Diabetic Drugs Cause More Harm Than Good!

Author's Perspective: Have you ever heard of a diabetic getting better once he/she started taking metformin or some other diabetic drug? Gee, I wonder why!

What Your Doctor May Not Be Telling You

Unfortunately, most diabetics are told to take the diabetic drug metformin (Glucophage), because the drug helps to lower their blood glucose to the normal range. This gives the diabetic the false sense of security that the drug is actually helping their diabetes. 

But, the doctor fails to tell the diabetic that the drug does absolutely nothing to stop the spread of the cell and tissue damage being caused by the diabetes! In fact, over a period of years, the drug actually causes damage to the liver and/or kidneys!

If you have have an adverse reaction to the drug (such as an upset stomach) your doctor will not tell you why this is happening -- instead, he/she will just put you on a different drug such as glimepiride (Amaryl) or glipizide (Glucotrol).

So, be careful, not to jump at taking this drug!  Once you start down the "path of prescription drugs", your doctor will eventually add one or two additional drugs, which is going to make it difficult for you to wean off the drugs later on.

  

Western Medicine uses various types of diabetic drugs such as metformin (Glucophage), glyburide (Micronase, DiaBeta) and glipizide (Glucotrol) to "treat" your diabetes.

So, do these drugs actually work?  It depends on your point of view. These drugs help to (artificially) lower your blood glucose level, so that it seems that the drugs are working. On the other hand, the drugs do absolutely nothing to help your body get rid of the diabetes! So, from that viewpoint, the drugs aren't working.

In fact, these drugs contribute to long-term cellular and tissue damage that leads to gastrointestinal problems, kidney failure, liver failure, and other health issues that your doctor may not mention to you. 

 

Recently, the New England Journal of Medicine published a study that was supposed to prove what drug strategy for diabetics works the best. The study participants took several common diabetes drugs along with varied insulin treatments (once, twice, or three times per day).  

But, the researchers were disappointed to find out that none of their strategies worked! The researchers appeared confused – unable to explain why their study didn’t work.

Let me explain why their study failed.  Using insulin in a Type 2 diabetic is a last ditch effort and should be avoided if at all possible. Insulin transports sugar out of the blood – but it must put it somewhere. All too often it forces the formation of fat, leading to weight gain and deteriorating health.  If sugar is forced into cells that don’t want it, it will damage them. In other words, insulin injections don’t fix anything.  

Apparently the only thing doctors now know how to treat is the symptoms of a disease. If you want to fix someone with Type 2 diabetes, you need to re-balance their hormones and metabolic function. That means a plant-based diet, periodic exercise, and phytonutrients that help the body use sugar properly.

And, make sure that you're aware of drugs such as Avandia, which was pulled by the FDA because the drug was causing "too many" heart attacks! 

Avandia was originally approved even though the FDA knew that it caused heart attacks but it was within an acceptable range. What is an acceptable range for heart attacks? Isn't one heart attack too many?

Big Mistake!: Many diabetics believe that they are controlling their diabetes with these drugs. But, they're not!!

The drugs are actually hiding the symptoms of the diabetes, making  diabetics think that they're "controlling" their diabetes -- creating a false sense of security! In the meantime, the diabetes is still running rampant, causing organ, tissue, and blood vessel damage that goes undetected for years!

The top-selling prescription drugs in the U.S. are the drugs for diabetes, high blood pressure and cholesterol -- which happen to be the three major drugs given to most Type 2 diabetics.  Coincidence? (Don't think so!)

In addition, these drugs do not stop the development of diabetic complications such as amputation, kidney failure, blindness, stroke and heart attack. In fact, several recent studies have shown that some high blood pressure and cholesterol medications can actually fuel or cause diabetes!

If you find this hard to believe, just visit any of the pharmaceutical websites or google on "diabetic drug side effects" -- do your own research.

Health Impact of Drugs
Just like any other drug, these diabetic drugs Danger!create biochemical and hormonal dependencies within your body that can lead to long-term damage to your cells and organs.

If you are taking one of these drugs, it may be difficult to believe this, because you feel fine, you do not feel any discomfort or side effects.

However, many of the side effects will not be felt for several years, maybe even longer. But, eventually the following scenario will occur:

• The drug loses its effectiveness and your blood glucose level starts to rise.
• Your doctor increases the dosage to bring your blood glucose level back to the normal range.
• If this doesn't work, your doctor adds a new drug.
• Eventually when the oral drugs lose their effectiveness to lower your blood glucose level, your doctor will put you on insulin.

I know that you're probably thinking that if you keep taking the oral drugs and watch what you eat, you won't have to go on insulin.

But, that's not true. Why? Because while you were taking the drugs, the diabetes continued to progress (silently) and cause damage to more and more cells in your body. Eventually, the damage becomes so widespread that your doctor has to either increase your dosage, add another drug, or put you on insulin.

Please Note: Doctors shouldn't take the total blame here. Truth be told, most diabetics take the drug because it's easier to take a pill than to change one's diet. So, diabetics are partially complicit in taking the drug and not pushing back on their doctor for a non-drug solution.

Food for Thought: Diabetes is disease that is rotting out your insides. So, do you really believe that a pill can stop the rotting? 

Note: Visit the Death to Diabetes website or read Chapters 3, 12, 14 and 15 of Death to Diabetes to learn how to decrease the damage caused by the long-term use of these drugs.

Warning! 
Recent studies indicate that some drugs can damage to the pancreatic beta cells or trigger insulin resistance, causing you to develop diabetes! Those drugs include steroids, some hypertensives, statins, and some antibiotics. More specifically:

Statins (e.g. Lipitor, Mevacor): These drugs do a great job at lowering your cholesterol by attacking your liver, which produces 80% of your cholesterol. As a result, statin drugs have become the top--selling prescription drug in the U.S. with more than 80 million Americans taking this drug. 

Unfortunately, while you may have good cholesterol numbers, these statin drugs may cause damage to your liver while increasing your risk for diabetes and cataracts!

These drugs also deplete your CoQ10 levels and may lead to muscle aching and a serious condition called rhabdomyolysis. 

We have been bamboozled into believing that just because this drug lowers our cholesterol that we won't develop heart disease or have a heart attack. But, heart disease and heart attacks have risen since this drug was made available to the public in 1989! Recent studies now show that this drug can lead to damage to your heart muscle and your liver!  Read about the Statin Drug Hoax for more details -- especially if you're taking a statin drug.

Sulfonylureas (e.g. Glipizide, Glyburide): Nutrients such as chromium and magnesium lose efficacy, requiring careful monitoring  of therapeutic dosage.

Biguanides (e.g. Metformin): Known to induce vitamin B12 deficiency, likely via impaired absorption. Metformin may also cause lactic acidosis, may inhibit folic acid absorption, and elevate homocysteine levels, which can lead to arterial plaque formation and heart disease and the need for more drugs.

Thiazolidinediones (e.g. Pioglitazone): May increase the risk for osteoporosis and fracture, warranting careful monitoring of vitamin D status.

Insulin (e.g. Humalog, Lantus): causes you to gain weight and remain diabetic! Long-term term use increases fat cells, which require more insulin.

This increases the dependency on the injections and ensures a complete reliance on the insulin injections – creating pancreatic beta cell dysfunction and the “insulin addiction trap”.

So, is it really worth it taking these drugs for your diabetes just because drugs are more convenient to take than changing your diet? 

The Diabetes-Cancer Connection

Unfortunately, some people diagnosed with cancer also have belly fat or large waists, a sign of insulin resistance and possible pre-diabetes. But, most medical doctors overlook the obvious signs of insulin resistance and pre-diabetes because the patient's fasting blood sugar is still in the normal range. In addition, being overweight or obese is associated with increased risks of cancers of the esophagus, breast (postmenopausal), uterus, colon, kidney, pancreas, thyroid, gallbladder, and possibly other cancer types. Don't let this medical oversight cause you to miss the opportunity to prevent a cancer diagnosis from happening to you! After all, it's a lot easier to prevent cancer than it is to fight it.

Evidence linking diabetes and high insulin levels to certain cancers has grown stronger over the past several years, leading scientists to investigate potential mechanisms.

A growing body of evidence is finding that having diabetes or signs of insulin resistance may lead to an increased risk of certain cancers.

The connection is strongest among certain types of cancers, including kidney, breast, prostate, pancreatic and colorectal.

“The trend emerging [in this area] is that the type 2 diabetes associated with high insulin levels is the biggest problem relating to cancer risk,” said Michael Pollak, M.D., a professor at the Department of Oncology and Director of the Cancer Prevention Research Unit at McGill University. But it’s not just type 2 diabetes, he added, this link is evident for everyone with pre-diabetes, which is a much larger group.

The Insulin-Cancer Connection

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, approximately 40 percent of Americans – 41 million people – are estimated to have pre-diabetes, a condition that increases the risk of developing diabetes. Hyperinsulinemia, too much insulin in the blood, is a sign of prediabetes. People can be unaware they have prediabetes for years before symptoms and rising glucose levels result in a diabetes diagnosis.

Hyperinsulinemia, type 2 diabetes and cancer all share a major risk factor: high body fat. AICR’s second expert report found that high body fat is convincingly linked to increased risk of several cancers, including pancreatic and colorectal.

The hormonal changes spurred by high body fat may be leading to increased risk of cancer and type 2 diabetes. Hyperinsulinemia could also act independent of body fat to increase cancer risk. “We know that lots of tumors have insulin receptors and research suggests insulin plays an important role in cancer, but it does not have to be a direct link,” said Dr. Pollak. “There may be other areas that insulin could affect.” Yet insulin, which stimulates cell proliferation and growth, appears to be one of the key mediators.

High levels of insulin, independent of body fat, are linked to increased production of insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1). And IGF-1, which shares a similar structure to insulin, plays a key role in cell growth, proliferation and inhibiting apoptosis.

A Complex Link

Some of the strongest findings relating to diabetes, hyperinsulinemia and cancer risk relate to colorectal cancer, but – as in other cancers – there are no clear answers. In one recent study, researchers from the University of Minnesota found that women diagnosed with diabetes had a 50 percent higher chance of developing colorectal cancer than women without the disease. The researchers drew upon data from approximately 45,000 participants of a large screening study that began in the 1970s. The study analyzed data on women with no history of colorectal cancer or self-reported diabetes for eight years, who later developed colorectal cancer.

“We didn’t have information on insulin level, so we used diabetes as a proxy,” said lead study author Andrew Flood, Ph.D., Assistant Professor in the Division of Epidemiology and Community Health and the Masonic Cancer Center at the University of Minnesota School of Public Health. “But a lot of people have undiagnosed diabetes,” said Dr. Flood. “If insulin is the problem, then we thought people who were prediabetic would have elevated levels of insulin.”

To test this hypothesis, the researchers included women who were likely prediabetic at the beginning of the follow-up period (they were later diagnosed with diabetes). It is likely these women had hyperinsulinemia. Surprisingly, the link to cancer was lower – although still significant -- with the addition of the hyperinsulinemia group. “It could be that the people diagnosed with diabetes during follow-up hadn’t been hyperinsulinemic long enough to increase risk, or that people need to be hyperinsulinemic to a greater degree to see an effect.”

Responding to Insulin

After eating carbohydrates, the pancreas responds by producing enough insulin to transport the glucose from the bloodstream into the cells. Glucose is the cells’ energy source and without it, cells cannot function. If the cells do not respond to insulin (insulin-resistant), the pancreas pumps out more. Over time, it can take ever-increasing amounts of insulin for the cells to take in enough glucose. People with pre-diabetes and type 2 diabetes can have both high glucose and insulin levels. In some cases, blood can measure a normal glucose level but insulin levels are still elevated.

Recurrence and Outcome

In some cases where there is only a moderate link between insulin resistance and cancer risk, there is a strong relationship to cancer behaving aggressively and recurrence. In a preliminary finding, Dr. Pollak and his colleagues examined data from a trial involving approximately 600 post-menopausal breast cancer patients. Along with other hormones, insulin was measured at time of diagnosis and ten years later. The researchers found that obese participants who had the highest insulin levels at diagnosis showed significantly increased risk of disease recurrence.

Dr. Pollak’s results mirror studies in prostate and other cancers that show high levels of insulin or blood glucose are linked to advanced adenomas, recurrence or mortality. A study by Dr. Flood, for example, found that patients who recently had potentially precancerous polyps removed from their colon or rectum and who had elevated insulin and glucose levels were at higher risk of recurrence compared to those with the lowest levels. And patients having the highest glucose levels had especially elevated risk for recurrence of advanced adenoma.

FYI: Other disease pathology connections include: diabetes-heart disease, obesity-cancer, obesity-diabetes, and obesity-heart disease.

Key Point: The good news is that many of the nutritional principles used to manage diabetes and control blood glucose levels can be used to treat most cancers, i.e. a plant-based diet of green, leafy and bright-colored vegetables, raw juices, onions, garlic, plant oils, whole fruits, filtered water, etc. However, for treating cancer, the vegetables and fruits should be organic. Also, it is imperative to avoid the processed foods that contain refined flour, sugar, HFCS, PHO (trans fats), vegetable oils, and saturated fat and avoid most beverages especially soda, diet soda, bottled fruit juices, and cow's milk; plus, fast foods of course.

Note: For more information concerning alternative treatment strategies for cancer, go to the following web pages:
http://www.deathtodiabetes.com/Cancer_and_Diabetes.html
http://www.deathtodiabetes.com/Cancer_Fighting_Foods.html
http://www.deathtodiabetes.com/Cancer_Cure_Naturally.html

Reference: AICR ScienceNow Volume 25, Summer 2008 http://preventcancer.aicr.org/

Why People Don't Eat Healthy Foods

 Website Reference: http://www.deathtodiabetes.com/Meal_Planning_to_Reverse_Di.html

The term "meal planning" sounds boring, but proper meal planning is one of the key enablers for diabetics to eat healthy and be successful with controlling and reversing their Type 2 diabetes. 

So, why don't diabetics (and non-diabetics for that matter) do a better job at meal planning and following a healthy diet? 

There are 8 major reasons why most people (including diabetics) don't do a better job at planning their meals and following a healthy diet:

 1. Time/Convenience: Most people feel that they don't have the time to go grocery-shopping and prepare healthy meals every day for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Also, it's a lot more convenient to just stop by McDonald''s or KFC on the way home from work or just call and order a pizza. 

2. Motivation: Most of us are not motivated to eat healthy --- until one day we find ourselves diagnosed with a disease such as diabetes, or, we become severely overweight or obese; or, we have a wake-up call due to a heart attack.


3. Cost: Some people tend to believe that it cost more to eat healthy foods. Nothing could be further from the truth! Especially if you take into account the amount of money that is saved from prescription drugs, hospital stays, and surgeries.

4. Taste/Addiction: Most people love the taste of processed foods, fast food and junk food. This is due to the chemicals added to these foods that cause us to crave these foods. In other words, we become addicted to these foods (chemicals)!

5. Stress: Stress from work, finances, family problems, and life in general leads many of us to seek comfort in a bowl of ice cream or a plate of mashed potatoes or mac 'n cheese.

6. Knowledge/Awareness: Some people don't know how to plan and prepare healthy meals on a daily basis for their family; and, stay within a budget. We're not consciously aware of how we're influenced by the media to eat fast food and junk food. TV commercials have brainwashed us to eat fast foods and, by default, we ignore healthy foods. When was the last time you saw a TV commercial about broccoli? Ironically, TV tells you to eat fast food; and, then, when you get ill from all the years of ingesting the chemicals from the fast food, TV commercials then tell you to get a drug for your indigestion, constipation, headache, etc. Hello! When are we going to wake up?

7. Diet Complexity: Most diets are complex and difficult to follow and stick with -- since most diet programs are about rules, deprivation, calorie restriction and calorie counting. This leads to anxiety, frustration, and anger. Plus, in the long run, diets just don't work.

8. Access/Availability: Some of us, depending on where we live, don't have access to healthy and fresh foods.

But the good news is that the Death to Diabetes Super Meal Nutritional Program addresses all of these issues. This program does this by utilizing the following well-structured easy-to-follow Meal Plate that doesn't require any calorie counting.

 Note: For more information, refer to the Death to Diabetes Cookbook, and 90-Day Meal Planning Charts.

Wild Salmon Helps to Reverse Type 2 Diabetes

Wild salmon is a powerful food, and, in many ways, is a true super food. In fact, few single foods can bring as many health contributions to your diet in significant quantities as wild salmon. Wild salmon is an excellent source of Omega-3 fatty acids which helps people with diabetes and heart disease. Wild salmon is low in saturated fat and calories but high in protein.

Note: Make sure that you choose wild salmon over farmed salmon. Farmed salmon is injected with antibiotics and color-enhancing chemicals. Whereas wild salmon eat other fish, farmed salmon is fed corn and other foods so that they can be produced in mass quantities.

Nutrient contents in wild salmon include:

Wild salmon provides key nutrients for your health, including:

• Omega 3 fatty acids
• Vitamins A, D, B6, E
• Antioxidant known as astaxanthin
• Essential amino acids
• High quality protein
• Appreciable amounts of calcium, iron, zinc, magnesium, and phosphorus

All of these nutrients combine to make wild salmon the natural choice for anyone concerned with their own health or their family’s health.

Health Benefits

Health benefits associated with wild salmon include the following.

Prevent High Cholesterol: Studies show that salmon helps to lower triglycerides. High triglycerides are associated with high bad cholesterol and low good cholesterol. When your triglyceride levels are high, you have a greater risk for cardiovascular disease. Eating wild salmon several times per week will help to lower your triglyceride levels.

Prevent High Blood Pressure: Consuming more wild salmon will also help to lower your blood pressure. If you do not suffer from high blood pressure, the omega-3 fats in salmon will help to prevent an unhealthy rise in blood pressure in the future. Hypertension, or high blood pressure, can lead to heart attack, stroke or heart failure. You can minimize your risks of these diseases by eating wild salmon regularly.

Prevent/Reverse Type 2 Diabetes: The Omega-3s and quality lean protein in wild salmon helps to stabilize blood glucose levels, which is very beneficial to Type 2 diabetics.

Prevent/Reverse Heart Disease: As previously mentioned, studies show that salmon helps to lower triglycerides. In addition, wild salmon reduces plaque formation with the arteries and lowers cholesterol levels, all of which is beneficial to anyone with heart disease. The carotenoid in salmon is a particularly potent antioxidant known as astaxanthin, which has been shown to protect against cardiovascular disease, cancer, inflammation, eye diseases, general aging and many other conditions.

Note: Astaxanthin is produced by phytoplankton, tiny plants that use it to shield themselves from ultraviolet radiation. Shrimp, krill and other tiny crustaceans then eat the phytoplankton and accumulate astaxanthin in their bodies (which is what makes them pink), and then salmon eat them and store the astaxanthin in their skin and muscles. Sockeye, coho and king salmon have the deepest color orange whereas pink and chum salmon (most often canned) are the lightest. 

Protect Against Cancer: When your diet is rich in omega-3 fats, you run a lower risk for certain cancers. For example, consuming salmon and other cold water fish has been linked with a reduced risk of prostate cancer. Studies show that men who incorporate salmon into their diet one or more times each week are much less likely to develop prostate cancer than men who do not eat salmon.

Promote Eye Health: Studies show that increasing your intake of omega-3 essential fatty acids may decrease the risk of dry eye syndrome. Other studies show that diets that are high in omega-3 fatty acids protect against age-related macular degeneration (AMD). AMD affects over 30 million people globally and is the leading cause of vision loss in those over 50 years of age. Eating fish that is rich in omega-3 fatty acids a minimum of three times per week has been associated with a 75% reduction in AMD. Wild salmon is a great option for promoting eye health.

Prevent Excessive Weight Gain: Incorporating wild salmon into your diet will give you the protein you need without the high and unhealthy fat levels of red meat and chicken. Salmon is also an excellent source of niacin, vitamin B12, vitamin B6, selenium, phosphorus and magnesium. You may choose to add wild salmon to your diet to replace excessive eating of tuna, which can contain mercury.

Prevent Depression: Fish oil may help combat a number of serious psychiatric illnesses. According to researchers at an international conference sponsored by the National Institutes of Health there is evidence which suggests that higher consumption of essential fatty acids in fish, particularly omega-3, appear to be linked to a lower risk for depression and better treatment of manic depression and schizophrenia. "In a study of more than 1,000 people (average age 75), those with higher blood levels of an omega-3 called DHA were more than 40% less likely to develop dementia (including Alzheimer's) over the next nine years than people with low DHA levels. ...Experts advise eating a weekly serving of fish rich in omega-3's." (Information source: "Boost Your Brain Power With Omega-3's," by Holly McCord, R.D., "Prevention" (Nutrition News web site))

More Health Benefits

Based on hundreds of clinical studies, the Omega-3 fatty acids in wild salmon provide many health benefits, including:

• Protect heart health
• Reduce risk of sudden death from heart disease
• Reduce risk of stroke
• Reduce chance of heart disease in Type 2 Diabetes
• Essential in infant brain and eye development during pregnancy and infancy
• Improve blood lipid patterns
• Improve blood vessel function
• Improve symptoms of immune and inflammatory disorders such as rheumatoid arthritis, Crohn's Disease, Ulcerative Colitis, Rheumatoid Arthritis, Psoriasis, Asthma and some skin conditions
• Reduce the risk and severity of some psychological/mental disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease, Depression and Bipolar Disorder
• May reduce the risk of certain cancers, particularly Breast Cancer
• May help reduce the severity or development of Nephritis, Migraine, Alzheimer's Disease and Type 1 Diabetes

The Biology

The protective role of fish against heart disease, diabetes and cancer may be attributed to the type of oil found in certain species of cold-water fish, especially Alaska wild salmon. These fish oils, referred to as “Omega-3”, are polyunsaturated. Their chemical structure and metabolic function are quite different from the polyunsaturated oils found in vegetable oils, known as “Omega-6”.

The type of dietary fat (monounsaturated, saturated, or polyunsaturated) we consume alters the production of a group of biological compounds known as eicosanoids(prostaglandins, thromboxanes, and leukotrienes). These eicosanoids have biological influences on blood pressure, blood clotting, inflammation, immune function, and coronary spasms. In the case of Omega-3 oils, a series of eicosanoids are produced, which may result in a decreased risk of heart disease, inflammatory processes, and certain cancers.

Omega-3 oils also exert additional protective effects against coronary heart disease by:

• decreasing blood lipids (cholesterol, low-density lipoproteins or LDL, and triglycerides)
• decreasing blood clotting factors in the vascular system
• increasing relaxation in larger arteries and other blood vessels
• decreasing inflammatory processes in blood vessels

Findings from Clinical Studies

Additional studies have provided exciting news about the benefits of Omega-3 oils for individuals with arthritis, psoriasis, ulcerative colitis, lupus erythematosus, asthma, and certain cancers. Research studies have consistently shown that Omega-3 fatty acids delay tumor appearance, and decrease the growth, size, and number of tumors.

A recent study at the University of Washington has confirmed that eating a modest amount of salmon (one salmon meal per week) can reduce the risk of primary cardiac arrest. Cardiac arrest claims the lives of 250,000 Americans each year. Fresh, fresh-frozen, or canned Alaska sockeye salmon provides the highest amount of Omega-3 fatty acids of any fish — 2.7 grams per 100 gram portion.

Other studies, such as the Zupthen Study, a 20-year investigation of a Dutch population, confirmed similar benefits. The risk of coronary heart disease decreased (as much as 2.5 times) with increasing fish consumption. This suggests that moderate amounts (one to two servings per week) of fish are of value in the prevention of coronary heart disease, when compared with no fish intake.

The type of dietary fat we consume is very important. It has been well documented that saturated fat can increase the risk of heart disease. The amount of saturated fat in both high-oil fish and lean fish is minimal. Fish, and other seafood, also offers lean, high-quality protein, as well as many other important vitamins and minerals.

Vitamin E:

• Powerful antioxidant
• Lowers the risk of heart disease
• Prevents the oxidation of low-density lipoproteins
• Reduces the buildup of plaque in coronary arteries

Salmon is also a good source of Vitamin E, a powerful antioxidant. Antioxidants, which also include Vitamin C and beta carotene, act at the molecular level to deactivate free radicals. Free radicals can damage basic genetic material, and cell walls and structures, to eventually lead to cancer and heart disease. Vitamin E lowers the risk of heart disease by preventing the oxidation of low-density lipoproteins (LDLs), thus reducing the buildup of plaque in coronary arteries. Other research has found that Vitamin E plays a protective role against cancer and the formation of cataracts, and may possibly boost the immune system in the elderly.

Cooking and Preparation Tips

You can eat wild salmon in a variety of ways. It is delicious on top of a salad with your favorite low-fat salad dressing. It can be made into a salmon burger or eaten with a side of rice and vegetables.

One of the biggest mistakes that people make when cooking wild salmon is that they overcook the salmon! This dries out the salmon and destroys some of the Omega-3 benefits. Instead bake the salmon in aluminum foil and add 1 tsp. extra virgin olive oil on top -- this will prevent the salmon from drying out, providing a very succulent and scrumptious flavor.

If you really don't like the taste of salmon, place a ½ pat of organic butter on top of the salmon after cooking -- you'll just love the buttery flavor!

Another option is to place a thin slice of cheese or a ½ handful of mozzarella cheese on top of the salmon after baking -- you'll love it!

Canned wild salmon (like sardines and tuna) can be eaten right out of the can -- there is no need to cook it. You can also add it to your salad for some additional protein.

What Salmon to Buy and Where
Wild Alaskan salmon, which spend most of their lives in open oceans, generally have very low levels of toxins. Coastal and farmed salmon, depending on the fish and meal they are fed, may have higher levels. The Environmental Defense Fund lists farmed Atlantic salmon as an “Eco-Worst” choice and recommends people eat no more than two servings a month due to high PCB levels.

Two of the best websites that sell wild salmon are:
http://www.vitalchoice.com/
http://www.seabear.com/

Thawing Tips
You can cook your salmon frozen , but we suggest that  you thaw it overnight in the refrigerator. Place the wrapped package on a plate and allow 8-10 hours (extremely large cuts may take a bit longer). Try not to speed up the process of thawing seafood by defrosting it in the microwave or thawing it under warm water. Doing this causes the salmon to lose flavor and texture.

Grilling Tips

Preparing the Grill:

• Fish cooks best over a medium-hot fire.
• Make sure the grill is hot before you start cooking.
• Liberally brush oil on the grill just prior to cooking.

Grilling Salmon:

• Cut large steaks or fillets into meal-size portions before grilling.
• Oil fish lightly just before cooking.
• Grill salmon with skin side down on parchment paper or foil. No need to flip!
• Cook fish approximately 10 minutes per inch of thickness.
• Seafood continues to cook after it’s removed from the heat so take it off the heat just as soon as it starts to flake.
• Slide a sharp knife tip into the center of the thickest part of a cooking salmon portion, checking for color (Our favorite is when the flesh is still red/rare on the inside). We have found that overcooking is one of the biggest mistakes our customers make when preparing salmon. This is quality salmon, no need to dry it out!

Plank Grilling Tips:

Planking is a traditional Northwest-style of cooking using aromatic pieces of wood. It’s a great way to add subtle flavors to your wild Alaska Seafood. Many stores sell pre-cut planks now, but it’s just as easy to make your own.

• The best wood choices for planking are Cedar, Alder and Oak.
• Pre-soak the plank in water for 30 minutes – two hours.
• Pat planks dry with paper towels and spray-coat or lightly oil one side of the plank.
• Season salmon lightly with an herb blend or just salt and pepper. Go easy, as you don’t want to overpower the flavor you will get from the plank.
• Preheat the grill to medium-high.
• Place the planked salmon on the grill over indirect heat and close the lid.
• Turn the heat down to medium.
• Check salmon frequently after 10 minutes.
• Salmon will continue to cook after it is removed from the heat. (See grilling tips to know how to tell when salmon is finished)
• Serving: the plank provides a beautiful, organic-looking platter for serving.

Baking Tips

• Rinse and pat fillets dry.
• Spread thin coat of olive oil over salmon.
• Coat bottom of pan with olive oil.
• Sprinkle seasonings over fish.
• Bake in 375°F oven for 10-12 minutes or until fish begins to flake.

Broiling Tips

• Preheat the broiler to Med/High.
• Rinse and pat fillets dry.
• Place parchment paper inside a shallow, nonmetal dish. Put salmon fillets on top of parchment, skin side down.
• Top with olive oil and seasoning of your choice.
• Broil the fish 4 to 6 inches from the heating element for 5 to 6 minutes or until the fish is done. (No need to turn.)

Poaching Tips

• Place poaching liquid in saucepan.
• Bring to boil and reduce to simmer.
• Place salmon in liquid and poach for 8 to 10 minutes, depending on thickness (8 minutes per inch thick).

                                         

The Super Meal Model Plate

             

The Diet for Diabetics  

The Super Meal Model Plate was designed by the author to make it easier for diabetics (and non-diabetics) to design healthy, balanced meals without having to spend a lot of time counting calories and carbohydrates.

Calorie-counting (and carb counting) can be time-consuming and very frustrating. And, given everything that a diabetic has to deal with, the author felt it was important to keep things as simple as possible.

Tip: Make certain that at least half of your plate is full with green and bright-colored vegetables.

Super Meal Model Plate Examples of Super Meals

          

The Super Meal Model Plate

Super Meal Model to Reverse Diabetes

The "Death to Diabetes" Super Meal Model Plate (Diet for Diabetics) is more than "a diet". It is part of a comprehensive 10-step wellness program that is designed to improve the health of people suffering with Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes as well as other systemic health issues.

This nutrient-dense meal plate model is a major improvement on the current conventional meal plates out there. This Super Meal Plate is based on a superior diet designed for diabetics (and non-diabetics), and is also designed to address other health issues such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, heart disease, and chronic fatigue.

The "Death to Diabetes" Super Meal Model Plate (Diet for Diabetics) has many of the attributes of the Mediterranean Diet, Zone Diet, South Beach Diet, and Asian Diet --  with nutritional modifications to address the root causes of Type 2 diabetes and help to better control Type 1 diabetes.

Some people see this Super Meal Model Plate & Diet (for diabetics) as a"low carb" diet, but, the author sees it as a lot more than just a "low-carb" diet. He prefers the term "balanced" diet because there is a balance of carbs, proteins, and fats that promotes cellular repair and improves the overall health and wellness of the body.

Consequently, this Super Meal Model Plate & Diet can be used by non-diabetics, who want to lose weight, lower their blood pressure, or just improve their overall health.

Note: The Super Meal Model Plate was designed by the author to make it easier for diabetics (and non-diabetics) to design healthy, balanced meals without having to spend a lot of time counting calories and carbohydrates. Calorie-counting ((and carb counting)) can be time-consuming and very frustrating. And, given everything that a diabetic has to deal with, the author felt it was important to keep things as simple as possible.

Note: Most people just throw veggies and other foods together to create these combo-super meals, but these meals are out-of-balance and lack the proper balance of macronutrients and micronutrents. Without a proper balance of macronutrients and micronutrents, these combo-super meals do not contain the necessary nutrients to help you fight your diabetes! So, take out the guesswork and get the cookbook.

For the science behind the Super Meal Model Diet for Diabetics, read about nutritional science and the  clinical studies that the author used to design the model.

The "Death to Diabetes" Super Meal Model is truly THE Diabetes Diet for Diabetics, because it is specifically designed to help control, Type 1 diabetes and to help beat and reverse Type 2 diabetes -- by providing a more sustained level of energy and key nutrients that diabetics (and non-diabetics) are missing when they consume the more traditional grain-based, overly-processed, nutrient-poor or starchy meal.

The "Death to Diabetes" Super Meal Model has a very nutrient-dense protocol that provides nutrients that are key to the effectivity of THE Diabetes Diet including: carotenoids, antioxidants, Omega-3 EFAs (EPA, DHA), chlorophyll, magnesium, potassium, chromium, Vitamin E, Vitamin C, fiber, water.

The "Death to Diabetes" Super Meal Model also provide key nutrients for repairing and healing the body from cellular damage due to diabetes, injury, or some other systemic health issue. This nutritional program can also be designed to accelerate the body's repair and healing mechanisms -- especially with raw juicing, green smoothies, and cleanse/detox.

In addition, by avoiding the grain-based breakfast, diabetics and non-diabetics will not experience the mid-morning “crash” or craving for processed food/beverages. Over time, the "Death to Diabetes" Super Meal Model Diet for Diabetics will support blood glucose stabilization, cell repair and the regulation of the body's production and utilization of insulin.

Note: Refer to the clinical studies, including the China Study, which substantiate the benefits of a plant-based nutritional program to prevent and possibly reverse the effects of heart disease, diabetes, and some cancers.

Super Meal Model Plate Diet Attributes:

• More frequent meals (4 to 6 times/day)
• Smaller meals (400-500 calories)
• Macro-nutrient Balance
• (Super Carbs, Proteins, Fats, Liquids)
• At least half the plate is vegetables
• Key micronutrients, i.e. vitamins, minerals, phytochemicals) 
• High Fiber Content (30-35g/day)
• Fermented Foods (3-5 times/week)
• Raw Vegetables (50%-80%)
• Some Raw Fruits 
• Nutritional Supplementation (Food-based)
• Minimum/No flour, sugar, wheat, fructose, processed foods, fast foods
• Minimum/No HFCS, PHO, nitrates, artificial sweeteners, food additives
• Minimum/No caffeine, alcohol, drugs
• Minimum/No dairy, especially pasteurized cow's milk/cheese; gluten (for Type 1s)

Key Point: This is not a low fat diet! Ironically, low fat diets helped to make us fat!

Meal Planning to Reverse Type 2 Diabetes

Meal planning is one of the key enablers for diabetics to be successful with controlling and reversing their Type 2 diabetes. Unfortunately, many diabetics don't perform meal planning because they think it's boring, they think it's time-consuming, or they don't know how to properly meal plan -- especially to improve their diabetes and their overall health. Plus, meal planning is a lot more difficult if you travel a lot.

Proper meal planning is all about organization, planning, and good recipes -- and, having a simple meal plate model that makes it easy to implement a healthy set of meals every day.

From the Author: Mr. McCulley admits that it was very intimidating when he realized everything that he would have to do to manage his diabetes. Trying to navigate through the various activities every day was very intimidating and confusing at times. 

There was a lot to remember: from pricking his finger 6-8 times a day, to recording the blood glucose readings, analyzing the readings, injecting himself with insulin 4 times a day, taking other medications (i.e. Coumadin, Lipitor), planning meals, preparing the meals, shopping for groceries, making doctor appointments, recordkeeping, and finding time to exercise.

Mr. McCulley was surprised to discover that there was no structured, systematic step-by-step process that would guide him through managing his diabetes on a daily basis, including how to do meal planning -- something he took for granted before he got sick. As a result, once he got well and wrote the book, he decided to develop a set of meal planning diagrams, charts  and journal templates that would make it easier for diabetics to perform proper meal planning.

For example, the 90-Day Meal Planning Charts provide a specific menu of meals (breakfast, lunch, snacks, and dinner) for 90 days in chart format. The meal plan is laid out in a structured table for ease of use to support your meal planning. The 90-Day meal planner is divided into 3 phases for a more effective meal plan based on your blood glucose readings and health needs. 
 

In addition, the author expanded his Death to Diabetes cookbook to demonstrate that meal planning is not boring and it's not time-consuming. In fact, proper meal planning will save time and will save money, and can even be enjoyable.

Key aspects of proper meal planning include:

• How to shop for groceries
• How to read food labels
• How to select the proper foods
• When to shop for groceries and why
• How to save time and money when grocery-shopping

Another key enabler is meal preparation. Once you purchase the proper foods, it's very important that you know how to prepare the meals such that you obtain maximum nutrition from the meals. For example, if you overcook the vegetables, then, you destroy many of the key nutrients that your body needs to fight the diabetes.

Key aspects of proper meal preparation include: 

• The best oils for salads, cooking, etc.
• How to prepare super meals
• How to prepare quick meals that are healthy
• How to prepare snacks that are healthy
• How to prepare quick lunches
• How to prepare vegetables
• How to prepare vegetable soups
• How to prepare stir-frys
• What herbs/spices to use with what foods
• How to transform comfort foods into healthier foods
• How to transform your favorite meals and desserts into healthier meals
• How to reduce the fat and sugar in your meals but keep the meals tasty 

Super Meal Plate Diagram: 

Examples of Super Meals:

Doctors Agree Type 2 Diabetes is Reversible!

Website Reference: http://www.deathtodiabetes.com/Diabetes_Can_Be_Reversed.html

The list of medical experts who believe that Type 2 diabetes can be reversed is growing. The following studies and reports are just a few of the many cases that demonstrate that Type 2 diabetes is reversible in this country and around the world. Can all of these people be wrong?

Reversal of type 2 diabetes via normalization of beta cell function
Diabetologia. 2011 Oct;54(10):2477-9.
A ground breaking new study in Diabetologia proved that Type 2 diabetes can be reversed through diet changes, and, the study showed, this can happen quickly: in one to eight weeks. Lim EL, Hollingsworth KG, Aribisala BS, Chen MJ, Mathers JC, Taylor R.
www.diabetologia-journal.org/

Dr. Mehmet Oz says diabetes is reversible.
Acceptance is growing among the mainstream medical community that type 2 diabetes is reversible. Dr. Mehmet Oz is among the many physicians who now say diabetes is completely treatable, and reversible, by making better lifestyle choices

As reported on Oprah.com, Dr. Oz stated:
“Most diabetes is preventable,” he says. “It is treatable, even reversible … Ninety percent of type 2 diabetics can actually reverse their problem.”
http://www.drcredeur.com/diabetes/what-does-dr-oz-say-about-diabetes/

Note: Dr. Oz got into a little trouble with some of his TV show sponsors, so he has had to back off making too many statements about reversing type 2 diabetes, especially on national television (which is controlled to a large extent by the pharmaceutical industry).

Gabriel Cousens, M.D., M.D.(H), D.D. (Doctor of Divinity), Diplomate of American Board of Integrative Holistic Medicine, Diplomate Ayurveda is considered a leading live-food medical doctor and spiritual nutrition expert. He is also a psychiatrist, family therapist, Ayurvedic practitioner, homeopath, acupuncturist, medical researcher, ecological leader and bestselling author of books such as: Spiritual Nutrition, Conscious Eating and There Is a Cure for Diabetes.

Dr. Cousens has developed the first live-food, vegan Masters' program in the world - in conjunction with University of Integrated Science California. He is the director and founder of the Tree of Life Foundation and the Tree of Life Rejuvenation Center, called by Harper's Magazine, "One of the world's best 10 yoga and detoxification retreats.

On the next NaturalNews Talk Hour - a LIVE internet radio program - Dr. Gabriel Cousens will talk about how to REVERSE diabetes in 21 days with his cutting edge program of natural foods and lifestyle interventions.

Learn more: http://www.naturalnews.com/037083_reverse_diabetes_natural_remedies_blood_sugar.html#ixzz2DFY6jKhq

Dr. Gabriel Cousens says that you can reverse your diabetes in 21 days with his cutting edge raw food program of natural foods and lifestyle interventions.

Dr. Joel Fuhrman says that heart disease and diabetes are easy to prevent and reverse without drugs and surgery. He stated this on a PBS Special “Three Steps To Incredible Health”.  Dr. Mehmet Oz, M.D of The Dr. Oz Show says of Dr Fuhrman’s plan “A medical breakthrough. If you give this diet your complete commitment, there is no question in my mind that it will work for you.”

Reversing diabetes is possible
By Val Willingham, CNN
Bethesda, Maryland (CNN) -- Diabetes type-2 can be reversed. "We have seen numerous people reverse their condition," says Dr. Michelle Magee, director of the MedStar Diabetes Institute in Washington. "But it takes a real dedication for the rest of their lives," she notes.
http://www.cnn.com/2011/HEALTH/01/28/reverse.diabetes/index.html

UK Study shows diabetes is reversible
June 28, 2011
Researchers from Newcastle University have clearly shown that a strict low calorie diet can actually reverse the condition by normalizing blood glucose levels, reducing cholesterol levels and even stimulate the pancreas’s insulin producing cells (beta cells) to return to normal!
However, this was a small-scale study and involved just 11 people; 9 men and 2 women.
The full study was published in the June issue of the journal Diabetologia.
http://hadleywoodhealthcare.wordpress.com/2011/06/28/diabetes-is-reversible/

TYPE-2 DIABETES CAN BE REVERSED?
World Entertainment News Network
06-27-11
A new study suggests an extreme eight-week diet can reverse Type 2 diabetes in people newly diagnosed with the disease. Researchers at Britain's Newcastle University found the 600 calories-a-day diet reduced fat levels in the pancreas and liver, which helped insulin production return to normal. Seven out of 11 people who went on the diet, eating only liquid diet drinks and non-starchy vegetables, were free of diabetes three months later. But experts say more research is needed to see whether the reversal is permanent. Lead study author Roy Taylor says, "This diet was only used to test the hypothesis that if people lose substantial weight they will lose their diabetes. Although this study involved people diagnosed with diabetes within the last four years, there is potential for people with longer-standing diabetes to turn things around too."
http://www.lef.org/news/LefDailyNews.htm

Type 2 Diabetes "Reversible"
Friday, June 24, 2011
Reversal Of Type 2 Diabetes: Normalisation Of Beta Cell Function In Association With Decreased Pancreas And Liver Triacylglycerol, Diabetologia, June 9, 2011
Studies have been showing that people with type 2 diabetes who undergo gastric bypass surgeries can - within a matter of days - stop being diabetic.
http://fanaticcook.blogspot.com/2011/06/type-2-diabetes-reversible.html

Study finds Type 2 diabetes partly reversible
Tuesday, April 19th, 2011 | By Julia Brownell
Researchers at the School of Medicine have discovered that type 2 diabetes is at least in part an autoimmune disease. Their report, published in this month’s Nature Medicine, shows that B-cells appear in the inflammation of the visceral fat that precedes diabetes, and controlling them with drugs can actually prevent insulin resistance in mice on high-fat diets.
http://www.stanforddaily.com/2011/04/19/study-finds-type-2-diabetes-partly-reversible/

Mainstream media admits diabetes can be reversed through major diet, lifestyle changes
Monday, February 07, 2011 by: Ethan A. Huff, staff writer

(NaturalNews) The mainstream media is just now catching on to what NaturalNews and other natural health advocates have been saying for years: type 2 diabetes can be reversed through dietary and lifestyle changes, and without the need for lifelong drug interventions. A recent report by CNN says that improving one's diet, keeping off excess weight, and regularly exercising, can help millions of people with diabetes get rid of it for good.
http://www.naturalnews.com/031233_diabetes_lifestyle.html

Type 2 diabetes can be prevented by the adoption of a healthier lifestyle
Sept 2001
In a report in The New England Journal of Medicine, Walter Willett, MD, PhD, and his colleagues from the Harvard School of Public Health demonstrated that 91 percent of all Type 2 diabetes cases could be prevented through improvements lifestyle and diet.

Frank B. Hu, M.D., JoAnn E. Manson, M.D., Meir J. Stampfer, M.D., Graham Colditz, M.D., Simin Liu, M.D., Caren G. Solomon, M.D., and Walter C. Willett, M.D.

N Engl J Med 2001; 345:790-797 September 13, 2001

Diabetes And Insulin Resistance Are Reversible
Huffington Post
August 8, 2009
Dr. Mark Hyman says type 2 diabetes is reversible with early intervention and a proper diet.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/dr-mark-hyman/reverse-diabetes_b_918539.html

11 People (55%) Reversed Type 2 Diabetes
American Journal of Clinical Nutrition
August 17, 2010 by Robby
A peer reviewed study demonstrates 11 people (55%) of the patients reversed type 2 diabetes in an average of 16 days.
Anderson, J. W., & Ward, K. (1979). High-carbohydrate, high-fiber diets for insulin-treated men with diabetes mellitus. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 32, 2312-2321.
The abstract is available to the public at this link.

Engineer proves diabetes is reversible with plant-based diet.
February 21, 2006 Rochester Democrat & Chronicle
Xerox engineer reversed his diabetes and got off insulin by following a strict plant-based diet of vegetables, legumes, fish, and plant oils.
PDF file of newspaper article
http://www.democratandchronicle.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060215/LIVING/602150311

Diabetes is not necessarily a one-way street.
PCRM Clinical Research
February 15, 2005
Diabetes: Can a Vegan Diet Reverse Diabetes?
By Andrew Nicholson, M.D.
Early studies suggest that persons with type 2 diabetes can improve and, in some cases, even reverse the disease by switching to an unrefined, vegan diet.  This is based on a carefully controlled test performed by  PCRM.

Working with Georgetown University, PCRM compared two different diets: a high-fiber, low-fat, vegan diet and the more commonly used American Diabetes Association (ADA) diet.

Fasting blood sugars decreased 59 percent more in the vegan group than in the ADA group. And, while the vegans needed less medication to control their blood sugars, the ADA group needed just as much medicine as before. The vegans were taking less medicine, but were in better control.

While the ADA group lost an impressive 8 pounds, on average, the vegans lost nearly 16 pounds. Cholesterol levels also dropped more substantially in the vegan group compared to the ADA group.

Medical research confirms lifestyle change can reverse diabetes
December 21, 1979
Medical research confirms that up to 50% of people with Type 2 diabetes can eliminate diabetes risks and discontinue medication within three weeks by adopting a low-fat, plant food diet and regular daily exercise.

Anderson, JW and Ward, K: High Carbohydrate, High fiber diets for insulin-treated men with diabetes mellitus. Am J Clin Nutr, 1979; 32:2312-21.

Software executive cures himself of diabetes at the age of 30.
Mike Adams, now known as the Health Ranger, cured himself of diabetes in a matter of months and transformed himself into the picture of perfect health in mind, body and spirit. Mike dove into research; he devoured thousands of books on nutrition, pharmaceutical drugs, wellness programs, the politics of food - anything he could find.
Mike has now made it his life mission to share the most remarkable discovery he made on his quest: the vast majority of all diseases can be easily prevented and even cured without drugs or surgery.
http://www.healthranger.org/bio.html

Diabetes is reversible
Mayo Clinic
Potentially reversible diabetes conditions include prediabetes — when your blood sugar levels are higher than normal, but not high enough to be classified as diabetes — and gestational diabetes, which occurs during pregnancy.
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/diabetes/DS01121

Dr. Mercola: Not only is type 2 diabetes completely preventable, but it is virtually curable for anyone who is willing to put in the hard time and work and recovering their insulin and leptin sensitivity.

The Diabetes Conundrum: What Physicians Are Teaching You May be Killing You - Read the surprising conclusion Dr. Rosedale, one of the leading diabetic doctors in the country, reaches about the current state of knowledge in diabetes.

The Rosedale diet: The real "cure" for diabetes is to eat a diet that promotes insulin and leptin sensitivity.

Natural Treatments For Diabetes: The Whitaker Wellness approach is very effective in reducing and often eliminating the need for oral diabetes drugs and insulin in patients with type 2 diabetes.
The Whitaker Wellness Institute’s approach to diabetes is twofold: to lower blood sugar and to reduce the risk of diabetic complications with diet, exercise, and targeted nutritional supplements.

Diabetes Can Be Treated Without Drugs: Julian Whitaker, MD; Jul 03, 2009
"Hundreds of clinical trials demonstrate that diabetes can not only be prevented but actually reversed -- not with drugs but with simple, inexpensive lifestyle measures."

WebMD: Can You Reverse Type 2 Diabetes? Learn the lifestyle changes that may help you reverse type 2 diabetes.
"If you take obesity  out of the picture, your diabetes will improve dramatically," says Osama Hamdy, MD, PhD, the medical director of the Obesity Clinical Program at the Joslin Diabetes Center in Boston.