World Diabetes Day... what if there was an answer?

I just discovered it's World Diabetes Day today. I wasn't entirely sure what the purpose of it was so googled it and found the International Diabetes Federation with a picture of lots of people and emblazoned across them the slogan 'Let's Celebrate'.  Which seemed, at least to me, to be a little odd.  Let's celebrate that we are experiencing unprecedented growth in a serious condition? Let's celebrate that due to the number of children getting diabetes the label 'Adult Onset Diabetes' has been dropped and now is called Type 2 Diabetes?

So I looked further and found the following 4 key messages of the 2013 campaign:

• World's Most Populated Countries: 1. China 2. India 3. DIABETES 4. USA 5. Brazil
• 1 in 2 People with Diabetes Don't Know They Have It: Are you at risk?
• Diabetes: Know the Complications
• Diabetes: Don't Discriminate

And then I looked at the 'Prevention' tab. Under which I felt the most encouraging advice was:
'There is substantial evidence that achieving a healthy body weight and moderate physical activity can help prevent the development of type 2 diabetes. In primary prevention there is an important role for the diabetes educator to help people understand the risks and set realistic goals to improve health. IDF recommends a goal of at least 30 minutes of daily exercise, such as brisk walking, swimming, cycling or dancing. Regular walking for at least 30 minutes per day, for example, has been shown to reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes by 35-40%.'

But it still felt pretty woolly to me. What if though there was a way to reverse Type 2 diabetes and to never get it in the first place? Would you want to know about that? If it was of no greater cost than your usual shopping bill, of no greater hassle than simply cooking your meals?  And surely you'd want the International Diabetes Federation to tell you about it?  I would anyway.  I'd want them to be shouting it from the roof tops. And, not that I want to fly in the face of medical convention (well OK I'm alright about that really I suppose) - what if there was a way that someone with Type 1 diabetes could be no longer reliant on insulin?  Surely that would make front page news??

It seems not. But research would suggest that there is a way.  There is study after study demonstrating that patients with Type 2 diabetes who are dependent on insulin can relieve that dependency by the simple adoption of a whole food, plant based diet.  I have read studies of Type 1 diabetes been affected positively and have heard of several people becoming no longer insulin dependent.  Not everyone - although nearly everyone was able to significantly reduce their insulin dose.

And why are the IDF not stood on the rooftops? I can only imagine that the influence of the food industry is too huge. And so I suggest people could take it into their own hands, take back control of their own health and be your own doctor.  Use the diagnostic skills that you need to use - work under the guidance of your doctor but try out eating plant based, minimal oils and whole foods.  It might well surprise you more than you'd ever expected.

I do want to stress that last point again. Do work with the guidance of your doctor. Changes can be fast and it's important to be aware of your blood sugar levels so you're acting appropriately with medication that you may already be taking.

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