You need to make the change happen
In 2016, when this young lady from Bangalore was hospitalized, due to a condition called Ketoacidosis, diagnosed with severe Type-2 diabetes, was told by her doctor, that she has to take diabetes medicines, and to be in this condition lifelong, only a miracle could save her. The doctors dismissed her condition as incurable, and laid down a path of daily doses of insulin initially followed by medicines till her last breathe.
Today, three years later, that girl is fit and healthy, without the need of any insulin or medicines. The miracle happened not by chance, but by change. And that change happened in just 6 months, something conventional treatment could not cure in three years.
Let me share with you this inspirational story of Cheghu Aparna from Bangalore. She got connected with me through Facebook last year. She shared with me her diabetic condition and how she is making an effort by completely reversing her traditional eating lifestyle. Today, because of her sheer determination, she performed a miracle cure on herself.
Presenting below, Ms. Cheghu Aparna’s story, in her own words.
Year 2016, I was diagnosed with Type2 diabetics. Before that, I was going through a period of chronic stress for several years. When I received my health check-up report, with diabetic condition identified, I consulted the doctor. At that point of time, you can imagine how worse the condition was. My body was deteriorating towards a precarious stage called ketoacidosis. My urine ketone levels were very high, a very dangerous situation for any diabetic patient. I had to be admitted to a hospital. There I was told that I am severely diabetic.
In the initial stage I was advised to take 8 units of Insulin injections for 2 weeks and then I was switched to metformin. This was the recommended treatment at that time, and still is. Let me also share here, both my parents are diabetics. So you can imagine the thought process in the entire family.
I never realized how bad our food habits are. It was the regular traditional "Ghar ka Khana" that have contributed to my diabetic condition. It was only after I changed my food habits and got rid of the so called ‘incurable’ disease in the last six months I can tell you that everyone has different level of carbohydrate tolerance. It completely depend on your lifestyle (depending on how active or how sedentary you are) and as we cross our (physically) growing stage, as body’s requirement of carbohydrate reduces drastically against the protein & dietary fat. But look at our habit of carboholism (yes, like alcohol, carbohydrate too is an addictive substance). It grows every single day. Now imagine, my body could not tolerate carbohydrate (& sugar) anymore as its way too much of calorie for my body to handle. My insulin is also no more efficient to handle it to its optimum level. The sugar has to be reflected somewhere. Most ideally, insulin sensitive people get obese with high carbs (& sugar) consumption. But not every diabetics (or high cholesterol or blood pressure) person is obese. This condition of the body is called insulin resistance, and it takes us to one of these three conditions. I had one of them, and was told by the experts that my condition was irreversible and I have a progressive disease. I was never able to buy this theory. Somewhere deep within my heart I knew that there was a way out. Either the doctors do not know or they are not letting people to know (bit harsh, isn’t it?).
Though I wanted to have faith in my doctor, but somehow I ended up disappointed all the time he kept saying that Type2 diabetes won’t be cured. I kept searching for a solution. Before I was detected with diabetes, I started getting skin issues due to high sugar levels and also was unable to conceive (I am married and at my early 30’s). I used to feel very lazy. I used to sleep in the meetings in office & that is when I became serious about it.
When I thought to take control of my diabetic condition on my own hand, the very first thing I did was, I reduced eating rice and chapatti, and switched to Ragi and Jowar. With more and more research on internet, I came across diabetes reversal success stories with an eating pattern, which is called LCHF (Low Carb High Fat “Moderate Protein”) way of eating.
Being a pure vegetarian, it was really challenging for me to begin with. More than eating LCHF diet people always used to say Type2 diabetes is not curable, so why to think so much ? But then I did a study on what is Type2 diabetes and how our food affects our blood sugar level.
While my research was on, and slowly I was doing my eating lifestyle changes, I met Satyajit Dash on Facebook. It was really good to know him as he confirmed me that LCHF is the only way. Since I already had started a very strict LCHF diet (which is also called as Keto diet) I, continued this for 5 months until recently. I got my latest report, which confirmed that my HbA1C coming to the normal range.
Now, after achieving desired A1c, I am planning to switch to a liberal to moderate LCHF diet, where I will get to eat a quantified portion of selected complex, low GI & GL Carbohydrates.
During our conversation, once I asked about her take on the statement “Diabetes is not about taking medications or seeing doctors. It is about making healthy changes in your lifestyle at right time.”
She replied: Yes very much it is a dietary disorder. Because, As I gained knowledge about carbohydrate tolerance, and realized that my body’s carb tolerance is certainly very low, and as I changed my diet , reducing carbs and replacing it with healthy dietary fat & moderate protein & lot of vegetables…..My hba1c dropped from 8+ to ~5 within 5 months.
I am the first one in my family who could prove that diabetes is curable. Though all of them are now realising and getting the science behind LCHF, but have not yet adapted LCHF fully. But I am still making my effort to make them understand the science in their way and I wish that they too would adapt LCHF and battle out diabetes type2 from their life soon.
Yes, after going through so much pain mentally, I must say, the LCHF – Ketogenic journey was awesome for me. I have completely battled out my diabetic condition, weakness, laziness and another good part is I lost 13.5 kgs of body fat in the process along with significant inch loss in last 5 months. People around me who notice these changes in me, have started asking me what I am doing that I have become so lean & fit. People requested me to tell them my diet plan. Many people started coming to me with questions like how to do diet, how long to do and all.
To a question, what are your top 3 achievements, Aparna said: My no. 1 achievement is, I Reversed Diabetes condition, No more weakness. My Knee was weak, but now I can jump like a kid.
On asking her about her cheat day, she said: During my journey of strict LCHF - Keto for 3 months I did not cheat at all. I was very disciplined & faithful to myself. Only after seeing my blood sugar results getting better & better without any medication and as a reward to my discipline, I did cheat occasionally but very responsibly to my body & to myself.
Her last words for the readers with similar condition are: Please be aware that your Type2 Diabetes is curable. Everyone has to heal themselves from within to lead a healthy & happy life. You just need to realise the need and take that 1st step. Either do it yourself or take a professional help, but for god sake do not get into the grove of this saying: Diabetes is a lifelong progressive disease and you have to live with it. It’s a complete lie.
Finally, I will leave the readers with the mantra in life of this miracle girl - “Be positive and trust yourself”.