We are beating diabetes the frugal way! Last year my husband was diagnosed with diabetes after numerous health problems. I, too, am diabetic. We decided to change our life. Instead of prescription medications, we opted to do it on our own.
Our doctors were skeptical, but decided to let us try. I did purchase several books on diabetes and I realized I actually did not know much about it. I went through our pantry and gave away food that was high glycemic and unhealthy for us. I researched recipes for healthy meals, snacks and desserts. There are numerous free diabetic websites online that helped us. We read nutrition labels in the stores.
We purchased items, such as wheat flour and brown rice, in bulk. We shopped for the best prices. Although I have heard eating healthy is expensive, for us it is actually cheaper! Junk food seemed to have been costing us big time! We stay away from restaurants. If we are going to be our during a meal time, we pack us a lunch. As we started feeling better, we exercised instead of being couch potatoes.
How have we fared a year later? We are down over 60 pounds each. Our food budget had dropped. We feel GOOD again! And our doctors are scratching their heads in amazement.
By kerly87 from Fredericktown, MO
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There are a few things diabetics can do with no danger to themselves, whether on meds or not. I will definitely do it the natural way if I ever develop it. Walk after meals. Fiber, fiber, fiber: unbuttered popcorn [from scratch, not the microwave type], all the beans you can stand on a regular basis in lieu of meat.
Bravo and Congratulations! Thumbs up! I am working on learning about natural remedies and diet for Emphysema so I can hopefully not need to take the strongest breathing medications on the market (and those strong ones have a bazillion side effects that I am tired of) until fourth stage when I know will need to take them. There's a lot to be said about least trying natural and if you don't at least try you'll never know! ;-)
This is a wonderful story! I am so happy you beat diabetes and lost weight! One thing that worries me is that you say your Dr. "decided to let you try". Remember that is ultimately always your decision, to stay of medication and change your diet! All you need them for is drugs. Most Dr.s know nothing about health, only sickness. I would recommend researching everything and always trying to change your diet or supplements first.
The sad thing is that there are literally thousands upon thousands of people on that medicine that could do the same thing you are doing and have the same outcome. I am so glad you shared your story, I hope it gets at least 1 more off the drugs!
Wow that is great, I just told I am border line diabetic and have made some changes but reading your story has made me realized I need to do more. Thank you.
I too am a diabetic diagnosed in 1998. I really have to congratulate you both on your will power to make life style changes, by not just going on a diet. I have had some great results as well, by not needing to take Insulin, and my doctor took me off Metformin in May.
Diabetes 2 or non-insulin dependent diabetes is a manmade disease due to obesity(overeating) and lack of exercise. When you become obese you become resistant to the insulin your body makes and your blood sugar rises.The effects of diabetes are very serious. It can be completely cured by weight loss and exercise. This is not true for type 1 diabetes or insulin-dependent diabetes. these people do not make insulin at all and are usually very thin. They will die if they do not take insulin. Even pills do not work so do not confuse the two types. Treating diabetes with diet and exercise requires lifelong attention and strong will and keeping an eye on your levels.
Wonderful story and so inspiring.
www.naturalnews.com is an awesome website; and one of the regular writers there was diagnosed with diabetes and was able to be rid of it as well.
God bless you! I am proud of you and your husband dropping so much weight from eating healthy and being thrifty! Great job!
I'm diabetic as well and I found out if you leave everything white alone and small portions, I read that you should count your carbohydrates and not the sugar items because what's low in carbs is going to be low in sugar, I read that the sugars are added into the carbohydrate number so if you keep your carbs down it should be low in sugar as well do not use artificial sweeteners unless it's a natural one like Cactus or Stevia, the artificial sweeteners can make you sicker than you really are by causing cancer, I have type 2 diabetes and my body only makes 3% insulin because it runs in my family, the insulin the doctor changed me to in September which was tresiba well you have to eat carbohydrates with it and that's something that effects your kidneys and liver and the dose he was prescribed for me would bring my levels way low where I have to eat a lot of sugar to bring them back up and then I was back to square one with high sugars, well it took me years to get off the carbs I eat a little small portions but when I get out to some events that's where I will have a little taste of everything, LOL but it made me gain 26 lb I'm as big now as it ever was pregnant he claims because the insulins breaking my food down to where it needs to be so I'm holding onto more food intake, so it put me in a depression in which my body is craving sugar but I'm trying to stick to the strawberries any berries they are the best for the diabetic body and not two bodies are the same I know that but berries are great for anyone and how they react and respond to food it has a lot to do with your inheritance, body typing and age, I weigh 157 and I'm 58 going 59 and my A1C is 6.4 that's like pre-diabetic so I had the doctor put me on the very first insulin that wasn't working for me at the time and that's because I was eating at Country Buffet a lot of the cafeteria style restaurants and fast food, I've changed my habits of eating I do not eat out but I'm still holding on to the weight I eat very little carbs if any but your body needs it not a lot so basically your portion size of food should be the palm of your hand for your body style, I've been reading up on the lot and it is true that the pharmaceutical companies are the riches and make more money than anyone and they keep people medication so they don't go broke so I'm assuming people medication that they don't go broke so I'm assuming that he put me on that insulin eventually would screw up my kidney and then he'd get a better paycheck to do surgery it's pretty sad that they care about money out of here and that's the person and without us they wouldn't have a paycheck and that's what it's all about catch 22, I hope this can be to some help, thank you
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