the lifestyle aspects of diabetes.
There is hope! We can address these things along with addressing diabetes. By addressing diabetes we can often address fatigue and depression.

If you have diabetes or are prediabetic, and you're experiencing depression, the two may be related. These are not always related. In either case, address them with your doctor. It is worth talking with your doctor about any symptoms you experience.

What are some solutions?

I am glad you asked! There is solid scientific evidence that lifestyle interventions are powerful interventions for both diabetes and depression. These interventions seem on the surface to be simple. However, you've ever tried to implement them, you may have a unique perspective.

How many times if you heard your doctor say, “eat right, and exercise”? There is no shortage of people making claims of how to eat right. There are just as many gurus telling you how you should exercise.
How do you make sense of all of this? There is information overload from Internet sources. Many of these recommendations contradict each other. Some quote scientific papers to support their claims. Some are even using the same scientific papers and coming up with different conclusions. Ugh! (a very scientific term).

Many of these interventions have their place. It is sad that modern medical education does not prepare doctors for lifestyle interventions.  Thankfully, some have taken it upon themselves to further their learning. A few of the many that have earned my respect are doctors John McDougall MD, Neil Bernard MD, and Joel Fuhrman MD.

These take a plant-based approach. They also disagree in many areas. So which one of their approaches is right for you? A well-informed and qualified physician can help you make the right choices.
As humans, we all share much in common. However, you are a unique individual. Your specific needs may not be the same as another person’s. Your biology, history, and social situation are unique to you.

The above mentioned doctors are a good place the start expanding your knowledge. However, it is not wise to make significant dietary or lifestyle changes without consulting your physician.
Changes in lifestyle are so powerful. This can lead to needing to change medication levels. For diabetics, hypoglycemia is a very serious risk. So, please consult your physician or other qualified health care provider before making these changes.

It can complicate the management of the medications for diabetes and depression. Most of these medications should not be stopped abruptly. If your doctor is not able or willing to work with you on these changes, find another doctor.

Let me know if you would like me to join your team!

Medical appointments are available in WA.
To schedule a medical appointment: Schedule Appointment

To schedule a non-medical wellness (health) consultation email: office@RestoredLifeNow.com
(Through this service we provide education and information you can take to your local healthcare provider for medical management)

Welcome!  Thank you for joining me on this journey towards better health.  So far, it has been exciting, and it keeps getting better and better.

Dealing with diabetes is challenging.  More precisely, diabetes had been dealing with me.  When diabetes showed up, it brought some of its friends: high cholesterol, high triglycerides (fats in the blood), and high blood pressure.

Most of my doctors told me that my diabetes could not be reversed.  According to my medical team, the best I could hope for was slowing the progression.  Their main solution: medication on top of medication, with ever-increasing doses.

Even with treatment, I soon developed serious complications.  My feet hurt.  Parts of my feet burned.  They call this neuropathy (nerve damage).  I developed additional vision problems.  The eye doctor informed me I had “atypical” cataracts.

For no additional charge, diabetes and its friend threw in a heart attack!  The medical community’s response—more medication!  At this point I had 14 different prescription medications.  (Note: I am grateful for the medications during the heart attack–they may have saved my life.)
​
This all started back in 2008.  I served as a Chaplain in Iraq for the US Army.  Something damaged my lungs, and I was medevaced from Iraq.  Whatever the cause, it resulted in a rare and difficult lung problem—Constrictive Bronchiolitis obliterans.  I developed diabetes at the same time.

I always met the Army weight/height and physical fitness standards. I was not in top shape. I had a little extra weight where I did not want it. But I was active.

The lung damage limited my ability to be physically active.  Even moderate activity became more difficult.  Serious lung infections became frequent.

The story does not end here. More in part 2 of The Journey.
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Are you ready to start your journey toward renewed health?