Over two decades ago, when I was just 39, I received a surprising diagnosis – type 2 diabetes. It caught both me and my doctor off guard, considering I wasn't the typical patient, being under 40 and only slightly overweight, having no family history of diabetes and certainly not sedentary, perhaps having some poor dietary habits.
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The prescribed tablets came with the expectation that I'd be on them for life. After a decade of this routine, it became quite disheartening, a feeling many in a similar situation can relate to.
Unexpectedly, I chanced upon Dr. Michael Mosley's book, "8-Week Sugar-Free Diet," gracing the shelves of a local supermarket – a discovery that unveiled the possibility of reversing type 2 diabetes.
Confidently, I told my doctor I was going to come off my medication and follow this new path. The diabetic nurse was baffled, and my doctor insisted it was impossible, that type 2 diabetes couldn't be eliminated – a discouraging message but I was prepared for the challenge.
Yet, with support from my partner, I defied the odds and managed to reverse my type 2 diabetes within five months, shedding crucial weight and ditching medication.
This success lasted for 3 or 4 years, as I diligently exercised and adhered to the sugar-free Mediterranean diet with minimal carbohydrates.
Unfortunately, old habits crept back in – potatoes, rice, and eventually, sweets. My weight shot up by around 8 kgs, and my sugar levels climbed, catching the attention of my doctors. Each time, I promised to alter my ways. It reached a point where I indulged without concern, and my sugar levels spanned out of control. I reluctantly returned to tablets, and although there was some improvement, I couldn't fully resolve the issue.
During the past three years, I underwent training and am now a practising hypnotherapist.
In mid-February, I attended a talk by Michael Mosley, where he and his wife discussed the Mediterranean diet from his books. Curiously, the following morning, a fortuitous encounter with Dr. Mosley and his wife in a doorway ignited a renewed inspiration to confront type 2 diabetes once more.
I'm aware the odds aren't in my favour, but then again, I was told the same thing the first time.
What I do know is that the chances of reversal for people with diabetes over ten years aren't promising. Nevertheless, it's a gamble worth taking – it's my health at stake. I aim to ditch these tablets, steer clear of injections, and reverse my diabetes for the second time. If I don't try, I'll never know the benefits. I'm giving it my all for better health, armed with additional tools from my hypnotherapy knowledge. Confidence, self-esteem, reframing ideas, weight management, anxiety reduction, and behaviour change – all crucial elements for this journey.
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