Part 4 of this series aims to teach how simple it is for anyone to reverse Type 2 diabetes. This disease is not necessarily a death sentence; however, if left unchecked and unmanaged, it can cause serious problems. When blood travels through small blood vessels in the heart, it can cause blood clots, potentially leading to heart attacks and amputations of feet and legs. If blood cannot reach any part of your body, that body part will die. Type 2 diabetes can cause such devastating effects.
When your feet and legs lose blood flow, you may lose sensation in them. The nerves become too damaged to function, and gangrene can set in. Amputations may follow. It’s similar to a rotten spot on a potato. Your eyes can be affected too — in fact, diabetes can lead to blindness. Your kidneys may stop functioning, requiring dialysis. Your blood becomes poisoned because your kidneys are no longer filtering it effectively.
You can prevent these disastrous outcomes by changing your lifestyle. This doesn’t mean going on a temporary diet. Start by knowing your A1C level (a blood test that measures the average amount of sugar in your blood over a 90-day period) and making sustainable lifestyle changes. Begin to eat healthily and exercise regularly.
According to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, an estimated 30.3 million people in the United States, or 9.4% of the population, have diabetes. An estimated 84.1 million Americans aged 18 or older have prediabetes. About one in four people with diabetes don’t know they have the disease. However, the ability to reverse this condition is within our own control.
Several years ago, Oprah Winfrey learned she was prediabetic. This time, she took the necessary steps to address it. She changed to a healthy, diabetic-friendly diet by eliminating high-carbohydrate foods and curtailing sweets, while continuing to exercise, and lost 42 pounds through Weight Watchers. She has been successful and is no longer prediabetic; plus, her blood pressure is back under control. Oprah has lost weight many times over the years, often regaining it. This time, however, things were different—it was for her health.
An avid reader, as you all know, Oprah likely began to research this disease. Her mother had died from Type 2 diabetes complications, so Oprah understood the connection, but it wasn’t easy. This year, she began taking Ozempic, a medication that controls blood sugar and weight, all in one fell swoop.
Twenty-five years ago, neither my mother nor any of her family members knew what was required to reverse this diagnosis. There was no Ozempic then. Consequently, my mother only lived for 12 years after her diagnosis, experiencing devastating side effects. She lost both legs to amputations, required kidney dialysis, had seven strokes, and was only 61 years old when her first major stroke occurred. Paralysis set in, unlike today when new treatments are available. The cause: an improper diet and lack of exercise.
Just over 150 years ago, Black people in America were enslaved, eating poorly and working from sunup to sundown. They burned off the potential negative effects of soul food through strenuous daily labor. Regardless of what they ate, including soul food, they stayed relatively healthy due to their high activity levels. It was a cyclical pattern: they ate, then worked it off, day after day.
“Slaves didn’t die from diseases such as Type 2 diabetes or cancer, their masters/owners did,” said Dr. Sherita Hill Golden, director of the Diabetes and Metabolic Department at Johns Hopkins.
Their fieldwork served as exercise. They were tired from the strenuous work but remained physically healthy.
Lyndia Grant is a speaker/writer living in the D.C. area. Her radio show, “Think on These Things,” airs Fridays at 6 p.m. on 1340 AM (WYCB), a Radio One station. To reach Grant, visit her website, www.lyndiagrant.com, email lyndiagrantshowdc@gmail.com or call 240-602-6295. Follow her on X @LyndiaGrant and on Facebook.