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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By
10/15/2010
God bless you! I am proud of you and your husband dropping so much weight from eating healthy and being thrifty! Great job!
By
09/05/2010
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.
Bravo!
By
07/14/2010
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. You must maintain your ideal weight and continue to exercise. This is why so many Americans in a Western lifestyle fail. Even children now have type 2 diabetes-unheard of in the past. Fast food, high sugar, couch potatoes. Most physicians think that most patients do not have the commitment to do what is necessary with out the easy way out-pills. Good job-but you must be vigilant for the rest of your lives. Keep eating healthy and exercise. If you do not your disease will return.
By
07/13/2010
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. I am surprised to see what watching what you eat can do for you!
By
07/12/2010
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.
By
07/10/2010
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!
By
07/10/2010
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! ;-)
By
07/08/2010
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. Beans have a fiber which slows sugar absorbtion. Apparently coffee is helpful as well, black I would think. But walking and fiber.
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