Breast Cancer

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

Author's Perspective: Breast cancer touches someone in our lives sooner or later, but, knowledge can help prevent and fight breast cancer and other cancers. There are some simple things that women can do to prevent breast cancer. There are some simple things that all of us can do to prevent or reduce the risk of developing most cancers without having to make a lot of lifestyle changes.

For example:

-- Get tested every year -- early detection is key.

-- Eat some (raw) vegetables every day.

-- Reduce eating animal meat and fast foods.

-- Take a Vitamin D supplement or get some sunlight.

-- Get 8 hours of sleep every night.

-- Reduce stress.

-- Reduce wearing a bra (restricting lymph flow, decreased melatonin).
-- Reduce use of cosmetics, hair products and bleach/detergents (carcinogenic).

Breast Cancer (Statistics)

In 2002, cancer overtook heart disease as the number one killer of Americans under the age of 85. This trend is expected to continue, and in another ten years – by 2018 – cancer will be the number one killer of all Americans, young and old alike. For women in the U.S., breast cancer death rates are higher than those for any other cancer, besides lung cancer.

About 1 in 8 women in the United States (12%) will develop invasive breast cancer over the course of her lifetime.

The American Cancer Society estimates that over 270,000 women will die of cancer in 2010 – 40,000 from breast cancer alone.

The ACS also estimates that in 2010, 745,000 men and 692,000 women will be diagnosed with cancer. Of the women diagnosed, over a quarter will be found to have breast cancer.

In 2010, an estimated 207,090 new cases of invasive breast cancer were expected to be diagnosed in women in the U.S., along with 54,010 new cases of non-invasive breast cancer.

Besides skin cancer, breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer among U.S. women. More than 1 in 4 cancers in women (about 28%) are breast cancer.

Compared to African American women, white women are slightly more likely to develop breast cancer, but less likely to die of it. One possible reason is that African American women tend to have more aggressive tumors, probably due to excess fast foods and animal meat, and low levels of Vitamin D. Women of other ethnic backgrounds — Asian, Hispanic, and Native American — have a lower risk of developing and dying from breast cancer than white women and African American women.

A woman’s risk of breast cancer approximately doubles if she has a first-degree relative (mother, sister, daughter) who has been diagnosed with breast cancer. About 20-30% of women diagnosed with breast cancer have a family history of breast cancer.

About 5-10% of breast cancers can be linked to gene mutations (abnormal changes) inherited from one’s mother or father. Mutations of the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes are the most common. Women with these mutations have up to an 80% risk of developing breast cancer during their lifetime, and they are more likely to be diagnosed at a younger age (before menopause). An increased ovarian cancer risk is also associated with these genetic mutations. In men, about 1 in 10 breast cancers are believed to be due to BRCA2 mutations and even fewer cases to BRCA1 mutations.

About 70-80% of breast cancers occur in women who have no family history of breast cancer. These occur due to genetic abnormalities that happen as a result of the aging process and life in general, rather than inherited mutations.

The most significant risk factors for breast cancer are gender (being a woman), age (growing older), diet, and stress.

Breast Cancer (Definition)

Breast cancer is an uncontrolled growth of breast cells. To better understand breast cancer, it helps to understand how any cancer can develop.

Cancer occurs as a result of mutations, or abnormal changes, in the genes responsible for regulating the growth of cells and keeping them healthy. The genes are in each cell’s nucleus, which acts as the “control room” of each cell. Normally, the cells in our bodies replace themselves through an orderly process of cell growth: healthy new cells take over as old ones die out. But over time, mutations can “turn on” certain genes and “turn off” others in a cell. That changed cell gains the ability to keep dividing without control or order, producing more cells just like it and forming a tumor.

A tumor can be benign (not dangerous to health) or malignant (has the potential to be dangerous). Benign tumors are not considered cancerous: their cells are close to normal in appearance, they grow slowly, and they do not invade nearby tissues or spread to other parts of the body. Malignant tumors are cancerous. Left unchecked, malignant cells eventually can spread beyond the original tumor to other parts of the body.

The term “breast cancer” refers to a malignant tumor that has developed from cells in the breast. Usually breast cancer either begins in the cells of the lobules, which are the milk-producing glands, or the ducts, the passages that drain milk from the lobules to the nipple. Less commonly, breast cancer can begin in the stromal tissues, which include the fatty and fibrous connective tissues of the breast.

Breast Anatomy:

 

Breast Profile:
A ducts
B lobules
C dilated section of duct to hold milk
D nipple
E fat
F pectoralis major muscle
G chest wall/rib cage
Enlargement:
A normal duct cells
B basement membrane
C lumen (center of duct)

Over time, cancer cells can invade nearby healthy breast tissue and make their way into the underarm lymph nodes, small organs that filter out foreign substances in the body. If cancer cells get into the lymph nodes, they then have a pathway into other parts of the body. The breast cancer’s stage refers to how far the cancer cells have spread beyond the original tumor.

Breast cancer is always caused by a genetic abnormality (a “mistake” in the genetic material). However, only 5-10% of cancers are due to an abnormality inherited from your mother or father. About 90% of breast cancers are due to genetic abnormalities that happen as a result of the aging process and the “wear and tear” of life in general.

Breast Cancer Risk Factors

Every woman wants to know what she can do to lower her risk of breast cancer. Some of the factors associated with breast cancer -- being a woman, your age, and your genetics, for example -- can't be changed. Other factors -- maintaining a healthy weight, exercising, smoking cigarettes,  and eating nutritious food -- can be changed by making choices. By choosing the healthiest lifestyle options possible, you can empower yourself and make sure your breast cancer risk is as low as possible.

The known risk factors for breast cancer are listed below. If a factor can't be changed (such as your genetics), you can learn about protective steps you can take that can help keep your risk as low as possible.

Being a Woman: Just being a woman is the biggest risk factor for developing breast cancer. There are about 190,000 new cases of invasive breast cancer and 60,000 cases of non-invasive breast cancer this year in American women.

Age: As with many other diseases, your risk of breast cancer goes up as you get older. About two out of three invasive breast cancers are found in women 55 or older.

Family History: Women with close relatives who've been diagnosed with breast cancer have a higher risk of developing the disease. If you've had one first-degree female relative (sister, mother, daughter) diagnosed with breast cancer, your risk is doubled.

Genetics: About 5% to 10% of breast cancers are thought to be hereditary, caused by abnormal genes passed from parent to child.

Personal History of Breast Cancer: If you've been diagnosed with breast cancer, you're 3 to 4 times more likely to develop a new cancer in the other breast or a different part of the same breast. This risk is different from the risk of the original cancer coming back (called risk of recurrence).

Eating Unhealthy Food: Diet is thought to be at least partly responsible for about 30% to 40% of all cancers. No food or diet can prevent you from getting breast cancer. But some foods can make your body the healthiest it can be, boost your immune system, and help keep your risk for breast cancer as low as possible.

Being Overweight: Overweight and obese women have a higher risk of being diagnosed with breast cancer compared to women who maintain a healthy weight, especially after menopause. Being overweight also can increase the risk of the breast cancer coming back (recurrence) in women who have had the disease.

Low of Vitamin D Levels: Research suggests that women with low levels of vitamin D have a higher risk of breast cancer. Vitamin D may play a role in controlling normal breast cell growth and may be able to stop breast cancer cells from growing.

Lack of Exercise: Research shows a link between exercising regularly at a moderate or intense level for 4 to 7 hours per week and a lower risk of breast cancer.

Smoking: Smoking causes a number of diseases and is linked to a higher risk of breast cancer in younger, premenopausal women. Research also has shown that there may be link between very heavy second-hand smoke exposure and breast cancer risk in postmenopausal women.

Drinking Alcohol: Research consistently shows that drinking alcoholic beverages -- beer, wine, and liquor -- increases a woman's risk of hormone-receptor-positive breast cancer.

Radiation to Chest or Face Before Age 30: If you had radiation to the chest to treat another cancer (not breast cancer), such as Hodgkin's disease or non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, you have a higher-than-average risk of breast cancer. If you had radiation to the face at an adolescent to treat acne (something that’s no longer done), you are at higher risk of developing breast cancer later in life.

Certain Breast Changes: If you've been diagnosed with certain benign (not cancer) breast conditions, you may have a higher risk of breast cancer. There are several types of benign breast conditions that affect breast cancer risk

Race/Ethnicity: White women are slightly more likely to develop breast cancer than African American, Hispanic, and Asian women. But African American women are more likely to develop more aggressive, more advanced-stage breast cancer that is diagnosed at a young age.

Pregnancy History: Women who haven’t had a full-term pregnancy or have their first child after age 30 have a higher risk of breast cancer compared to women who gave birth before age 30.

Breastfeeding History: Breastfeeding can lower breast cancer risk, especially if a woman breastfeeds for longer than 1 year.

Menstrual History: Women who started menstruating (having periods) younger than age 12 have a higher risk of breast cancer later in life. The same is true for women who go through menopause when they're older than 55.

Using HRT (Hormone Replacement Therapy): Current or recent past users of HRT have a higher risk of being diagnosed with breast cancer. Since 2002 when research linked HRT and risk, the number of women taking HRT has dropped dramatically.

Having Dense Breasts: Research has shown that dense breasts can be 6 times more likely to develop cancer and can make it harder for mammograms to detect breast cancer.

Light Exposure at Night: The results of several studies suggest that women who work at night -- factory workers, doctors, nurses, and police officers, for example -- have a higher risk of breast cancer compared to women who work during the day. Other research suggests that women who live in areas with high levels of external light at night (street lights, for example) have a higher risk of breast cancer.

DES (diethylstilbestrol) Exposure: Some pregnant women were given DES from the 1940s through the 1960s to prevent miscarriage. Women who took DES themselves have a slightly higher risk of breast cancer. Women who were exposed to DES while their mothers were pregnant with them also may have slightly higher risk of breast cancer later in life.

Exposure to Chemicals in Cosmetics: Research strongly suggests that at certain exposure levels, some of the chemicals in cosmetics, hair products, and detergents may contribute to the development of cancer in people.

Exposure to Chemicals in Food: There's a real concern that pesticides, antibiotics, and hormones used on crops and livestock may cause health problems in people, including an increase in breast cancer risk. There are also concerns about the chemicals in fast foods, mercury in seafood and industrial chemicals in food and food packaging.

Exposure to Chemicals for Lawns and Gardens: Research strongly suggests that at certain exposure levels, some of the chemicals in lawn and garden products may cause cancer in people. But because the products are diverse combinations of chemicals, it's difficult to show a definite cause and effect for any specific chemical.

Exposure to Chemicals in Plastic: Research strongly suggests that at certain exposure levels, some of the chemicals in plastic products, such as bisphenol A (BPA), may cause cancer in people.

Exposure to Chemicals in Sunscreen: While chemicals can protect us from the sun's harmful ultraviolet rays, research strongly suggests that at certain exposure levels, some of the chemicals in some sunscreen products may cause cancer in people.

Exposure to Chemicals in Water: Research has shown that the water you drink -- whether it’s from your home faucet or bottled water from a store -- may not always be as safe as it could be. Everyone has a role in protecting the water supply. There are steps you can take to ensure your water is as safe as it can be.

Exposure to Chemicals When Food Is Grilled/Prepared: Research has shown that women who ate a lot of grilled, barbecued, and smoked meats and very few fruits and vegetables had a higher risk of breast cancer compared to women who didn't eat a lot of grilled meats.

Dangers of Mammograms

Over 50 Percent of the Death Rate From Cancer is Induced by X-Rays

The following information from Dr. Mercola reveals the dangers of mammography and the benefits of a safe breast cancer screening test called thermography.

Your doctor probably hasn’t told you about it, but a suspicious finding via thermography is the single most important indicator of high risk for breast cancer. And an astounding 95 percent of early stage breast cancers are diagnosed when this non-invasive, painless and utterly risk-free process is used in a multi-modal approach to detection and treatment.

Using thermography instead of mammography could mean the difference between overturning your boat in shark-infested waters, life preserver in hand, outcome unknown… and learning how to keep your boat upright so that you never need a life preserver in the first place.

The reality is reducing exposure to medical radiation such as unnecessary mammograms would likely reduce mortality rates.

What’s more, false diagnoses of breast cancer are very common – as high as 89 percent – leading many women to be unnecessarily and harmfully treated by mastectomy, more radiation and chemotherapy.

So why is there such a push towards screening mammograms?

Because it’s become a billion dollar a year business – one that appears to be more motivated by profits than helping its patients.

Here’s a loose estimate of the money the medical establishment rakes in on mammograms every year:

$100 average cost per screening x 65 million U.S. women aged 40 or over
= $6.5 billion dollars per year

Add to that a few million $1,000+ biopsies and it becomes clear that annual mammography screenings for women 40 years and older is at least a $10 billion dollar per year industry.

In fact, according to Barbara Brenner, Executive Director of the San Francisco-based Breast Cancer Action advocacy group and herself a breast cancer survivor.

The United States Public Campaign to Eradicate Breast Cancer has Not Focused on Prevention, but Largely on Efforts to Promote Mammography Screening   

Of course, there are instances where mammography may be warranted. But the truth is there are other technologies that are proven to be more effective, less expensive and completely harmless, that can save far more lives that your doctor isn’t telling you about.

If you’re a woman, there’s a one in eight chance that you’ll develop breast cancer during your lifetime. And despite the fact that reducing exposure to medical radiation such as unnecessary mammograms would likely reduce mortality rates, the American cancer society is promoting mammography to the exclusion of most other screening devices.

The Safe Breast Cancer Screening Test Your Doctor Isn’t Telling You About
(from Dr. Mercola)

You may not know it, but there’s a tool available right now – today -- to help you identify the conditions and diseases that could be growing inside you, symptomless and seemingly harmless … for the moment.

If you’re a woman concerned about breast cancer -- and what woman isn’t? -- this
technology could quite literally save your breasts, and your life.

Your body has an amazing capacity for self-healing. When something goes awry with the normal functioning of your body, it will try to heal itself through natural processes. If those processes fail, symptoms will develop. This is the point at which most people realize they need help – when symptoms appear which affect their lives, or even threaten them.

But what if you could get a heads-up that your body was going through some abnormal changes an entire decade before discernible symptoms develop – well before your life is in potential danger?

Unfortunately, conventional medicine is stubbornly holding on to old ideas of cancer detection and treatment, no matter how ineffective it’s been proven to be. Breast cancer detection methods used by the mainstream medical community include mammography, ultrasound, magnetic resonance imaging (MRIs), and PET scans.

Education and awareness of better, less risky and more effective options for detecting breast cancer are woefully deficient, but as you will learn, they do exist.

Preventing Breast Cancer

Breast cancer is a complex disease, and many things contribute to it. The following points explain some other things you can do to help prevent breast cancer.

Bra Wearing Habits

In a study by Singer and Grismaijer in 1995, 3 out of 4 women studied who wore a bra for 24 hours a day developed breast cancer compared to 1 out of 168 who wore a bra rarely or never.

That is a huge difference, and the implication is clear.  Your first line of defense in preventing breast cancer is to severely limit how many hours a day you wear a bra.

hindering the normal cleansing process of the breast tissue.  Many environmental toxins and pesticides that cause and promote cancer are "fat-loving" and so tend to reside in the breast tissue.  Lymph fluid carries away waste products, dead cells, and toxins.

Another study found that wearing a bra decreased melatonin production and increased the core body temperature.  Melatonin is a powerful antioxidant and hormone that promotes good sleep, fights aging, boosts immune system, and slows the growth of certain types of cancer, including breast cancer.

Note: If you need or want to wear a bra, find one that is fitting. Be especially careful about the underwires and side panels, because if the fit is not just right, the underwire can poke into the breast tissue, and the side panels can create extra pressure and tightness. Consider getting fitted right with a professional fitter by following these guidelines on this web page:

http://www.007b.com/why_wear_bras.php

Also, give your breasts "free time". Take your bra off whenever you can, such as at home. At the very least do not wear it to sleep.

Note: While bras do give breasts support, they do not ultimately prevent your breasts from sagging. Gravity will eventually take its effect. There is actually some evidence that bras can even increase sagging. One possible reason for that is that the breast has ligaments, and since other bodily ligaments can atrophy when not in use, the same might happen to the breast ligaments under the constant artificial support from the bra, resulting in increased sagginess. Another possible reason for bra-wearing increasing sagginess is IF a woman wears an ill-fitting bra, which may force some of the breast tissue to "migrate", resulting in differently shaped breasts than otherwise.

Note: All of this may sound far-fetched ... your doctor may have never heard of it, but the evidence is there. Preventing breast cancer should be a very important matter for all of us. Drastically reducing the amount of time your breasts are bound in bras and being conscientious of only wearing well-fitting bras are easy steps to take that might save you a fortune in medical bills, and even your life!

Vitamin D and Sunlight

Breast cancer mortality rates in the U.S. vary according to the geographic region so that the highest rates are in the northeast and urban areas, and lowest rates in the south and rural areas.  This is explained by the variation in sunlight and the subsequent vitamin D production.  According to William B. Grant's analysis, breast cancer risk could be cut in half by sufficient vitamin D levels - or in other words, by sufficient sun exposure.

Adult humans need much more vitamin D than the amount that used to be recommended (400 IU) — probably somewhere around 3000-5000 IU daily. So you cannot get enough vitamin D from the diet alone.  Sun exposure without sunscreens is the preferred source of vitamin D.  If you need vitamin D supplementation, blood testing of vitamin D level is recommended to know how much supplements to take and not to overdose.  Dr. Mercola's article on vitamin D deficiency explains the testing, as well as how much sun exposure is adequate.  Just remember, don't burn!

Carbohydrates, Obesity, and Breast Cancer

Obesity has long been recognized as a risk factor for breast cancer.  Recent reasearch is starting to unveil a bigger picture where obesity, a condition called insulin resistance/hyperinsulinemia, higher estrogen levels, and insulin-like growth factor I are all connected, and act synergistically.  The exact causal mechanism is yet uncertain and under study.

People with insulin resistance or hyperinsulinemia (also called syndrome X) have high levels of insulin in their blood because the cells in their body are resisting insulin and so the body produces lots of it to counteract the resistance.  This condition is caused by eating too much carbohydrates that digest rapidly, like bread, potatoes, rice, corn, baked goods, pop and other sugary drinks, cakes, cookies, most desserts, and some sweet fruits.  These foods have high glycemic index (GI).   Carbohydrate foods with low glycemic index (those which digest slowly) would be lentils, beans, barley, most vegetables, and some fruits.  And some foods have a medium glycemic index, for example pasta and certain kinds of breads.

The mechanism of insulin resistance is as follows:
When you eat lots of carbohydrates with high glycemic index, the pancreas produces lots of insulin so that the energy from those carbohydrates (in form of glucose) could be used in the cells all around the body. Insuling is like a 'key' that opens the door to the cells so that energy (glucose) can enter the cells from the bloodstream. When there is lots of insulin in the bloodstream, the cells start resisting insulin's action. Insulin-resistant cells resist the 'key', so therefore they don't get the glucose (energy). Instead, all the extra glucose ends up stored as body fat (that's why obesity is a symptom), while the person can still feel hungry.

Almost all people with type 2 diabetes and many with high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease, and overweight people are insulin resistant. But multitudes of apparently healthy Americans also are have this condition without knowing it, because their pancreas is (still) compensating for the resistance by putting out lots and lots of insulin. You can suspect insulin resistance if you suffer from fatigue, brain fogginess, low blood sugar, obesity, high triglycerides, and high blood pressure. A glucose tolerance test can determine if a person is insulin resistant.

Note: For more details about preventing and curing breast cancer, refer to the Death to Diabetes website.

Myths About Diabetes

Website Reference:  

http://www.deathtodiabetes.com/Myths_about_Diabetes.html

There are many myths about diabetes. Some of the myths were started through ignorance, others by doctors, dietitians and diabetes educators, others by a single flawed study, and still more exist because of a resistance to change by diabetics.

In some cases the very people that claim to be helping diabetics are lying to them!

Although it is very important to learn everything you can about diabetes, it may be just as important to unlearn a lot of things you believe to be true about diabetes, drugs, and nutrition.

Author's Perspective: "When I was diabetic, I was confused by a lot of the misinformation about diabetes. Fortunately, because of my science background, it made it easier for me to separate fact from fiction. The one  important thing to remember about most of these myths is that they are designed to keep you afraid, uncertain, diabetic and/or dependent on  drugs and uninformed doctors and other so-called "experts".  I learned very quickly that the only person who had a vested interest in my long-term non-drug health was me! -- so, I had to become my own expert.

Here are some of the many myths and misunderstandings about diabetes, drugs, nutrition and other related topics.

Myth: Diabetes is just a little sugar problem – it’s not that serious.

Truth: Diabetes is a disease that affects trillions of cells in the body and, gradually, leads to complications such as heart attack, stroke, amputation, kidney failure, and blindness. So, diabetes is serious . . .  very serious.

Myth: Eating sweets and your genetics cause diabetes.

Truth: Eating sweets does not cause diabetes – they make you fat, which can lead to diabetes. Although your genetics can play a partial role in diabetes, the eating and cooking habits that are passed down from one generation to the next are more significant contributors, when combined with a sedentary lifestyle. Look at your genetics as being the “loaded gun” and your eating habits/lifestyle as “pulling the trigger”. As long as you don’t pull the trigger, the loaded gun can’t harm you! Your body may have a genetic predisposition to acquire diabetes, but, if you make better decisions than your ancestors about food, exercise, and lifestyle, then it is not a forgone conclusion that you will become diabetic.

Myth: Only fat people become diabetic.

Truth: Actually, there are thin people who become diabetic -- in fact, almost 19% of diabetics are not fat. Diabetes is a biochemical/hormonal disease, not a disease from being overweight.

 

Myth: There is no cure for diabetes – once a diabetic, always a diabetic.

Truth: The treatment protocol for Type 2 diabetes is drug therapy, which is designed to suppress the symptoms of the disease and not address the root causes of the disease. And, therefore, the disease cannot be cured. However, there is sufficient clinical evidence that shows lifestyle changes (such as nutrition, exercise, testing, and spiritual health) can prevent and control Type 2 diabetes. And, once the diabetes is under control, further lifestyle changes may reverse the effects of the disease – if the treatment focuses on repairing the trillions of defective cells.

Myth: Once your doctor puts you on insulin, you're on insulin for the rest of your life.

Truth: Not true! That's what the author was told!

Myth: You can eat whatever you want -- as long as you adjust your drug dosage.

Truth: Unfortunately, that's what a lot of Type 1 children and their parents are told. This leads to the "insulin-addiction trap". Anyone with common sense knows that you can't eat whatever you want without suffering some consequences.

Myth: Diabetes is not as serious if you are taking pills instead of insulin.

Truth: Diabetes should be taken as seriously regardless of whether you are taking pills or injections. Unfortunately, because we live in a drug-tolerant society that sees pills as “normal”, we don’t really believe our health is in any danger if we are taking pills. Either way, the diabetes will still progress and lead to other health complications. In fact, pills lull diabetics into a comfort zone and a false sense of wellness that eventually fails them.

Author’s Note: A co-worker thought that he was safe taking a pill, but today is on insulin because the disease continued to progress.

Myth: You can control your diabetes by avoiding the carbs.

Truth: You may be able to temporarily lower your blood glucose level, but you can’t avoid a major macronutrient such as carbohydrates and expect to get healthy. Besides, not all carbohydrates are bad – it’s the refined carbohydrates such as white bread, pasta, and cereals that are the problem. However, good carbohydrates, such as broccoli and Brussel sprouts, actually provide some of the missing saccharides, which help to repair the cells and reduce the insulin resistance.

Note: Recent research indicates that cells have a thin carbohydrate (“sugar”) coating (glycocalyx) of glycoproteins and glycolipids that support cellular communications and the immune and endocrine systems.

Myth: It costs more to eat healthy foods.

Truth: It does cost more to eat healthy foods – in the short term. Fresh vegetables and fruits cost more than a box of macaroni and cheese. Sprouted-grain bread cost more than wheat bread. Organic brown rice cost more than white rice. However, as your health improves, you will save money with over-the-counter drugs, prescription drugs, doctor visits, physical exams, hospital stays, and the quantity of groceries.

Myth: Most people (including diabetics) do not like taking drugs.

Truth: Surprisingly, most people prefer to take drugs – in lieu of making changes to their lifestyle, nutrition, or exercise regimen. Most people will deny that they like taking drugs, but the facts show that more than 65% of the people in the United States take prescription and/or over-the-counter drugs; and, more than 60% take multiple drugs. This is due to our intolerance to personal pain and suffering – why suffer if there’s a drug that will eliminate the pain? Also, there is the belief that the drugs are “working” because they do what they are advertised to do, e.g. reduce pain, lower blood pressure, lower blood glucose, lower cholesterol. It will require a major paradigm shift in our thinking to move away from drugs as the solution to our health problems.

Myth: Once you have diabetes there is nothing you can do. You must listen to the doctor and take any medication he prescribes to lower your blood sugar.

Truth: Diabetes is the easiest disease to reverse. With diet, exercise and nutritional supplements you can reverse type 2 diabetes.

Myth: Type 2 diabetes is genetic. If others in your family have type 2 diabetes chances are that you will get it.

Truth: That is nonsense. If you keep eating the way they do, you will most likely get type 2 diabetes and so will the majority of people who eat the same way. If you follow the recommendation of Dr. Bernstein to modify your diet or  if you follow the recommendation of Engineer DeWayne McCulley (author of "Death to Diabetes) to eat a plant-based diet and exercise on a regular basis, you will not have high blood sugar.

Myth:  My doctor says that people who advocate the use of vitamins are quacks.

Truth: People who use (the right kind of) wholefood vitamins are healthier and more aware of how their body is functioning. 

Myth:  My doctor says it's ridiculous to think that (Type 2) diabetes can be reversed.

Truth: People who use (the right kind of) wholefood vitamins in combination with a superior nutritional program are healthier and more aware of how their body is functioning.

Doctors in this country are not trained in preventive medicine therefore they do not believe in it. They are trained to cut, remove and medicate. Your doctor is jealous because he is not getting a kickback from the drug companies for the prescriptions he would be writing for you. Instead you will be too healthy to require his services in the future.

Myth:  If you're a Type 1 diabetic, diet changes won't help.

Truth: Most Type 1s will have to take insulin, but they can dramatically reduce the amount of insulin with a superior nutritional program.

Myth:  People who say diabetes can be reversed are just trying to sell you their book or someone else's book.

Truth: Yeah, that one may be true! That's one of the reasons why the author of Death to Diabetes explains his program on his website -- so that you can verify the program for yourself without having to buy the book!.

Summary

To summarize, those are just some of the dispelled myths about diabetes and how to reverse its progression. You must remember that natural remedies take time. If you don't have the patience and determination you will lose and the diabetes will win. 

Most people will complain that the "natural" way did not work for them. But they don't or won't make a complete diet and lifestyle reversal. Instead they will pick and choose what they like about the program, justify their cheating and then complain that it did not work for them overnight.

Sidebar: In addition to these myths, there are a lot of so-called healthy foods that have been marketed as such -- but, they're not healthy at all! Take a look at this web page -- you may be surprised ...

Today's Topic: The 5 "Live" Super Foods!

Reference: Death to Diabetes Website


The author defines a super food as a food that contains multiple micronutrients and phytonutrients that providehealth benefits. The author defines a "super meal" as a combination of super foods that help to prevent disease or heal the body from disease.

The author has grouped these super foods into five categories of “live” super foods. When consumed on a regular basis as part of a balanced synergistic meal, these foods create a biochemical/hormonal balance that reduces insulin production, controls appetite, nourishes the cells, strengthens the immune system, prevents inflammation, and helps to heal the body physically, biochemically, hormonally, emotionally and spiritually.

The list of five “live” super foods includes  vegetables/(some) fruits, filtered water, lean protein, mono-unsaturated fats/Omega-3 fats, and some organic whole grains -- but, does not include many of your favorite "dead" foods or any of the so-called “healthy” foods.

                                 
                                    
However, if you're diabetic or struggling with some similar disease, then,  you must consume these foods (and, avoid the  5 "dead" processed foods) as part of the Super Meal Model Diet for Diabetics -- to ensure that your body is obtaining a balance of key macronutrients, micronutrients, and phytochemicals.

Author's Note: The terms "live" and "dead" may sound a little melodramatic, but I believe that they get the point across without having to explain the rationale of each term in detail. In addition, I found these terms to be very effective in making specific points during my lectures and workshops. Also, these terms tie nicely into the book’s title and the photograph on the front cover of the book.

“Live” food (pronounced l i v e as in "I'm alive") helps the body to heal, fight disease and stay alive. “Live” foods are primarily raw, unprocessed, lightly-cooked or partially processed foods that contain most of the seven nutrient factors. The term “live” does not necessarily mean that the food is alive, but it does contain the nutrients that keep the body alive. Coincidentally, these foods are connected with the prevention and reversal of many of the major systemic diseases and ailments.

“Dead” food inhibits the body from healing and leads to disease and early death. “Dead” food is man-made, processed food that lacks most of the seven nutrient factors. Coincidentally, these foods, along with a sedentary lifestyle, are connected with the development of many of the major systemic diseases such as heart disease, diabetes and cancer.

For those familiar with proper nutrition, there should be no surprises with the following list.

1. Vegetables, Some Fruits, Other Plants: include bright-colored, tasty foods that are full of critical macro and micro-nutrients.

Vegetables include green/leafy and bright-colored, such as spinach, broccoli, Brussel sprouts, bok choi, greens (collards, mustard, kale), Romaine lettuce; asparagus, cabbage, cauliflower, celery, cucumbers, kelp,  stringbeans; beans, carrots, onions, garlic, okra, peppers (orange, red, yellow, green), squash; sea vegetables; and, legumes.

Fruits include dark, bright colored fruits such as açai berries, blackberries, blueberries, cherries, cranberries, elderberries, strawberries, apples, grapes, pears, goji berries; plus, kiwi, lemons, limes, mangosteens, and pomegranates.

2. Filtered water: comes from whole raw vegetables and fruits, raw juices, grasses, and tap water that has been filtered. Most tap water contains contaminants including bacteria, viruses, parasites, dissolved metals, pesticides, herbicides, waste, lead, asbestos fibers, fluoride, chlorine, and other chemicals.

3. Lean protein: includes fish (wild salmon, sardines, tuna, mackerel, tilapia), nuts, seeds, beans, lentils, whey protein, whole soy foods (tofu, tempeh, miso); lean, organic beef, free-range chicken breast without the skin, turkey breast without the skin; goat’s milk, raw milk, low fat plain yogurt; organic eggs, egg whites; low fat cheese, soy/tofu cheeses, blue-green algae (spirulina, chlorella); grains (amaranth, quinoa); wild game (venison, bear, bison); organic seafood (shrimp, crab, lobster); and most vegetables.

4. Unsaturated fats: include monounsaturated fat, Omega-3 polyunsaturated fat, some Omega-6 polyunsaturated fat, and certain saturated fats.

Monounsaturated fat is contained in extra virgin olive oil, macadamia nuts, cashews, avocados, peanuts, walnuts, and almonds. Omega-3 fats are found in cold-water fish such as wild salmon and sardines; and, nuts such as walnuts and almonds.

5. Organic whole grains: include amaranth, quinoa, kamut, barley, oat, rice germ/bran, and alfalfa.

Note: For a complete list of "live" foods (and "dead" foods), refer to Chapters 5, 6 and 7 of Death to Diabetes or the Super Meal Model ebook.

Today's Topic: The 5 "Dead" Foods

Reference: Death to Diabetes Website 

There are 5 major foods that fuel Type 2 diabetes, heart disease, cancer, arthritis, osteoporosis, etc.

Avoid these foods, and you'll live a healthier life with less financial woes.

If you're diabetic, you need to avoid these foods like the plague -- unless you like being fat and on drugs.

For those familiar with proper nutrition, there should be no surprises with the following list.

1: Refined white flour, starches includes all foods made with refined flour or starch such as white bread, enriched bread, wheat bread, white pasta, white potatoes, white rice,  macaroni, cereals, crackers, donuts, pancakes, pastries, biscuits, spaghetti, cakes, pies, and other processed flour-based starchy foods.
Warning: Avoid potatoes, corn, and soybeans, which are the most common genetically-modified (GMO) foods. Other common GMO-foods to avoid include canola oil, vegetable oils, margarine (cottonseed oil), sugar beets, farmed salmon, cow's milk, baby formula, and artificial sweeteners (i.e. aspartame). Unfortunately, many processed foods and some restaurant foods are now GMOs, so be careful.

2: Refined white sugar includes all foods made with high fructose corn syrup, corn syrup, refined sugar, sucrose, maltose, dextrose, brown sugar, artificial sweeteners, and processed honey.

Some examples of sugar-based foods/beverages include soda, diet soda, bottled juice, soft drinks, candy, jams, jellies, cookies, cakes, pies, pastries, some cereals, and some condiments. Stay way from artificial sweeteners such as aspartame and Splenda!

3: Trans fats include all processed foods made with partially hydrogenated oil, such as stick margarines, French fries, bread, potato chips, pretzels, cookies, fried foods, donuts, crackers, store-bought baked goods, packaged foods, and fast foods.

The process of creating hydrogenated oil destroys the essential fatty acids in the oil and replaces them with deformed trans fatty acids.

4: Saturated fats, which are solid at room temperature, are found in animal meat, organ meats, processed meats, lunch meats, fried foods and some dairy products (cow’s milk,
cheese, butter, and ice cream).

Saturated fats are also found in coconut oil, palm oil and other tropical oils. Some of the Omega-6 poly-unsaturated fats in vegetable oils such as soybean, corn, sunflower and safflower can also be destructive to your health. In addition, canola oil is also unhealthy for you.
Note: Not all saturated fats are unhealthy for you, i..e. extra virgin coconut oil, free-range chicken breast, venison, bison.

5: Drugs include alcohol, tobacco, caffeine, over-the-counter (OTC) drugs, prescription drugs, and recreational drugs. Prescription drugs don't cure anything! They give you a false sense of security as the disease spreads causing more damage, and leading to even more drugs!

Note: For a complete list of "dead" foods (and "live" foods), refer to Chapters 5 and 6 of Death to Diabetes.

So-called Healthy Foods [Part 2]

Here are additional foods that are marketed as "healthy"foods but, they're not. Unfortunately, many of these so-called "healthy" foods actually fuel diabetes and other diseases!-- Baked beans: excess sugar
-- Bran muffin: fat, sugar, flour
-- Bottled teas: excess sugar
-- Brown rice: check the fiber content, buy organic
-- Canned tomatoes: get organic (but check to ensure there's no sugar)

-- Cheerios: it doesn't lower your cholesterol!
-- Diabetic foods: i.e. Glucerna

-- Diet soda: Are you kidding me?

There are still more ...

So-called Healthy Foods [Part 1]

There are a lot of foods that are marketed as "healthy"foods but,they're not. In fact, many of these so-called "healthy" foods actually fuel diabetes and other diseases!
-- Cereal: gateway food, sugar
-- Oatmeal: yeah, I know, everyone is shocked by that one
-- Wheat bread (flour, PHO, HFCS)
-- Yogurt: too much sugar, dead bacteria
-- Canola oil: man-made, hydrogenated
-- Soy: yeah, we Americanized a good thing from the Asians
-- Fruit juice: lots of sugar
-- Bottled water: 52% is tap water!
-- Cow's milk: pasteurized, homogenized, "dead", mucous-forming

Many of our clients and other diabetics get frustrated when they don't understand why they're blood glucose level doesn't come down once they start eating healthy foods. But, once they realize that some of the foods they were eating were actually not healthy foods, they were a little upset. But, once they made the necessary dietary changes, and saw their blood glucose levels start coming down, they were very happy.

During the past few months, this topic also came up during a couple of our corporate wellness workshops, a webinar, and a radio call-in show.

So, we decided that we should post some of these foods, and make people aware of what's real healthy and not healthy.


p.s. There's a lot more so-called "healthy" foods, so we will add to this list with future posts. Feel free to email us if you have some foods that you believe should be on the list.

The Drug Companies Are Laughing at Us! -- All the Way to the Bank

Reference: Death to Diabetes Website

Many years ago, the United States was a national power that was well-known for manufacturing automobiles, computers, new technologies, and so much more.  But, that has all changed ...

Today, our great country is no longer known for producing automobiles, computers, etc.  Do you have any idea what our country is known for producing today?

This product is advertised on television every 30 seconds, several hundred times a day. More than 250 million Americans consume this product every day.

Americans buy this product even if they don't have the money. -- they rely on insurance to get this product for free or at discount They even encourage their children to buy this product -- they encourage implicitly, not explicitly.

Have you figured out what this popular product is?

It's drugs! -- prescription drugs, as well as OTC drugs.

Ironically, there is a "war on drugs" against cocaine, heroin, crack, and other street drugs. But, the top-selling drugs in America are the prescription and OTC drugs!

Prescription drugs generate bigger profits and revenue than any other singular product in the United States of America. This product is consumed by more than 4 out of every 5 Americans every day!

The nine largest drug companies raked in $50.6 billion in 2001 profits. During the past decade, drug firms’ profits represented an 18.5 percent return on revenue or 5.6 times the median return (3.3 percent) of Fortune 500 companies. As the economy soured further in 2002-2003, many drug companies continued to grow and thrive with record profits. And, despite the severe recession in 2008,  the profits  of these drug companies continued to grow, and has skyrocketed to over $100 billion!

According to IMS Health, pharmaceutical companies will bring in $880 billion in global sales in 2011, representing a growth rate of 5-7%. IMS Health studies show that the U.S. remains the largest market in the world for pharmaceuticals with total sales of $330 billion in 2011.

And, the number of people with heart disease, cancer, diabetes, and arthritis, obesity, and other diseases also skyrocketed, growing more than 47%! 

A 47% increase in disease and a 300% increase in drug profits. Does that make any sense? It does -- if your goal is to make money at the expense of the sick.

So, do you think that your friendly doctor and the drug companies are trying to help you improve your health by convincing you to take more and more drugs?

And, are you aware that you (as a diabetic patient) generate an average  of almost $190,000 of revenue during your lifetime for the doctors, hospitals,  insurance companies, and pharmaceutical companies?  That's right! You're seen as a "cash cow" by the medical doctors,  hospitals, the pharmaceutical companies and the insurance companies. And, if you happen to have a good job with a good salary, it's closer to $250,000 -- a quarter of a million dollars!! Can you say ka-ching?

Many people with diabetes (or any similar disease) rationalize what they're spending for medical care. They have no idea that it's going to get worse, much worse. It's really sad -- many people (not just diabetics) lose their homes because of medical debt ... It's one of America's dirty little secrets:
Medical debt is the Number 1 cause of bankruptcy in the good ol' USA.

And, to make matters worse:
Medical debt is also the Number 1 cause of homelessness in the US.

And, we accept this as the norm!

In the meantime ...

The Drug Companies Are Laughing at Us - All the Way to the Bank

During a medical conference, after Mr. McCulley gave one of his inspirational talks, a couple of the pharmaceutical company reps told him:

"You have a great story, but you're wasting your time. People won't listen to you. People prefer to take our drugs instead of change the way they eat. It's easier to pop up pill than change your diet."

Mr. McCulley disagreed with them, but they said: "Okay, you're an engineer, right? Just take a look at the numbers: There are millions of diabetics who take our drugs, and we make billions of dollars off those drugs, and our revenues are going up every year."

Another pharmaceutical rep said: "And, it's not just the diabetes drugs. We make a lot of money off the pain medications, the cholesterol drugs, and high blood pressure drugs -- just to name a few."

The first pharmaceutical rep said: "People are hypocrites." They tell you they love your story, but they don't buy your book. Instead, they buy our drugs."    
              
Another pharmaceutical rep joined in on the conversation, and said: "I heard you mention that you're trying to get on TV, radio, and Facebook.  You're wasting your time.

We control a lot of the TV ads. TV isn't going to risk losing big revenue from us to air your story. Radio is passé -- who listens to the radio? And, forget about Facebook! People don't want to hear about diabetes and dieting on Facebook. People like to gossip -- that's why Facebook is so popular."

The second rep: "Yeah, you should give up while you still have your dignity."

Mr. McCulley was steaming on the inside, but he smiled and said: "You underestimate the will of the people. They're tired of being lied to, they're tired of being sick and relying on your drugs. They're going to rise up against you and reject your drugs. It's already starting to happen.  People are smarter and more resourceful than you think. You'll see ..."

All the reps walked away from Mr. McCulley, laughing loudly and shaking their heads ...

[Mr. McCulley told us later: "Wow, nobody is going to believe this! I wished I had taped that conversation ...]

But, there is something that you can do!

Let's take that smirky smile off their faces. Please help us (and you help the world!) in the fight against diabetes and the drug companies by becoming a Fan of Death to Diabetes and by joining us on Facebook.

And, if you want to help even more, go the bottom of this web page for a list of things that you can do that will take less than 2 minutes to accomplish.

Let's show them that we're not ready to lie down and let them walk all over us.

Dangers of Cow's Milk

Got Milk?

We've all seen the "Got Milk" commercials -- very appealing ... catchy phrase ...





But, have you noticed that most of the people in these ads are beautiful women? or athletes? celebrities? cute kids? cute animals? Don't fat people drink milk?

We've all seen the commercials about milk supposedly being able to help us lose weight. And, if you believe that, then, I've got a bridge to sell you.

Most of us have grown up drinking milk -- I remember I didn't like milk, but my parents said it was good for us.

During my recovery, I stopped drinking milk and eating most dairy products -- this seemed to contribute to what my doctors called a miraculous recovery from near-death, potential cataract surgery, and the threat of double-leg amputation.

During my diabetes and heart disease workshops, teleseminars, and classes, I'm always asked one or more of the following questions

"What do you have against milk?"
"Why do you list milk in your book as one of "the 5 "dead" foods"?
"Don't we need milk for the calcium?"

Unfortunately, we've all been bamboozled and hood-winked into believing that milk is good for us and for our children.

Now, if you're relatively healthy, then, your body may be able to handle this "dead" food. But, if you're diabetic, overweight, or struggling with some kind of illness, then, your body may not be able to handle cow's milk.

Some of the Problems with Cow's Milk
There are quite a few health-related problems associated with cow's milk, especially for children and older adults:

• Dead enzymes (can leads to auto-immune problems, i.e. Type 1 diabetes, lupus, , limited brain development, autism)
• Mucous-forming (leads to allergies, frequent colds, ear infections, auto-immune problems)
• HFCS or some other hidden -ose (leads to obesity, Type 2 diabetes, ADHD, limited brain development)
• Dead calcium (ok for children who have the lactase enzyme, but bad for adults)
• Hormone abnormalities via the growth hormones fed to the cows
• Weakened immune system via the antibiotics fed to the cows

All of this makes children weak physically, mentally, and emotionally; and sets the stage for children to be introduced a lot earlier to OTC drugs, and eventually prescription drugs -- when their bodies have not matured enough (especially the immune system) to handle the subtle toxins from the drugs. As a result, they become biochemically-dependent on the drugs -- from the food and the medications ...

If your child doesn't like milk, consider it a blessing. :-)

Now I know what some of you are thinking: Where do you get the calcium if you don't drink milk?

Well, there are a lot better ways to get calcium than by drinking "dead" milk, i.e. spinach, broccoli, mustard greens, collard greens, other green, leafy vegetables, okra, watercress, beans, sardines, wild salmon, tofu, almonds, walnuts, sesame seeds, apricots, figs, currants, oranges, low-fat yogurt, cottage cheese, raw milk.

And, keep in mind that there are 2 types of calcium: "dead" calcium and "living" calcium.

So, which calcium do you think is better for a child, or even an adult?

Death to Diabetes Website Redesign

The Death to Diabetes website has been re-designed to include drop-down menus with the silver (grey) navigation bar at the top of the web page to make it easier for you to find any specific information.

The Death to Diabetes website  is one of the few commercial websites that explains its program in so much detail that you don't have to buy the book to verify that the program will work for yourself or a loved one.

In addition, the website far exceeds other diabetes websites in terms of the amount of information about diabetes, nutrition, and other health-related topics. But, it's not the amount of  information that's the key -- it's the quality and effectiveness of the information to provide authentic answers and solutions to help diabetics actually improve their health.

But, because there is so much information in this website, it may be difficult to find what you're looking for.

Consequently, we recommend that you use the Navigation buttons at the top to figure out where you want to go. If you can't find something, use the Search button or contact our office.

Navigation Buttons
The website has several silver buttons at the top that provide access to the key web pages.  To make it easier to find what you're looking for, each silver button has a drop-down menu that provides access to other related web pages.

The Home button provides access to the web pages associated with the Solution/Wellness Pathway, including the DtD 6-stage program, the nutritional program, and the science behind the program.

The Ex-Diabetic button provides access to the web pages associated with the author and the creator of this website.

The Diabetes button provides access to the web pages associated with diabetes, drugs, and disease.

The Products button provides access to the online store pages associated with the major product types: books, PDFs, CDs, and DVDs.

The Services button provides access to the online store pages associated with the major services: coaching, training, workshops, buying super foods, buying supplements, starting a business, and becoming an affiliate.

The Testimonials button provides access to the web pages associated with testimonials from diabetics, doctors, and Amazon.com readers.

The Order Book button provides access to the online store pages associated with the major products: paperback book, diabetes ebook, cookbook, juicing book, weight loss book, diabetes management workbook, and boot camp book.

The Store button provides access to the major sections of the online store: books, PDFs, and DVDs, services, and training.

The Blog button provides access to the two major diabetes blogs.

The FB button provides access to the major Facebook pages.

The Contact Us button provides access to the following: Contact Us, Facebook, diabetes forum,  sitemap, and search function.

And, please let us know how you like (or dislike) the new design, and what we can do to improve it.

Reverse Type 2 Diabetes with Superior Nutrition

Superior nutrition, in the form of a balanced nutritional model, can be used to help defeat and reverse your Type 2 diabetes.  The Death to Diabetes wellness program uses such a model, that is referred to as the Super Meal Model.

The "Death to Diabetes" Super Meal Model 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 diabetes. This nutritional model is also designed to address high blood pressure, high cholesterol, heart disease, and chronic fatigue.

The "Death to Diabetes" Super Meal Model 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.

For the science behind the Super Meal Model, 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, because it is specifically designed to help control, 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 effectiveness of THE Diabetes Diet including: Omega-3 EFAs, carotenoids, antioxidants, chlorophyll, magnesium, potassium, chromium, Vitamin E, Vitamin C, fiber, water. 

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 will support blood glucose stabilization, cell repair and the regulation of the body's production and utilization of insulin.

Super Meal Model Diet Attributes:

• More frequent meals (4 to 6 times/day)
• Smaller meals (400-500 calories)
• Macro-nutrient Balance
• (Super Carbs, Proteins, Fats, Liquids)
• 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 HFCS, PHO, nitrates, artificial sweeteners, food additives
• Minimum/No caffeine, alcohol, drugs

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

Super Carbohydrates include many bright, colorful and green, leafy vegetables, some dark, colorful fruits, and some specific organic whole grains (but, not wheat bread!). 
Super Proteins include cold-water fish, nuts/seeds, fermented soy, organic dairy, lean animal meats (i.e. chicken, turkey, organic beef), wild animal meat (i.e. bison, ostrich, deer). Note: If you are concerned about the mercury in fish, eat smaller fish or take an Omega-3 supplement.
Super Fats include plant oils (but avoid clear vegetable oils or canola oil!), and the oil in nuts/seeds and cold-water fish.
Super Liquids include filtered water, raw vegetable juices; some raw fruit juices; specific teas; and, a couple of the organic bottled juices.

Refer to Chapters 6 and 7 of the Death to Diabetes book for a detailed list of all the super carbs, super proteins, super fats, and super liquids that support the Death to Diabetes Super Meal Model diet.

Start eating the Super Meals, including the Super Breakfast, the Super Lunch, and the Super Dinner, and watch your blood glucose level start to steadily come down!

Stick with the program and watch the pounds of fat melt off your body!

Start eating The Top 10 Super Foods and Super Supplements.

Note: Get the diabetes cookbook with hundreds of balanced meals and lots of mouth-watering recipes!

Author's Note:
Superior nutrition has a bigger impact on glucose tolerance and insulin resistance more so than any other wellness factor, including exercise.

My background in biochemistry and engineering, and my research into pathology, etiology, and epidemiology has helped me to understand diseases such as diabetes at the cellular level.

As a result, I am able to design nutritional protocols that help the body successfully fight diseases/maladies such as diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, obesity, and chronic fatigue.  Once you understand the science of disease and. the science of nutrition, it's a lot easier to design wellness solutions that will actually work.

Go to the following web pages to understand the science behind nutrition and Type 2 diabetes; and, how the Super Meal Model was designed to reverse Type 2 diabetes:

Pathophysiology of Type 2 diabetes
Pathogenesis of Insulin Resistance
Diabetes at the Cellular Level
Etiology of Type 2 Diabetes
Epidemiology of Type 2 Diabetes
Clinical References
Nutritional Science & Other Sciences

For more detail, go to www.DeathtoDiabetes.com.

Reverse Type 2 Diabetes with Cleanse/Detox Methods

Cleansing/detoxification is a set of normal biochemical processes performed by the body to prevent and fight disease on a continual basis and to keep the body as healthy as possible. This cleansing/detoxification is optimized when we eat healthy foods the majority of the time.

However, in our fast-paced world it can be difficult to find the time to prepare healthy meals, especially, given the easy availability and accessibility of convenience and fast foods. Unfortunately, our bodies pay a heavy toll for eating unhealthy convenience foods, fast foods, and processed foods.

To compound the problem, our bodies are also bombarded with chemicals and pollutants on a daily basis from the air, water and environment. Under this heavy barrage of toxins, the cells become sick and the human body eventually reaches a point where it is no longer capable of flushing toxins and acid waste on its own. As the toxins and acid waste accumulate in the cells, blood, tissues, and organs, they trigger an increase in inflammation, the formation of pathogenic bacteria, fungus and mold, and lead to a state of poisoning commonly referred to as toxicity.

Common symptoms of toxicity include headaches, fatigue, increased allergy symptoms, overall aches and pains (particularly joint pain), and digestive discomfort. These symptoms occur when the body has become so clogged with toxins that it can no longer perform necessary functions effectively.

Toxins are generally acquired in one of three ways: through things we ingest (such as foods, drinks, drugs, etc.); through external sources (such as the air we breath, radiation, environmental chemicals, etc.); and, internally by the body’s own metabolic processes.

Over the past decade, extensive research has found that if the body’s detoxification system is sluggish, toxins will accumulate, slowing down cellular energy production and increasing the number of tissue-damaging free radicals. In addition, pathogenic bacteria continue to multiply faster than the immune system can kill them and remove their debris, creating an overloading and clogging of the lymphatic system and various organs.

This can eventually lead to various systemic diseases/ailments such as chronic fatigue, weight gain, high blood sugar, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, heart disease, cancer, fibromyalgia, and Alzheimer’s. In the meantime, the body’s detoxification and excretory organs (e.g. colon, kidneys, liver, gallbladder, lymphatic system) struggle to effectively remove the toxins, excess glucose, and acid waste.

The liver is the primary organ that performs the detoxification. The liver accomplishes this by using specific enzymes to transform the toxins into intermediate chemicals; and, other enzymes to transform the intermediate chemicals into harmless water-soluble substances that are then excreted in the bile or urine. But, if the liver becomes sluggish, clogged, or impaired, these toxins can begin to accumulate in the body’s tissues and blood. Consequently, it is very important that the liver is kept as healthy as possible. Ironically, when we don’t feel well, we take an over-the-counter or prescription drug, which is toxic and only puts more stress on an already deteriorating liver and suppresses the symptoms, making us think we’re okay.

The colon (or large intestine) is important to cleansing and detoxification because it removes the unwanted fecal waste and other toxins. Discomfort in the colon usually manifests itself as something such as diarrhea or constipation. Unfortunately, our response to this is usually a drug, such as a laxative, to “force” the elimination of the fecal waste. But many of the other toxins are left behind and reabsorbed into the bloodstream attacking the tissues and organs, and producing their own pathogenic bacteria that attack the body’s weakest points. These attacks manifest themselves in the form of aches and pain in the back, joints, stomach, and head, and, then onto the other tissues and organs. This leads to more discomfort and more drugs, followed by more diseases, stronger drugs, hospital visits, and eventually death – unless the toxins are removed.

The kidneys are important to cleansing and detoxification because they filter the blood (210 quarts a day) by eliminating toxins and waste materials from the blood, and for maintaining the electrolyte balance by selectively eliminating some electrolytes while retaining others, according to the body’s needs. Electrolytes include sodium, potassium, magnesium, calcium and chloride. These electrolytes are important because they are used by the cells to maintain voltages across the cell membranes and carry electrical impulses (e.g. nerve impulses, muscle contractions) across themselves and to other cells. The kidneys also help regulate other bodily functions by secreting the hormones renin, erythropoietin, and prostaglandin. Renin helps control blood pressure, erythropoietin stimulates the body to produce more red blood cells, and prostaglandin helps control blood pressure, muscle contractions, and inflammation.

The high levels of glucose in the blood and the accumulation of acids in the kidneys cause the formation of kidney stones and ultimately cause kidney cells to die. Because kidney cells cannot be regenerated or repaired, the remaining cells have to work that much harder to filter substances from the blood. To help with the filtering process, the heart increases the flow of blood plasma to the kidneys, which in turn elevates blood pressure. As the kidney cells continue to die, the risk of kidney failure increases dramatically.

The lymphatic system is also important to cleansing and detoxification. As the blood circulates, providing nutrients and oxygen to all parts of the body, the lymphatic system accumulates dead bacteria and toxins that need to be removed. Lymphatic vessels are situated intricately alongside blood vessels, relying upon body movement to move the lymph fluid around to collect and drain away toxins and dead bacteria through the lymph nodes and skin (pores).

Cleansing/Detoxification

If the colon, liver, kidneys, lymphatic system, and other body systems are working properly, the body will cleanse and detoxify itself to get rid of the toxins. And, as long as the body is provided with the proper nutrients, the body will continue to cleanse and detoxify itself.

However, if you have a systemic degenerative disease/ailment such as diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, heart disease, indigestion, or constipation, then, your body and its cells are sick and full of toxins, and are unable to cleanse and detoxify properly. Consequently, you will need to eat “live” super foods to help your body with the cleansing and detoxification until your body is healthy enough to perform the cleansing and detoxification on its own.

If you want to further accelerate the detoxification process, you should drink at least 2 cups of raw vegetable juices (with 1 tbsp. ground flaxseed or wheat grass powder), followed by 2 cups of filtered water at least 2 times each day. Within a few days you should notice an increase in your regularity (bowel movements) and a better texture of your fecal waste.

Then, depending on your health state, within two to three weeks you should notice an increase in your energy level and a reduction in your cravings for the “dead” processed foods. These are indicators that your body is cleansing and detoxifying itself and initiating the healing process.

To further accelerate this healing, and depending on the severity of your health state, it may be necessary to use wholefood supplements and organic herbal products to nourish the colon, liver, gall bladder, lymph nodes, and kidneys while protecting them from oxidative damage during the cleansing/detoxification process.

Why is cleansing/detoxification necessary? Let’s take a car that has not had an oil change or engine tune-up and has been running on cheap fuel for several years. If you switch from the cheap fuel to a higher-octane “super” fuel, the car may run a little better, but it will still run sluggish. Once you change the oil and air filters and tune up the engine, the car will run even better. The same principle applies to the human body – if you clean the filters (the kidneys and liver), then, this will help them to remove the buildup of toxins and waste and kill the pathogenic bacteria and parasites so that the body will run better. 

If you are overweight by more than 20 pounds, more than likely, you are carrying as much as ten pounds of fecal matter packed in your colon. If you are also struggling with high cholesterol or high blood pressure, then, your body is carrying extra fluid/waste in your cells and tissues.

Consequently, cleansing the liver and kidneys, your body’s primary filters, will help the body to better release this extra fluid/waste. This will thin out the blood, hydrate cells, break down fats, absorb protein, convert glycogen to glucose, turn on the body’s natural healing mechanisms, and, in most cases, lower blood pressure, inflammation, cholesterol, glucose levels, and body weight.

Note: For more details, read Chapter 9 of the Death to Diabetes book, or get the Cleansing/Detox PDF; or, go to www.DeathtoDiabetes.com.