Diabetes is both one of the most common health conditions and one of the most poorly understood. A recent, national health survey of 2000 people, on behalf of Pharma Nord found that:

• Nine in ten adults are not worried about their blood sugar, despite the fact that one third of adults is classed as pre-diabetic and at risk of developing type 2 diabetes
• One third don’t know what their blood sugar level is
• Just one in three people aged 45 and older say they eat healthily to decrease the risk of becoming ill, yet the risk of developing type 2 diabetes increases with age
• 70 per cent of all of those surveyed say they don’t eat healthily to decrease the chance of becoming ill

Your wellness therefore asked a variety of experts to help separate the diabetes myths from the facts.

Fact: Diabetes increases the risk of depression

An Australian non-profit association, Diabetes NSW, has warned of the high incidence of depression and anxiety among people with diabetes, and expressed concerns that not enough action is being taken to monitor or treat the psychological side effects of the condition. According to Diabetes NSW, people with diabetes are at double the risk of experiencing psychological problems such as depression, anxiety and stress, but an astonishing 98 per cent of diabetes management plans include no provision for emotional or mental health care. Diabetes NSW’s chief executive, Sturt Eastwood, said: ‘Being diagnosed with diabetes can be traumatic, and too many Australians are finding it hard to cope with the emotional and mental health challenges that often go hand in hand with the condition. Far too many Australians with diabetes, who are experiencing emotional distress, are suffering in silence.’ If you are experiencing emotional problems, seek help from your GP or diabetes nurse.

Myth: Diabetes is all about sugar

True, diabetes is a condition where not enough insulin is produced in the body (or the insulin that’s made doesn’t work properly) so glucose, a type of sugar, builds up in the blood instead of being broken down into energy or fuel. This means people with diabetes have to be careful about what sugars they consume to help this deficiency; however, it’s not ALL about sugar.
Reducing fat levels in the pancreas and liver can help insulin production return to normal, so a diet that has an effect of cleansing the body at a cellular level – for example one that eliminates animal products, processed sugar, salt and unnecessary oils and, in their place, provides highly nutritious juices and meals – can improve cell metabolism. So really, the main enemy is fat in your diet and sugar is just one aspect of a healthy lifestyle that diabetics need to watch.

Myth: You can’t reverse diabetes through diet

Reversal means going back, not curing. You CAN reverse type 2 diabetes through diet!
This has been proven in years of global research and extensive trials (Dr.Neal Barnard’s scientifically proven system for reversing diabetes without drugs;Charlotte Gerson of the Gerson Institute; Dr Young’s The PH Miracle diet; Dr Caldwell Esselstyn) and at specialist diabetes reversal retreats such as The Obsidian Wellness Centre. Control of diabetes can come from what you eat or through medication. The only reason for the medication is to ensure that glucose levels are kept balanced and within acceptable limits. In order to reverse or improve type 2 diabetes, the body needs to eliminate intracellular fats. At the Obsidian Wellness Centre, a plant-based diet has proven to eliminate foods that block the cells that transport the insulin around your body, meaning that type 2 diabetes can be reversed. Enough good fat can be obtained through foods such as avocados and a limited consumption of nuts and seeds. But, as it’s a reversal of diabetes not a cure, returning to a high fat diet of processed foods can trigger the condition to return.

Myth: You have to lose a lot of weight to reverse diabetes through diet

Although weight loss is important and is a positive byproduct of the healthier, low fat dietary approach required to reverse diabetes (no animal products, healthy plant based meals), it’s not essential. It is the diet’s effects on the cells and body functions that has the most effect on the reversal of diabetes not weight. HBO Channel’s ‘Weight of the Nation’ program said that just a 7% reduction in weight can have a positive effect on health – including diabetes. Adopting a healthy diet to better manage type 2 diabetes without medication, in most cases, results in weight loss as well. On average, people adopting our vegan, low fat diet lose around 1.1lb a day, and then weight can be maintained with ongoing healthy eating.

Myth: Once you’re on diabetic medication you can’t come off

By changing your diet alone you can stop taking diabetic medication – even if you’ve been on it for years. The Obsidian Wellness Centre has proven that by supporting people coming off medication; they do it because they are testing their sugar levels more regularly and, since they’ve changed their diet, the tests show they no longer have high glucose. Diabetes is primarily a dietary condition. By cleaning up your diet with lots of highly nutritious meals and juices, plus lots of water and gentle exercise, diabetes can be reversed and you don’t need the edication. However, if the diet is not maintained then the reversal will cease and medication will be necessary again. This clearly shows that the medication is for the food you are eating, not for the condition you have been diagnosed with. Please remember – if you are on medication and thinking about changing your diet you should discuss this with your GP as this will have an effect on your medication requirements.

Myth: A change of diet won’t affect Type 1 diabetes

This does depend on the amount of medication an individual is on and how unhealthy their diet is to start with, but we have seen, on a consistent basis, that any person with type 1 diabetes who has previously had a high fat diet but then adopted The Obsidian Wellness Centre diabetes reversal program, can still reduce their medication and feel healthier.

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