Diabetes FAQ -
Frequently asked questions about Diabetes Reversal
* This FAQ is provided for general information only.
The information provided below are not intended nor should it be used as specific medical advice for your diabetic condition.
Please consult your medical doctor before you make any changes to your diabetes management regime.
These are some of questions I frequently get asked at my diabetes management clinic.
I conduct regular clinics for diabetics with a focus on the use of lifestyle, especially diet modification to improve their diabetic condition & management.
>> to find out more about my diabetes clinic >> Diabetes Lifestyle & Diet Management Programme
I conduct regular clinics for diabetics with a focus on the use of lifestyle, especially diet modification to improve their diabetic condition & management.
>> to find out more about my diabetes clinic >> Diabetes Lifestyle & Diet Management Programme
Frequently asked questions about Reversal of Type 2 Diabetes
Q1. Can Type 2 Diabetes be reversed?
A. It is possible for type 2 diabetes to be improved or the severity reversed to some degree through lifestyle modifications, especially diet & exercise, and for some even to the extent whereby they can adjust the need for and dosage of diabetes medications and yet still maintain good blood glucose control (fasting & post meals) as well as HbA1c.
Q2. Can T2 Diabetes be cured? What is the difference between cure and reversal of T2 diabetes.
A. To cure a disease would usually mean to bring back to normal the underlying abnormal body function ( or what doctors / scientists call pathophysiology ) of the disease. To reverse a disease is usually taken to mean to bring about improvement to the underlying pathophysiology, signs and symptoms and potential complications of the diseases. Diabetes, like most other chronic diseases, is not a absolute 'Yes' or 'No' disease because the degree of severity of the underlying pathophysiology is a actually a point on a continuous spectrum; as opposed to most infectious diseases for eg. where it can be s a 'Yes' or 'No' disease, that is one either has the infection or not. For eg. a person with a bacterial infection treated by antibiotics may be cured of the infection as compared to diabetic, who after undertaking a guided comprehensive lifestyle modification programme, successfully improve his/her condition to extent of being able to achieve good blood glucose control (for eg. good HbA1c levels) to the extent of being able to adjust the need for or dosage of their diabetes medication - in the latter example, we could only say the person has reversed the severity of his/her diabetic condition and could not say he/she has 'cured' his/her diabetes. This is because that person would still have some degree of abnormal body function (pathophysiology) that would would continue to adversely affect his/her blood glucose level even if the blood glucose level no longer not crosses the point of being defined as diabetic or requiring diabetic medication for good glucose control.
Q3. So can diabetes be cured or reversed? If a diabetic can improve his/her diabetic condition through lifestyle modification, especially diet & exercise, to the extent of being able to come off diabetic medications, why is it that doctors keep telling me that diabetes is not 'curable' and is a chronic progressive disease.
A. The underlying pathophysiology or problems in diabetes are (i) insulin resistance or (ii) pancreas not being able to produce any or enough insulin or (iii) combination of both. Lifestyle modification, especially diet and exercise, can improve, arrest or delay the progression of both (i) and (ii) but it might not be possible to do so totally, depending on the severity of the existing insulin resistance and especially pancreatic beta cell failure. So diabetics who managed to reverse or improve their diabetic conditions through lifestyle modifications and achieve good blood sugar control to the extent of being able to stop diabetic medications would still have a degree of pancreatic beta cell failure and insulin resistance that cannot be reversed and which may still progress, albeit sometimes at a slower rate, especially if the lifestyle and diet modifications that brought about the reversal of diabetes in the first place were not sustained. So it would not be correct to say in even these instances that their diabetes had been 'cured', we should correctly say they have significantly reversed their diabetes. Therefore even for patients who have successfully reversed or improved their Type 2 diabetes through diet & lifestyle modification programmes to the extent of being able to achieve blood glucose control without the need of diabetic medications, these these patients must still be monitored closely and regularly so as to detect signs of any progression of the underlying diabetic condition that might require the need for diabetic medications at some point if blood glucose control is not good enough despite best efforts at lifestyle modifications as well as to screen for other markers of the common severe complications of diabetes.
A. It is possible for type 2 diabetes to be improved or the severity reversed to some degree through lifestyle modifications, especially diet & exercise, and for some even to the extent whereby they can adjust the need for and dosage of diabetes medications and yet still maintain good blood glucose control (fasting & post meals) as well as HbA1c.
Q2. Can T2 Diabetes be cured? What is the difference between cure and reversal of T2 diabetes.
A. To cure a disease would usually mean to bring back to normal the underlying abnormal body function ( or what doctors / scientists call pathophysiology ) of the disease. To reverse a disease is usually taken to mean to bring about improvement to the underlying pathophysiology, signs and symptoms and potential complications of the diseases. Diabetes, like most other chronic diseases, is not a absolute 'Yes' or 'No' disease because the degree of severity of the underlying pathophysiology is a actually a point on a continuous spectrum; as opposed to most infectious diseases for eg. where it can be s a 'Yes' or 'No' disease, that is one either has the infection or not. For eg. a person with a bacterial infection treated by antibiotics may be cured of the infection as compared to diabetic, who after undertaking a guided comprehensive lifestyle modification programme, successfully improve his/her condition to extent of being able to achieve good blood glucose control (for eg. good HbA1c levels) to the extent of being able to adjust the need for or dosage of their diabetes medication - in the latter example, we could only say the person has reversed the severity of his/her diabetic condition and could not say he/she has 'cured' his/her diabetes. This is because that person would still have some degree of abnormal body function (pathophysiology) that would would continue to adversely affect his/her blood glucose level even if the blood glucose level no longer not crosses the point of being defined as diabetic or requiring diabetic medication for good glucose control.
Q3. So can diabetes be cured or reversed? If a diabetic can improve his/her diabetic condition through lifestyle modification, especially diet & exercise, to the extent of being able to come off diabetic medications, why is it that doctors keep telling me that diabetes is not 'curable' and is a chronic progressive disease.
A. The underlying pathophysiology or problems in diabetes are (i) insulin resistance or (ii) pancreas not being able to produce any or enough insulin or (iii) combination of both. Lifestyle modification, especially diet and exercise, can improve, arrest or delay the progression of both (i) and (ii) but it might not be possible to do so totally, depending on the severity of the existing insulin resistance and especially pancreatic beta cell failure. So diabetics who managed to reverse or improve their diabetic conditions through lifestyle modifications and achieve good blood sugar control to the extent of being able to stop diabetic medications would still have a degree of pancreatic beta cell failure and insulin resistance that cannot be reversed and which may still progress, albeit sometimes at a slower rate, especially if the lifestyle and diet modifications that brought about the reversal of diabetes in the first place were not sustained. So it would not be correct to say in even these instances that their diabetes had been 'cured', we should correctly say they have significantly reversed their diabetes. Therefore even for patients who have successfully reversed or improved their Type 2 diabetes through diet & lifestyle modification programmes to the extent of being able to achieve blood glucose control without the need of diabetic medications, these these patients must still be monitored closely and regularly so as to detect signs of any progression of the underlying diabetic condition that might require the need for diabetic medications at some point if blood glucose control is not good enough despite best efforts at lifestyle modifications as well as to screen for other markers of the common severe complications of diabetes.
to find out more about >> Diabetes Lifestyle & Diet Management Programme
to find out more about >> Lifestyle as Medicine classes and talks
to find out more about >> Lifestyle as Medicine classes and talks
Q4. Is reversal of diabetes possible for all type 2 diabetics?
A. Retarding, controlling or reversing of progression of the severity of diabetes through dietary and lifestyle modification should be the goal of all Type 2 diabetics but it may not be possible for every Type 2 diabetics. Medical studies have shown that not all type 2 diabetics respond to even the most aggressive lifestyle or dietary modifications, these non-responders are usually those who have had diabetes for a long time or those who already had severe diabetes at diagnosis where they have too little healthy functioning pancreas left producing insulin.
Q5. Who are the people more likely to be able to achieve reversal of diabetes through lifestyle and dietary modification?
A. Lifestyle and diet must be a key component of management for all diabetics regardless of the duration & severity of their diabetes. Retarding, controlling or reversing the severity of diabetes and the reduction of risks of diabetic complications through lifestyle & dietary modification should be the goal of all Type 2 diabetics even though it may not be possible for all. The earlier that Type 2 diabetics, when the disease is still relatively mild and when they still have adequate healthy functioning pancreas left producing insulin, the higher their chances to succeed in retarding, controlling or reversing the severity of their diabetes through lifestyle and dietary modification programmes and be able to adjust the need for and dosage of diabetes medications and yet still have good blood glucose control. Although there are medical studies that showed some Type 2 diabetics of more than 10 years duration successfully reversing the severity of their diabetes conditions, they are the outliers, the longer that a Type 2 diabetic wait before embarking on a concerted lifestyle and dietary modification programme to attempt to retard, control or reverse the progression of the severity of their diabetes, the lower their chances of success.
Q6. If my diabetes, my blood sugar is well controlled by medications without any need for me to change my diet and lifestyle, why should I still bother with making the effort to improve my diabetes through lifestyle and diet?
A. Even if your diabetes, as seen through your blood sugar tests and HbA1c, is well controlled with just medications, you should still make the effort to concurrently make lifestyle & diet modifications. The goal of management for all diabetics is not only about achieving good blood sugar test results, but must be about reducing the overall risks of heart attacks, stroke, blindness, kidney failure and other serious complications commonly associated with diabetes. Lifestyle, especially diet and lifestyle, plays a very significant role in the modulating the risks factors, beyond just its impact on your blood sugar, on these serious yet common complications associated with diabetes. Lifestyle modifications, especially diet and exercise, must be the mainstay and foundation of diabetes care at all stages of diabetes - prediabetes, newly diagnosed diabetes, mild diabetes controlled by diet, mild diabetes controlled by low dose medications or severe long-standing diabetes. Lifestyle modifications, especially diet and exercise, is also key for people at higher risks of developing diabetes such as people with family history of diabetes or women with diabetes during pregnancy (gestational diabetes). All these risks factors, beyond just blood sugar level, should be closely and regularly monitored by your doctor even if you are achieving good blood sugar control.
Q7. There are loads of information on the internet about reversing or curing diabetes through diet and lifestyle modifications and I've also read on the internet testimonials of many people who managed to 'cure' or 'reversed' their diabetes on their own through diet and lifestyle changes. Can I also embark on dietary and lifestyle change on my own to improve my diabetes and even reduce or stop my diabetes medications?
A. It is very important and strongly recommended that any diabetics undertaking significant lifestyle & diet change to improve their diabetes or has a goal to reduce or stop their diabetic medications be closely supervised and monitored by doctors for the following reasons :
(i) Risks of hypoglycemia or hyperglycemia as well as the risks of macrovascular and microvascular damage to the body might occur when adjusting the usage of and dosage of diabetes medications. Therefore diabetics attempting to make significant diet and lifestyle change with the goal adjusting the need for and dosage of diabetes medications, should be carefully managed and monitored by their doctors
(ii) The importance of lowering your overall risks of severe and common complications of diabetes, not just achieve good blood sugar control. A holistic approach to health must be about reducing the risks of known common and severe diseases such as heart attacks, stroke, cancer, kidney & liver failure and other diseases where food & lifestyle play a significant role. This is especially pertinent and important for diabetics who already have higher risks of developing these diseases. The risks factors for these diseases goes beyond just high blood sugar and must be monitored and managed even more vigilantly. A whole lifestyle, whole diet impact on one's whole body in one's whole lifetime approach, is key to maintaining wellness and regaining health, especially so for diabetics. So it is important to monitor and manage it holistically, have doctors working hand in hand with you and not just focus on achieving good blood sugar control through lifestyle and diet on your own.
A. Retarding, controlling or reversing of progression of the severity of diabetes through dietary and lifestyle modification should be the goal of all Type 2 diabetics but it may not be possible for every Type 2 diabetics. Medical studies have shown that not all type 2 diabetics respond to even the most aggressive lifestyle or dietary modifications, these non-responders are usually those who have had diabetes for a long time or those who already had severe diabetes at diagnosis where they have too little healthy functioning pancreas left producing insulin.
Q5. Who are the people more likely to be able to achieve reversal of diabetes through lifestyle and dietary modification?
A. Lifestyle and diet must be a key component of management for all diabetics regardless of the duration & severity of their diabetes. Retarding, controlling or reversing the severity of diabetes and the reduction of risks of diabetic complications through lifestyle & dietary modification should be the goal of all Type 2 diabetics even though it may not be possible for all. The earlier that Type 2 diabetics, when the disease is still relatively mild and when they still have adequate healthy functioning pancreas left producing insulin, the higher their chances to succeed in retarding, controlling or reversing the severity of their diabetes through lifestyle and dietary modification programmes and be able to adjust the need for and dosage of diabetes medications and yet still have good blood glucose control. Although there are medical studies that showed some Type 2 diabetics of more than 10 years duration successfully reversing the severity of their diabetes conditions, they are the outliers, the longer that a Type 2 diabetic wait before embarking on a concerted lifestyle and dietary modification programme to attempt to retard, control or reverse the progression of the severity of their diabetes, the lower their chances of success.
Q6. If my diabetes, my blood sugar is well controlled by medications without any need for me to change my diet and lifestyle, why should I still bother with making the effort to improve my diabetes through lifestyle and diet?
A. Even if your diabetes, as seen through your blood sugar tests and HbA1c, is well controlled with just medications, you should still make the effort to concurrently make lifestyle & diet modifications. The goal of management for all diabetics is not only about achieving good blood sugar test results, but must be about reducing the overall risks of heart attacks, stroke, blindness, kidney failure and other serious complications commonly associated with diabetes. Lifestyle, especially diet and lifestyle, plays a very significant role in the modulating the risks factors, beyond just its impact on your blood sugar, on these serious yet common complications associated with diabetes. Lifestyle modifications, especially diet and exercise, must be the mainstay and foundation of diabetes care at all stages of diabetes - prediabetes, newly diagnosed diabetes, mild diabetes controlled by diet, mild diabetes controlled by low dose medications or severe long-standing diabetes. Lifestyle modifications, especially diet and exercise, is also key for people at higher risks of developing diabetes such as people with family history of diabetes or women with diabetes during pregnancy (gestational diabetes). All these risks factors, beyond just blood sugar level, should be closely and regularly monitored by your doctor even if you are achieving good blood sugar control.
Q7. There are loads of information on the internet about reversing or curing diabetes through diet and lifestyle modifications and I've also read on the internet testimonials of many people who managed to 'cure' or 'reversed' their diabetes on their own through diet and lifestyle changes. Can I also embark on dietary and lifestyle change on my own to improve my diabetes and even reduce or stop my diabetes medications?
A. It is very important and strongly recommended that any diabetics undertaking significant lifestyle & diet change to improve their diabetes or has a goal to reduce or stop their diabetic medications be closely supervised and monitored by doctors for the following reasons :
(i) Risks of hypoglycemia or hyperglycemia as well as the risks of macrovascular and microvascular damage to the body might occur when adjusting the usage of and dosage of diabetes medications. Therefore diabetics attempting to make significant diet and lifestyle change with the goal adjusting the need for and dosage of diabetes medications, should be carefully managed and monitored by their doctors
(ii) The importance of lowering your overall risks of severe and common complications of diabetes, not just achieve good blood sugar control. A holistic approach to health must be about reducing the risks of known common and severe diseases such as heart attacks, stroke, cancer, kidney & liver failure and other diseases where food & lifestyle play a significant role. This is especially pertinent and important for diabetics who already have higher risks of developing these diseases. The risks factors for these diseases goes beyond just high blood sugar and must be monitored and managed even more vigilantly. A whole lifestyle, whole diet impact on one's whole body in one's whole lifetime approach, is key to maintaining wellness and regaining health, especially so for diabetics. So it is important to monitor and manage it holistically, have doctors working hand in hand with you and not just focus on achieving good blood sugar control through lifestyle and diet on your own.
>> Make appointment for >> Diabetes Lifestyle & Diet Management Programme
to find out more about >> Diabetes Lifestyle & Diet Management Programme
to find out more about >> Lifestyle as medicine talks and classes by Dr Chan
Diabetes FAQ
"Can Diabetes be reversed by lifestyle & dietary modifications?"
"Prediabetes - how to prevent it from progressing to diabetes?"
to find out more about >> Diabetes Lifestyle & Diet Management Programme
to find out more about >> Lifestyle as medicine talks and classes by Dr Chan
Diabetes FAQ
"Can Diabetes be reversed by lifestyle & dietary modifications?"
"Prediabetes - how to prevent it from progressing to diabetes?"
Links to Other Diabetes related Blog Posts by Dr Chan
Dr Chan asks, "Combating Diabetes, is Cutting Down on Sugar Alone Enough?"
Diabetes Explained Simply - What is Diabetes? What can we do if we have Diabetes
FAQ - What is a Good Diet for Diabetes? Criteria for Dietary, Eating Habits for Diabetes
FAQ : Doctor, can I take Honey if I have Diabetes? is Honey good for people with diabetes
STUDY : 4 Case Studies of Long-term diabetes reversal / remission through intense lifestyle modification program
Bitter Melon Pills - Does it Work for Diabetes
Does Vinegar Help Lower Blood Sugar?
4 Lesser Known but Serious Complications of Diabetes
Are all Low Glycemic Index Foods Good for People with Diabetes?
3 Most Underrated Lifestyle Habits as Medicine for Combating Diabetes
Stress & Diabetes - The Oft-overlooked Impact of Stress on Diabetes Control and Outcomes
