Does a plant-based diet reverse diabetes?

"It may seem like a vegan diet is just too difficult to start and sustain. 'Diabetes is difficult,' says Barnard. 'Yes, people may think eating a vegan diet sounds hard–but ending up on dialysis and going blind is what is hard.' " -- Care2 story

[caption id="attachment_580" align="alignleft" width="198"] Photo courtesy of Ambro at freedigitalphotos.net[/caption]

Many many of the doctors and researchers into nutrition as healthcare believe so. And they have documented cases of patients who have reversed their diabetes by shunning the Standard American Diet (SAD) and meat.

Care2 recently had a story of a woman who reversed her diabetes and Dr. Fuhrman has a book coming out in December that addresses the use of a plant-based diet to reverse diabetes.

I don't have diabetes, thankfully. I have had relatives who had it. One relative in particular was incredibly aggravating about how she chose to take the advice of her doctors and diabetes educators. Other diabetics I've known have been frustrated by the advice of their doctors and diabetes educators, especially after they've gone plant-based and gotten off their medications.

[caption id="attachment_581" align="alignright" width="199"] Photo courtesy of artemisphoto at freedigitalphotos.net[/caption]

I know many many many people reiterate over and over again that you can't get enough protein on a plant-based diet and that's just not true. You get all the protein you need on a plant-based diet, and you don't have to count or measure.

I know it's not for everyone, but since it's vegetarian awareness month, I'm just trying to provide resource options for those who are interested in plant-based eating.

Say no to pinkwashing

I've been anti-pinkwashing for a while now for a variety of reasons (money doesn't really go to preventing breast cancer, I don't believe big pharma will ever allow a "cure" to be found, I don't agree with the political motivations of some of the groups that raise money for this "cause," money from the purchase of pinked items doesn't go to cancer prevention and precious little to finding a cure, I could go on and on and on.)

Thankfully, an acquaintance shared on Facebook a 2011 blog post she wrote about boycotting the pink ribbon. I think she says best my latest reason for avoiding the pink ribbon. Here are some points from that blog post, you can read the full post here.

[caption id="attachment_594" align="aligncenter" width="523"] Illustration courtesy of scottchan at freedigitalphotos.net, altered by me[/caption]

By Sharon McRae

Why I’m Boycotting the Pink Ribbon

Posted on October 4, 2011

My Mom died of breast cancer.  It’s still hard to say that, much less to believe it, even after two and a half years.  She was diagnosed when she was in her early 40’s, and I still remember how shocked we all were when we learned that the small lump she had found herself in the shower, the lump that the doctors were all but certain was benign, was in fact, cancer.  She initially had a lumpectomy and radiation therapy, and all was well for a few years.  But the insidious disease came back, and she had a mastectomy and chemotherapy next.  I still remember taking her for her first wig fitting and how embarrassed she was about letting me see her bald head.  She was always so brave, taking every step her doctors recommended along the way, and much to everyone’s surprise, including her radiation oncologist, who referred to her as a “walking miracle,” she fought this battle off and on for a total of 26 years.  In the end, the cancer metastasized to her pelvic area, and she had to have a double nephrostomy so as not to suffer damage to her kidneys.  My Dad stood by her every step of the way, flushing and changing her nephrostomy bags dutifully, helping her in the restroom, getting her out whenever she was strong enough to go.  She always loved to go out to eat….food was her passion in life.  And it’s a little ironic to me that although she was overweight for most of her life, no medical professional ever talked to her about her diet, or even her weight, throughout all of the years that she struggled with this disease.  Meanwhile, I was so strongly affected by watching her and what was happening to her that I began to gradually modify my own health habits and relationship with food, believing somehow that it would protect me from suffering the same fate.  I began exercising daily, religiously, for at least an hour, and I also gradually began to move towards a vegetarian diet.  I often encouraged my parents, and particularly my Mom, to eat more vegetables, to stop eating so much fatty meat and sweets, but my words had little to no impact.  I wish now that I could turn back time and refuse to allow any animal-based or processed foods into my home, but at the time, I didn’t know about the strong connection between these foods and their ability to turn on cancer genes and/or feed cancer cells, so I allowed my parents to bring their own food and eat it here when we were together for holidays and other gatherings.

**************************

I am “fighting breast cancer” this year by informing everyone I know, in as many ways as I can, about the benefits of eating a whole foods, plant-based diet.  I truly believe that if my Mom had been given this order by her doctor, she may have made some changes and lived a better quality of life.  She may have learned how delicious real food can be, how great you can feel after you eat it, how you don’t have to worry about counting calories and controlling portions, and how it doesn’t lead to excessive weight gain and digestive discomfort the way that animal-based and processed foods do.  I’m currently working with some clients who have changed their diets gradually to include these delicious, plant-based whole foods, and they are looking and feeling amazing.  And I know that this is the best way that I can personally “Race for the Cure.”  The cure lies in knowledge and in prevention, not in a new drug with all kinds of short and long-term side effects or a new, expensive treatment that takes a heavy toll on the body and may or may not be effective.  The cure lies in informing and educating women, men, children, that what is on the end of their forks truly is medicine, and will profoundly affect their bodies and minds both immediately, and in the long-term.  We are not victims of our genes; genes may load the gun, but it’s the choices we make that pull the trigger.  I lived for years in extreme fear that I would find a lump or get a bad report after a mammogram.  I was terrified to go through what my Mom endured.  And now I feel secure that by making the dietary and lifestyle choices that I have, I am doing the very best for my body, my mind, my spirit, and my family.  I want to find the cure and fight this disease every bit as desperately as I did when I participated in the walks and purchased every product I could get my hands on that displayed the pink ribbon.  But I know now that it’s not about making more money for these companies that are not really in it to win it.  It’s about taking responsibility for my health, educating myself and others about the reality of where the breast cancer risks really are, and making whatever changes are necessary to minimize exposure to these risks.  If we all work together and inspire each other to move towards a healthier lifestyle, then maybe we won’t need to race anymore, other than for the thrill of it.

I wrote a similarly-themed post about my mom a few months back.

(I had a conversation with a work friend about this issue Wednesday, and we both agreed, they might as well just add pink ribbons to cigarettes to raise awareness. The same friend shared this post with me by a breast cancer patient who is no longer alive.)

Another friend posted THIS about the pink ribbon campaign.

ETL has made me selfish

I've learned a ton about nutrition in the last several months. The most important thing I've learned is that it's OUR choices that cause and promote disease. I'm afraid to admit that has made me incredibly selfish.

I use the term selfish in the most unselfish way (I know, that doesn't make sense, but stick with me).

See, here's the thing, we all choose how we feed our bodies, what we put into them. We can continue to feed them with the Standard American Diet (SAD), or, we can choose to feed ourselves healthy, whole, plant-based foods. One choice will result in immediate satisfaction, the other will result in real, long-term health benefits.

I find myself wanting all the people I love in life to choose the latter, not the former. I want, like you can't believe, to have the people who are still in my life to live long, healthy, prosperous lives. Even if they don't go all the way. Just add some more plant-based goodness to the diet.

I am very selfish that way, and I think that's the best way I could ever be selfish.

Here are two people I wish would've been able to embrace this lifestyle with me <3

[caption id="attachment_574" align="aligncenter" width="484"] My Mom and Dad at my brother's wedding in the 1980s[/caption]

Interview on health: Vegan Radiance

[caption id="attachment_506" align="alignleft" width="292"] Courtesy of Vegan Radiance[/caption]

Lauren from Vegan Radiance was kind enough to agree to an email interview with me. I found her on Facebook about the time I started my plant-based journey and she's truly an inspiration.

First a little bit about her

I’m looking forward to my half century birthday next year. My goal is to be healthier at 50 than 20. Getting to this point has been….a journey, but, I’m loving it now. By day, I’m a corporate meeting/event planner, but in my past life I owned my own wedding cake business, worked for an NBA team for 13 years in community relations and marketing and worked for the world famous, Zig Ziglar motivational speaker.  I have two adult children and an angel of a grandbaby to whom I can’t wait to give a green smoothie!! 

1. You define yourself as a Nutritarian, how long have you been a nutritarian and how did you come to living this life?

I’ve been a Nutritarian for 1 year and 4 months. Hear me…It was NOT my goal to eat a whole foods/plant based diet. As a matter of fact, Memorial Day weekend 2011, my only goal was to grill some 1" thick steaks and relax with some beers; but, the universe had other plans. I awoke and distinctly "heard" a voice say…"You need to stop eating meat." I did not question it. That night, after a meatless day, I searched my cable guide for any kind of food documentary that might offer some guidance. I found the movie, "Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead". Little did I know that movie would change my entire life. The movie itself and Joe’s journey healing himself on a juice fast was inspiring and brought me to tears. I watched it twice before realizing there was a doctor in the movie, Dr. Fuhrman, giving Joe powerful information on nutritionally dense  foods and the health connection. I did an internet search for Dr. Fuhrman and I tell you, it was like sun rays shot out of my computer when I found my way to what he calls NUTRITARIAN eating. I soon discovered he had a book, Eat to Live, which lays out a whole foods/plant based way of eating. I ordered it immediately, read it as fast as I could, went to Whole Foods on June 4, 2011—book in one hand, shopping cart in the other and the rest is history.

2. What inspires and motivates you to keep going?

At first I received immediate gratification as the weight just melted off my body. I had never experienced anything like that.  I lost the first 20 lbs with no exercise.  After I completed the first 6 weeks eating nutritarian, I went for a full metabolic blood panel test with my doctor so I could  get a glimpse of what was going on inside my body. The results were astounding! My cholesterol levels, protein levels, everything was excellent! That really motivated me toward my main goal of getting off of not 1 but 2 high blood pressure medications. After the first 6 weeks, my doctor cut one of my meds in half…at my 11 week visit, he took me completely off of them. That was one of the greatest days in my life. I cried  tears of joy!

3. I've seen you mention you used to own a cake business, have you always enjoyed to cook, where do you find your kitchen inspiration?

[caption id="attachment_507" align="alignright" width="640"] Courtesy of Vegan Radiance[/caption]

I love good..no, make that great tasting food. I am a foodie. I love presentation. When my children were little , even if we were having a meager meal, I’d try to make it look fancy. I think it makes things taste better! It’s no different with nutritarian cooking. Discovering neat ways to assemble the food in fun, exciting ways brings me joy. Whoever said don’t play with your food? That’s silly!

I have always loved to bake more than cook. I can remember as a little girl receiving an EZ Bake Oven for Christmas….then I graduated to using a real oven. My poor dad had to endure many, many experiment desserts (Thanks dad!) And, my mother always made delicious food from scratch. My grandmother had a master’s degree in home economics, and I can remember her teaching us to make homemade candies and breads.

4. What changes (any and all, not just weight loss) have you noticed since going ETL?

I could type for days about this. Luckily I kept a journal of the changes because it’s so easy to forget I ever had any ailments after I started feeling healthy. My allergies cleared up immediately-no more stuffy nose, sneezing, watery/itchy eyes. My feet stopped hurting, and my joints (knees, back) Oh! My back was a big one. Slowly, I noticed month by month any PMS symptoms I used to have completely disappeared including  cramps… I went through the cold/flu season with no sickness. I have not taken an aspirin, gastro intestinal medication, my mind cleared and I could think easier, with more clarity and focus than ever before. I slept deeply and naturally fell asleep and awoke. My energy increased, I could now jog 3 miles with no stiff/achy recover the next day. My hair and nails grew like crazy!

5. What do your workouts look like?

Again, the only reason I got up off the couch was at the urging of my doctor. I was enjoying lounging around eating raw vegan ice cream and losing weight.  I began a  jog/walk combo for about 3.5 miles a few times/week. I challenge myself by walking UP the down escalator. It’s like having my own personal Stairmaster. I throw in a few squats and pushups and  that’s it! I also live in a walking town, so me and these legs put on a lot of miles just walking around town.  Love it!

[caption id="attachment_527" align="alignright" width="448"] Mini Peanut butter/banana/chocolate frozen treats, Island salad plate (Hail to the Kale Salad in cucumber), edamame, mixed greens), Green Smoothie with mandarin oranges, dessert plate (strawberry popover, strawberry blossom cupcake, Apple sturdel muffin, raw vegan brownie) -- courtesy of Vegan Radiance[/caption]

6. What does a typical food day look like for you?

Morning-Green smoothie (kale, banana, mango, unsweetened almond milk and flaxseed)
Lunch – Huge (I mean I start with a salad bowl) SALAD…loaded with any combination of the good stuff like romaine, celery, onions, pears, pepitas, orange slices, pecans, snap peas, green peppers, broccoli, shredded cabbage and topped with a homemade dressing.
Dinner –In the summer, I like to sauté veggies and serve over quinoa. In the winter months, I go more for comfort foods like casseroles. I can make some really great nutritarian casseroles using marinara, veggies, nutritional yeast, onions, quinoa pasta, or wraps…mmmm Check the photo gallery on my FB page.

7. You seem to travel a bit, how long did it take you to be bold about your way of eating when out?

I started Eat to Live June 2011. The 2nd week of June I was scheduled to go on a 10 day business trip where food was actually much of the focus. I thought, “Why, oh why did I start this nutritarian thing  now..I must be crazy!!” It was a turning point. Was I going to use this as an excuse (again) or change my life?  I learned a lot on that trip which taught me, we can do what we decide to do. I called ahead to the hotel and upon arrival they had a refrigerator in my room and a blender!! The bellman drove me to the grocery store to stock up on produce. The restaurants were more than willing to accommodate the way I asked for food prep with no oil, salt and sugar. (They did not all succeed, but they tried!) And my coworker would bring me plates of fruit and veggies everyday out of support. All I knew at that early stage was eat fruits and veg, eat fruits and veg.
The best tips I can give for eating nutritarian on the road are:

1. Pack your own snacks (Lara bar, apple, raw nuts)


2. Research ahead of time the city you are visiting. Perhaps there’s a vegan restaurant nearby.  Many restaurants have menus you can view online ahead of time. Call them ahead of time. Research the word “vegan+city”


3. Determine ahead of time you are going  to stick to your nutritarian plan. It’s worth it.

8. What do you say to anyone who says they just can't do it, that it's too extreme?

I’m very aware not everyone is ready for nutritarian eating.  They love hearing about my results, but just about everyone has that moment when they look at me and say, “I could never give up ______”. I don’t expect everyone to come this way. I just try to live my life in hopes that I will be consistent enough over the next years to be an example of good health. Everyone has to do what’s right for them. But every once in awhile, there’s that one who jumps in both feet….that understands like Dr. Esselstyn says, preventable, open heart surgery…now THAT’S what I call extreme.

9. What tips do you have for anyone new to eating the ETL way?

Stay plugged in. I used to listen to Nutritional Wisdom audio programs on Dr. Fuhrman’s website every day. I would listen while doing the dishes, eating my meals, exercising. I had a lot of reprogramming to do around nutrition.  It’s free.

Read the book Eat to Live. I know everyone likes a quick fix…but taking the time to read the book really made the difference for me. I understood what I was doing and why. It made sense.
Find a supportive community. 4 weeks into Eat to Live I found a Yahoo support group. They were my rock. Kept me motivated, informed and let me vent. Great family!
Although Dr. Fuhrman offers so much free info I joined his member  center. Not required by any means.  It’s only $ 3.99 a month (that’s less than one of my lattes) and allows you access to recipes, daily emails and a host of other support tools.

10. What do you get from having a Facebook page that inspires others?

I had a friend my age pass away from a heart attack in 2011. Just about everyone I know has some ailment and I’m learning so much of our sickness is connected to what we are eating. I’ve tried every diet out there over the years with no lasting success and certainly no health benefits. All I know is…it worked for me. And if telling my story  through this FB page helps someone….then I’m happy!  I really wanted to name my page Nutritarian  Radiance…but  no one could spell it and I  just thought folks could quickly identify with the word vegan first, then find out about Nutritarian eating.
I actually get so inspired back! I don’t know who is doing the inspiring..smile. I decided (there’s that word again) to start the Vegan Radiance FB page January 17th, 2012. I had no knowledge of how to create a page, post photos….nothing. It still has some glitches, but I’ve learned in life we cannot let the glitches stop us! I decided to just give it my best and the though of helping just one person feel better, eliminate disease and live longer was enough.

If you're on Facebook, check out the Vegan Radiance page, Lauren's transformation has been amazing. She has inspired me constantly and I make certain to interact with her often enough that her posts show up in my newsfeed.

Quick and easy salad dressing

I LOVE salad, and I also LOVE a good salad dressing. Since oil and dairy are out on Eat to Live (along with salt and sugar), we nutritarians have to rely on making our own dressings to flavor up the salads.

A great way to do that is typically just a flavored vinegar, or white or dark balsamic vinegar (lemon and lime juice also).

But, if you want even  more flavor and substance, my absolute favorite dressing to make is to take already-prepared hummus and mix it with balsamic vinegar until it's at a consistency I like. Sometimes I want a thicker dressing. Other times, I want something thinner.

When I want a vinaigrette-type dressing, I take the balsamic vinegar, about 1/8 c., toss in a clove of garlic (chopped), 1 Tbsp. chia seeds and 3 Tbsp. water. I let it sit overnight, then deal with any consistency issues before I use it on my salad.

Dressings don't have to be complicated, and they don't have to be filled with oil, dairy, salt, sugar, etc.