Diabetes used to scare me. My grandmother died with it, my dad died with it, and so far I have one sibling with it and another on the way to getting it.

Several years ago, I was diagnosed as pre-diabetic, as well, and was told that since I was already doing all the things health professionals recommend, I should “call when [my] blood sugar went above 200.”

I am grateful that never happened. In fact, my fasting blood sugars and hemoglobin A1c (a measure of long-term blood sugar) have now normalized. I owe it to my adoption of a whole-food, plant-based lifestyle more than four years ago.

That fact that I now have control over my own health is the thing that I love most about a whole-food, plant-based diet. (Aside from the fact that I now enjoy my meals more than ever before.)

And it’s not just diabetes. I know that with a total cholesterol of less than 150, I am 99 percent “heart attack proof” and have lower risks of stroke, dementia (including Alzheimer’s) and Parkinson’s. Relatives of mine had all or some of these diseases when they died, which in some cases put me at greater risk.¹

It’s hard for me to watch people suffer from these things now. While results vary, research indicates that most people will see value in adopting a whole-food, plant-based diet, especially on diseases and conditions like hypertension, type-2 diabetes, arthritis, indigestion and constipation.

In fact, at one live-in, 10-day program, more than 90 percent of participants are able to stop their medications for these problems or can often switch to lower doses or simpler, safer, more effective and less expensive medications.²

Imagine if everyone in this country did that. The thing is, most people can improve or even heal many conditions. They don’t have to be so sick.  But I know that ultimately everyone has to make their own choice.  Whole exists to simply share the evidence so people can make their own decisions.

If you are suffering from any health condition and would like to try a whole-food, plant-based diet to just see if it makes a difference, join the waiting list for my course that includes a 21-day trial of the diet. The course will be starting early in the new year. (And you are under no obligation to join in if you sign up on the wait list; that just ensures you’ll be notified when it opens up.)
References:
1. http://www.dresselstyn.com/site/study05/
2. https://www.drmcdougall.com/health/programs/10-day-program/