Can There Be a Happy Ending After Borderline Type 2 Diabetes Diagnosis?

By Pamela Smit

If you receive this diagnosis, do not despair, there is light at the end of the tunnel. With a deliberate change to your lifestyle, the onset of Type 2 Diabetes may be slowed or stopped. Sadly, Type 2 diabetes is escalating throughout the world. The medical profession have declared it a 'lifestyle disease', because the majority of people at risk are overweight, middle aged adults who enjoy a sedentary lifestyle. My husband was borderline diabetic, and through a determined effort to change not only his mindset, but participate in regular physical activity, he turned his life around. Weight loss and regular exercise has confirmed that he is no longer in this borderline category. Yes, there can be a happy ending, but it takes hard work!

My husband's success in reversing his type two diabetes diagnosis was due in large measure to a small book written by Dr. Sandra Cabot "Diabetes Type 2 You can reverse it naturally" WHAS Pty Ltd 2007. The author's insight and no-nonsense advice proved itself and has formed the basis of his recovery.

Two hundred and forty-six million people worldwide, fall victim to this disease. It is expected that the number of people living with diabetes will reach three hundred and eighty million in the next twenty years, if current trends are anything to go by. The complications from this disease are disturbing, as patients can develop blindness, may have to have amputations, and suffer from erectile dysfunction, strokes, kidney failure and heart attacks. Heart disease is a factor contributing to deaths in four out of five diabetes sufferers. These are alarming statistics, and serious enough to persuade and motivate borderline type 2 sufferers, to make some radical changes to their lifestyle. This is exactly what my husband did.

I adopted the same changes as even though I was not in the same category, I wanted to encourage a healthier way of life for my husband, as I knew it would take willpower and motivation. Firstly, we started reading all food labels with a vengeance when supermarket shopping, and avoided any foods with high carbohydrate contents. We also sought out low Glycaemic Index foods whenever possible. The Glycaemic index (GI) measures how quickly your blood sugar rises after consuming a particular food. The high GI foods digest rapidly, which in turn causes a rapid rise in blood sugar and insulin levels. However, low GI foods work more effectively in the body because they are more slowly digested and the rise in blood sugar is much slower than the high GI foods. Analysing all food labelling was a good way to avoid eating not only foods which were fattening but also helped to stabilise blood sugar levels. A high GI rating is considered to be more than 70, a moderate GI rating is between 56 and 70, whilst any food less than a 55 GI rating is considered low GI.

To make this work and to successfully diminish a type 2 borderline diagnosis, the patient has to lose weight by reducing the diet's total carbohydrate content. The golden rule was to have a ratio of one quarter carbohydrate, one quarter protein and the remaining half of your dinner plate boasting a variety of vegetables. We have abided by this method over the last three years, and it has worked. Of course, once the weight loss has become apparent, small treats are allowable. I do not advocate total abstinence from certain high GI foods, but common sense and motivation will dictate to you that moderation is the key for success, in assisting to regulate blood sugar levels and maintain weight control.

The importance of exercise cannot be underestimated. Physical activity not only lowers blood pressure, and lowers triglycerides and LDL 'bad' cholesterol and improves HDL 'good cholesterol', but it prevents heart disease and lowers peaks in blood sugar which always occur after every meal. This is why it is paramount to engage in regular, physical activity on a daily basis. There are so many other benefits to exercise, namely, promoting better sleep, prevention of depression, increased energy levels and a boosted immune system to fight off potential infections.

However, motivation and a determination to succeed are the key points for changing any lifestyle, especially if over the years the weight has crept on due to a more sedentary lifestyle. It is a matter of changing the mindset. It is not easy at first, but with a concerted effort and also the support from a partner or friend, it can be achieved. Previous bad habits are exactly that, bad habits, and they can be changed. There may be a slip up from time to time, we are after all human, and we all make mistakes. Show resilience and return to your healthier, chosen routines of eating more nutritionally and moving that body!

By understanding this disease and taking positive steps to counteract the long term effects, you will be staving off high blood sugar, thereby allowing your pancreas to adequately manufacture the hormone insulin, essential for enabling glucose to enter into cells. This is where our energy comes from. When the body is in an unhealthy state, fatigue is one of the many symptoms. Diabetes sufferers produce insufficient insulin resulting in a build up of excess glucose in the bloodstream. By adopting healthy exercise routines, by eating low GI foods, more unprocessed food, and regularly exercising, a borderline Type 2 diabetes diagnosis can be reversed; it just takes willpower, motivation and the resolution to acquire a healthier body, once again!

Type 2 Diabetes - Insulin Resistance and Arterial Stiffness in Youth

By Beverleigh H Piepers

Insulin resistance causes Type 2 diabetes by not allowing blood sugar to enter cells to be used as energy. Stiffened arteries can lead to heart and blood vessel diseases often seen in people who have been diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes. Investigators at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center and the University of Cincinnati in the United States, looked at insulin resistance and arterial stiffness to determine any possible association.

Their particular study, published in the medical journal Diabetologia in November 2012, included 343 adolescents and young adults without Type 2 diabetes.

• 111 of the adolescents and young adults were obese, and
• 65 of the obese patients were classified as insulin resistant, or pre-diabetic.

Although blood pressure and obesity had the strongest associations with stiff arteries, insulin resistance also showed a slight association.

High blood pressure, obesity, and insulin resistance all respond to the same therapy.

• a high fiber, low-fat, low-calorie diet based upon plant foods, is a great way to normalize weight, which can also lower blood pressure and insulin resistance.
• avoiding added salt and using herbs and non-salt spices for flavor also helps to lower blood pressure, besides making for more varied and flavorful meals.
• going for a walk every day is also an effective treatment for all three health problems.

Anyone diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes who thinks a plant-based, low-fat, low-calorie, high fiber diet sounds unappetizing is in for a pleasant surprise. Try braised Lebanese Eggplant with chickpeas from vegetariantimes.com. It also calls for olive oil, onion, garlic, allspice, cumin, marinara sauce, red wine vinegar, and mint sprigs. One cup of eggplant cubes, with only 20 calories and no fat, supplies 11 per cent of the recommended daily allowance (RDA) of fiber, along with some folate, vitamin K, and other vitamins and minerals. Cumin is thought to be helpful for controlling Type 2 diabetes.

From the same website comes braised baby artichoke, with olive oil, lemon juice, tomatoes, and toasted almonds (leave out the salt). A cup of artichoke slices, with 109 calories, supplies 20 per cent of the RDA of thiamin, 10 per cent of the RDA of vitamin C, 28 per cent of the RDA of iron, and 10 per cent of the RDA of fiber.

Adolescents and young adults can have many happy, productive years ahead of them if they can prevent heart and blood vessel disease and other health problems. A healthful diet and exercise program can go a long way toward prevention.

Type 2 diabetes is not a condition you must just live with. It need not slowly and inevitably get worse. Take control of the disease... and take back your life. It all starts with what you eat.

For nearly 25 years Beverleigh Piepers has searched for and found a number of secrets to help you build a healthy body.

The answer isn't in the endless volumes of available information but in yourself.

Type 2 Diabetes - What Is A Healthy Diabetic Meal?

By Beverleigh H Piepers

Type 2 diabetics are constantly hearing about the importance of eating a well-balanced meal. But does that always means everyone is on board with what constitutes a balanced meal? Unfortunately, no! For those who might have a question as to what would comprise a good meal for a person with Type 2 diabetes, here are some easy guidelines to follow.

If you have any doubt, the best single piece of advice is to follow the guidelines set by the infamous food pyramid. The pyramid will give you a base from which to work from. The recommended daily allowance of certain foods is broken down in the pyramid like this:

• a minimum of two cups of fruit. This is referring to fresh fruit, but frozen fruit will work, too. Since manufacturers freeze fruit in order to capture and hold its natural vitamins and minerals, it means the fruit typically isn't refined or processed in any way. Just to be on the safe side though, you should always look at the food label to ensure it is fruit... and only fruit.


• at least three cups of vegetables. This might sound like a lot of vegetables, but it doesn't take much to make up a cup. But not just any old vegetables will do. You want to go with vegetables that rank low on the glycemic index (GI) while also sporting some vibrant colors. The brighter the colors, the more the vegetable will be packed with important and vital vitamins, minerals and nutrients. Having a variety of colors is even better


• three-to-five ounces of whole grains. Remember, this is the minimal amount. If you can work more whole grains into your daily intake, you will be doing even better. Whole grains can be found in the form of bread, pasta, rice, etc.


• no more than three servings of dairy. Depending on the type of food you choose will determine how much of it constitutes a serving.


• approximately 5 to 7 ounces of protein. This should be in the form of lean meat, or better yet, fish.


• no more than 5 to 6 ounces of healthy oil. This can be tricky because you have to be sure to include all oils, even those included in certain foods.


• sweets make up the very smallest tip of the eating pyramid. While it is okay to have small amounts of these foods in moderation, you have to be willing to plan for them in advance... so the sugar doesn't throw off your entire eating plan for the day.

Type 2 diabetes is not a condition you must just live with. It need not slowly and inevitably get worse. You can take control of the disease... take back your health by taking care with what you eat..

For nearly 25 years Beverleigh Piepers has searched for and found a number of secrets to help you build a healthy body.

The answer isn't in the endless volumes of available information but in yourself.

Type 2 Diabetes - Ways To Slow Or Prevent The Occurrence Of Diabetes, Part 1

By Beverleigh H Piepers

Even though Type 2 diabetes is ravaging virtually every country on the globe at an ever-increasing rate, it is not an absolute disease. Although there are many factors that contribute to the likelihood of developing Type 2 diabetes, as a whole it is largely preventable.

Type 2 diabetes affects men and women with a family history of diabetes, people who are over forty years of age and people who are overweight. Women who deliver a baby weighing more than 9 pounds (4.1 kg), are also frequently at risk for developing this form of diabetes. A sedentary lifestyle, physical stress, emotional stress and high-fat diets also are recognized risk factors.

Here are some key steps you can take to either slow the progression of Type 2 diabetes, or to completely prevent it from developing altogether:

1. Lose weight. Since abdominal fat is the largest contributor to developing Type 2 diabetes, it needs to be covered first. A large majority of people who develop Type 2 diabetes are either obese or at least overweight. The more weight you are carrying around the abdominal area, the more you are increasing your risk of also developing this form of diabetes. Luckily, this is something you can rectify by making better food choices and abandoning your sedentary lifestyle for something a little more active involving exercise.

2. Take the stairs instead of using an elevator. Soon, you will prefer to avoid the elevator completely, especially when you could walk down the stairs.

3. If you resist exercising because you associate it with something boring like a treadmill, check out a video covering a form of exercise you could be interested such as Tai Chi, Yoga, Zumba, etc.

4. Add color to your plate. The more color you have at mealtime, the more likely you are to be eating fruit and vegetables. The color represents important vitamins, minerals and nutrients your body not only wants, but desperately needs. But certain colors found in M & Ms, red velvet cake or hot wing sauce... do not count.

5. Fool your eyes and your stomach by eating off of a salad plate instead of a regular-sized plate. You will be surprised how this one simple trick can train your stomach to stop wanting more food once your plate is empty.

6. In addition to downsizing your plate size, give your food enough time to digest.We tend to be in a hurry to go back for seconds (and sometimes even thirds and fourths), when we are eating. But research has proven once food is eaten, it takes approximately 15 to 20 minutes for our stomach to signal our brain food and our stomach is full. That's why individuals who eat fast are much more likely to be overweight.

7. Instead of parking as close to a store's entrance as you can, make it a point to park as far away as possible to force you to walk.

Type 2 diabetes is not a condition you must live with. It need not slowly and inevitably get worse. Now is the time to take control of the disease... and take back your health and your life.

For nearly 25 years Beverleigh Piepers has searched for and found a number of secrets to help you build a healthy body.

The answer isn't in the endless volumes of available information but in yourself.