Is Reversal Possible?

Diabetes Reversal—is it Possible?

Many people get caught up in the semantics of definitions, arguing passionately for or against whether Type 2 Diabetes can be reversed. Those who argue for it site many instances where individuals have successfully been able to get off medications by altering their lifestyle. Those who argue against it show an immense amount of scientific evidence which supports the belief that Type 2 Diabetes is a chronic disease which progresses slowly throughout an individual’s lifetime, requiring ever-increasingly larger amounts of medication to control blood sugars.

Many medication options

The traditional medical approach is to start the patient on

medication while they also encourage the individual to make lifestyle modifications. These include counting their carbs, limiting caloric intake, increasing their intake of vegetables and taking medications to help control blood sugars. Weight loss and exercise are also encouraged.

So, what makes one approach better than the other? Why is it that many people will achieve a normal physical exam after following a reversal strategy for a few months whereas they rarely do when pursuing the traditional approach?

I believe that there are three words which summarize the reasons why:

The first is hope. The name reversing diabetes gives people hope that there is something that can be done to make their condition better. If they are motivated to do better, they go in search of what will make them better. Hope motivates them to change. It provides them with the energy and drive to strive to make a difference in their health outcomes.

The second is focus. When an individual seeks out their medical doctor they are usually willing and expect to be given a medication to make their physical condition better. Doctors are taught to focus on the blood sugar to diagnose and monitor their success in treating the disease. With the focus upon blood sugar, the underlying problem of insulin resistance is often minimized or ignored. Most medications that are prescribed, though controlling the blood sugar, often make the disease condition worse by increasing weight gain and inflammation. Therefore, when the emphasis is placed on taking medications to control blood sugar instead of altering lifestyle, too little effort is expended where needed most. When the focus is placed on lifestyle instead of medications, the individual will be looking for lifestyle modifications which will result in improved health outcomes. When they change the behaviors that caused them to get diabetes in the first place, the body will begin to heal itself. Diabetes just goes away.

The third word is education. Type 2 Diabetes is a lifestyle disease. In just over 100 years the rate of the disease increased 51 fold. Yes, that is more than a 5,079 per cent increase! This tremendous increase is not the result of our genes. No one can refute the claim this is related to changes in lifestyle.

Treatment approach

Education as a treatment option

By providing education that shows which changes have contributed to the disease, and by helping individuals learn how to make wise choices, behaviors are changed which result in overall improved health outcomes.


The Bottom Line: Is it possible to reverse Type 2 Diabetes? I believe that the answer to that is a resounding yes. However, it will take some time and commitment on your part to make it happen.

Learn more from Dr. Joel Fuhrman.

While we do not recommend all the supplements, Dr. Mark Hyman presents an excellent article about diabetes being a reversible disease.

Learn about five steps to reverse diabetes in this article by Dr. Don Colbert.

Here’s another really good article by Dr. Jason Fung.

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