Today was a good day. With Michelle’s permission I’m going to share her story with you. I’ve known Michelle as a patient for over a decade. To be frank, she appears in my office only when things get tough. So when I saw her on my schedule last week, I knew something big was on the docket. As she stepped into the room she wordlessly handed me her blood work. With a fasting blood sugar high enough to make a vampire choose her for dessert, I became instantly serious. She elaborated on the picture by admitting that she felt exhausted, bloated and like she had cotton balls instead of brains. “Normal for my age?” she said hopefully. I shook my head. Blood sugar and bloating aside, no one needs cotton balls instead of brains, at any age.
I have a reputation for my gentle approach. I like to guide patients into better habits, a little at a time. But I knew if Michelle didn’t act fast, she was going to find herself on medication for the rest of her life. So I nixed her favorite foods (no grains, no sugar, no fruit, no dairy, no potatoes, no caffeine). I also told her to eat plenty of protein, and all the veggies she wanted, with limited sweet potatoes. With a bottle of chromium and a jar of coconut oil, she left frightened, dejected…and more motivated than she has ever been.
She called me today, elated. In just five days her fasting sugar dropped to 175. Michelle is still considered “diabetic,” and has a longing healing path ahead of her. But now she has hope. And she is getting truly healthier. If she had not walked out of my office determined to make real changes in her diet and lifestyle, she would be on prescription medication today. Instead, she has the attention of her primary care provider, who is willing to give her three months to reverse her diagnosis. Stay tuned and I will keep you posted of her progress.