Until recently, it was thought that you couldn’t reverse type 2 diabetes. It was considered a chronic progressive disease, with little likelihood of successful treatment or reversal.
Our understanding of this disease is changing rapidly, however. Numerous studies by Redicare and other pioneers in the treatment of Type 2 Diabetes have shown that type 2 diabetes can brought into remission very quickly with clinically validated ‘lifestyle therapy’ programmes
According to American Diabetes Association® (ADA), the Endocrine Society and the European Association for the Study of Diabetes, people with type 2 diabetes should be considered in remission after sustaining normal blood glucose (sugar) levels for three months or more.
In their consensus report, this group of international experts in diabetes set a benchmark for diabetes remission as the following: an HbA1c (average blood glucose) level of less than 48 mmol/mol (6.5%) for at least three months after stopping diabetes medication.
What does a HbA1c of less than 48 mmol/mol (6.5%) mean?
- HbA1c is simply a measure of how controlled your blood sugar has been over a 3-month period. If your HbA1c is over 48 mmol/mol, you may be deemed to have Type 2 Diabetes.
- If your HbA1c is above 42 mmol/mol and below 48 mmol/mol, you may be deemed to have pre-diabetes.
- Once you bring your HbA1c back to below 48 mmol/mol and you are not taking diabetes medication, you are in remission.
What is diabetes?
Diabetes is, in simple terms, a disorder of the glucose (blood sugar) and insulin in your body. Your body needs glucose to power all its cells. Your liver and the food you eat supplies your blood sugar. And the hormone insulin, made by the pancreas, controls the amount of blood sugar in your bloodstream. Got it?
In a healthy body, a rise in blood sugar causes your pancreas to release insulin. Glucose then moves into your cells from your blood, where it’s used as energy. Once the glucose levels drop, your pancreas stops releasing insulin.
BUT… When something goes wrong with the system, people struggle to keep their blood sugar levels in a healthy, normal range. If insulin is impaired, glucose is inhibited from moving from the bloodstream into cells, so tissues can’t use it effectively for energy. This is called insulin resistance. Too much glucose in the blood can also damage blood vessels.
Please take it seriously! If not treated - by controlling your blood sugar - diabetes can have very serious health implications. These include heart and nerve damage, blindness, limb amputation, coma and, ultimately, death.
There are different types of diabetes:
- Type 1 Diabetes is either something you’re born with (genetic inheritance), or it can come about because of an autoimmune disorder, for instance. Here, the pancreas is damaged and produces little or no insulin.
It is often diagnosed during childhood, and weight or diet don’t usually play a role. It means lifelong, regular insulin injections to help the body metabolise glucose.
- Type 2 Diabetes (so-called ‘lifestyle’ diabetes) is a serious medical condition that can also be life-threatening. It affects how your body metabolises sugar: either your pancreas isn’t producing enough insulin (insulin deficiency), and/or your body has become insulin-resistant - the most common cause of Type 2 Diabetes.. Blood glucose then builds up in the blood.
A key thing to understand is the research that has emerged in the past few years: it shows that all digestible carbohydrate – whether complex or processed carbs – is metabolised into glucose. This can trigger insulin resistance - which can cause weight gain and obesity, and Type 2 Diabetes.
It’s most commonly found in adults, but as the global obesity epidemic grows, more children are developing Type 2. Traditional Type 2 Diabetes treatment involves blood sugar-level monitoring and using insulin or other medication, when necessary.
The newest research shows that sending diabetes into remission is the goal for optimal health. Very importantly, it means your pancreas has had a break for a few months, and it starts producing insulin normally again. And your body is no longer resistant to insulin, and you may no longer need medication.
How do I bring my Type 2 Diabetes into remission?
Most medical associations recommend lifestyle therapy as a first-line treatment for chronic diseases such a Type 2 Diabetes. This generally involves a doctor recommending that the patient eat less and exercise more.
Depending on the severity of the condition, doctors might refer the patient to a dietician for advice on diet and lifestyle. Unfortunately, patients report frustration that dieticians often have very long waiting lists, so it often takes several weeks or months before they are seen. And then their one consultation lasts perhaps 15-20 minutes. This is not optimal or adequate for starting a newly diagnosed person on a new lifestyle regime to treat their Type 2 Diabetes.
Numerous scientific studies have shown that your best chance of sending Type 2 Diabetes into remission is starting a lifestyle therapy programme that offers you consistent, substantial guidance and support soon after your diagnosis.
The good news is… Digital therapeutics!
Digital therapeutics are a newer form of lifestyle therapy that has emerged in recent years. They are designed to deliver medical interventions directly to patients using evidence-based, clinically evaluated software.
Digital therapeutics products such as RediCare Control are held to the same standards of evidence as traditional medical treatments. You can take comfort in knowing that:
- RediCare Control is referred by doctors and pharmacists
- The service has been peer-reviewed by doctors
- We treat, manage, and prevent chronic conditions such as Type 2 Diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure and (Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome)PCOS, among others.
- We walk beside you all the way through the programme to help you understand your diabetes, its causes, as well as the effective, yet achievable steps you can take to reverse your Type 2 Diabetes.
- You will have a good understanding of the likely health outcomes you can expect from the treatment
What type of results can I expect?
In a recent study on Type 2 Diabetics, the average compliant patient saw a 16.6 mmol/mol reduction in HbA1c. This 16.6 mmol/mol reduction would bring many Type 2 diabetic patients below the 48mmol/mol threshold.
They also saw an average of 5.7 kg in weight loss, a waist-measurement reduction of 6.7 cm, and diastolic blood pressure reductions of 6.7mmhg which would significantly lower your risk of stroke and heart disease.
Interestingly, study participants with very high HbA1c saw dramatic drops.
Of note, the higher the individuals HbA1c, the bigger the drop. Patients in the study who had a HbA1c of 70 saw 1 29.5 mmol reduction, those with a HbA1c over 85 saw a 37 mmol reduction and those with a HbA1c over 100 saw a massive 38 mmol reduction.
Another RediCare study, which won an award from the American Heart Association, saw a 22.3% reduction in HbA1c.
Before
Before joining the RediCare Control Type 2 Diabetes programme, Charlie had poorly controlled Type 2 Diabetes (86 mmol/mol), stage 2 hypertension (high blood pressure) and NASH (liver condition).
After
In just 16 weeks on RediCare Control, Charlie achieved significant health improvements:
- He lost 15.6 kgs (12.5% of his body weight) and reduced his blood pressure from 149/80 to 126/72.
- His HbA1c normalised - reducing from 86 to 41 mmols/mol, which meant his diabetes was in remission
- Charlie also saw significant reductions in his liver function markers. (ALT & GGT)
See what Charlie says about the programme
Let us help you!
We hope this gives you some guidance and encouragement that Type 2 Diabetes can be treated effectively with a clinically proven lifestyle therapy programme.
Managing your Type 2 Diabetes is essential, and this is much easier when you have an expert partner to guide and motivate you and keep you on track. We can help you get it into remission so you can live life healthy and medication-free.
RediCare ControlDTx helps people bring their type 2 diabetes under control quickly. In as little as 16 weeks, you can see very significant (13-15%) HbA1c reductions.
Our lifestyle therapy programme provides you with:
- One-on-one expert health-coach support and advice to optimise treatment.
- The core of RediCare Control is video-based education on the condition, its root cause, and a highly optimised nutritional protocol.
Let’s get you started on the right path…
- Download our Free Master Food Guide to Reverse T2 Diabetes. This FREE master food rating guide is your first step to reversing your Type 2 Diabetes. It shows you which foods are green for good, amber for caution and red to be best avoided. Use it as your ‘North Star’ to guide you. Print it out and stick it on your fridge or a place where it’s permanently on view.
- View our free 5-minute video on treating and reversing type 2 diabetes.
- Read our story on the ideal type 2 diabetes diet.
Wishing you good health!