Tuesday, December 2, 2008

Why Some Diabetics are afraid of raw food

Last night was a great night for us. We hired the local theatre and screened “Simply Raw: 30 Days to Reverse Diabetes” This video just blew us away when we saw it, so much so that after watching it at home we immediately decided to share it by hiring the local theatre. It’s one of those rare videos that has you jumping for joy.

We printed brochures, we advertised, we talked about it on our blog, and after all of that the 110 seat theatre held just 42 souls. And please don’t mention breaking even!

And yet, for us, it was a roaring success, due to a large degree to one little boy.

Now you’d think that a movie about curing diabetes naturally would bring diabetics, wouldn’t you? Me too. But it actually seemed to bring raw foodies, and general natural health people – at least that’s the feedback we got from people as they filed into the theatre.

It was only after the show, as people gathered in the foyer, that we discovered young Matt. All of ten years old, he’d come with his parents, and his Dad approached me first.
“Are you hoping to run a 30-Day retreat?”
“Yes, we are.” I answered. “Are you interested?”
“Not me,” said Dad, “Him! Do you have age restrictions?”
I looked at this beautiful kid. He was looking back at me with open, hopeful eyes. “Are you a diabetic too?” I asked.
“Yep” he said, his eyes never leaving mine.
“And would you want to go 30 days on raw food like the film?” I asked.
“Yep.” He answered. No question about it. He knew what he’s seen.

Of course, we have no ‘policy’ about age. Hey, we haven’t even arranged the retreat yet. But I’d love to see young Matt there. He’s Type 1 diabetic; the one the experts say is incapable of producing insulin. Yet we’d just witnessed a young man on the video who got completely off his injections and medications, who stopped peeing at all hours, whose sight stopped deteriorating, and who had, as a result of his 30-day experience, decided on a change of lifestyle to naturopath specialising in raw foods so he could ‘spread the love’. (And only after the retreat did he learn that he was a misdiagnosed Type 1 ‘incurable’). I saw an old, overweight lady completely off insulin return home and begin a local awareness program targeting doctors and health care centres. I saw a elderly Italian American man change before my eyes into someone with light in his eyes and purpose in his life.. all because the proof was incontrovertible. The retreat worked.

So even though there was only one young diabetic we know of attending, it was still such a great night that I awoke this morning still buzzing - because I knew we had something that can change lives right here in the palm of our hands.

So.. there WILL be a 30 day retreat in the new year. There WILL be a chance to attend. It WILL change lives, attitudes and futures.

I also will have copies of the DVD so you can experience the Video yourselves and pass the message on to your friends.

My lesson of the night came from watching a 26-year old man on the video. He was being asked why he didn’t want to make the final jump to no insulin at all. His answer: “Because all my life, every doctor I ever went to told me I’d be on insulin for the rest of my life.” That explained to me why we had so few diabetics responding to our advertising and brochures. They believe that investigating a cure for diabetes, when their doctor has told them it is hopeless, will only bring on new pain and disappointment. So rather than investigate and come along, they stayed home with their insulin.

This morning I talked to Peter, my own doctor. He agreed. People don’t believe they can be healed, and he added that research into anti-diabetes drugs is taking on more and more complex drug research avenues. Just like cancer, just like heart disease, just like just what is happening for about every ‘incurable’ ailment. And yet think about it! Raw food diets heal diabetes!

So if you have a friend with Diabetes type one or two, please tell them to check out my site. If they just sign on to my newsletter I’ll make sure they have access to news as it happens about the video and the 30 day retreat. Why? Because I love the feeling of getting up in the morning knowing I changed the world in my small way yesterday!

For you Aussies.. please let me know if you'd like a local screening and we'll see what we can do in the new year. You can email me at ianATionlife.info

11 comments:

Anonymous said...

Great post Ian,

I'm pre-diabetic (insulin resistance) and the reason I'm afraid of raw food diets is the fruit, and lack of protein. I'm told by GP's and nutritionists to avoid fruit and eat high protein, low gi veges. I've got all the raw cookbooks, green for life etc and most recipes use several pieces of fruit per serving - I've been told I'm not allowed one banana, let alone two or three, plus an apple etc in a green smoothie :-)

Best wishes,

Kate.

Anonymous said...

Dear Kate and Ian,
I found you site today via Alex Ortner's email list, and reading your question, Kate, I took it upon myself to answer. First off, am writing this spontaneously, without footnotes and/or references, so please email me back if you want them. To the subject.
There is much evidence in how many people have eliminated diabetes in their lives through such stories on various websites, and it's very unlikely they have any other reason to write in except to express happiness and gratitude and tell "how" they did it, such as hacres.com, pcrm.org (Neal Barnard's book on no diabetes), and Dr. Robert O. Young's phMiracle for Weight Loss. These are long-standing websites with much MD and PhD expertise. Kate, the nutritionists and gps were trained in an arena that didn't study the negative effects of a standard American diet. To study effects might suggest prevention, and that's not what a gp or nutritionist is about, per se, though many are turning that way due to their own health challenges (no offense to those who went into it directly for prevention's sake and teaching that). The above sites, and there are many more, are for those who have eradicated the diabetes condition in their body, or for those who don't have it and don't expect to get it. It is fixed through nutrition, and prevented also. Find a raw support group in your vicinity, or a live blood microscopist to show you what your blood looks like or log onto Dr. Barnard's weekly online videos for recipe ideas. Basically, the body craves fruits and vegetables to even exist. The green smoothies would help immensely, and keep many of us away from even needing a doctor. We are engineered for fruits and vegetables, fresh, not from cans or cooked. Try these websites, see how much info is out there on raw and living, as it's called (vegan includes cooked foods) and you won't even have to go on trust or faith; you will be reading others' life experiences. If you trust anything, trust your intuition, which comes from the body, and know that the body needs living foods, from natural sources. Green smoothies, for example are a very easy place to start...Very best wishes, Helen (posted as anonymous because the posting 'identies' didn't allow for a standard email address - sihastria@peoplepc.com, certified raw and living foods instructor in Texas...)

Anonymous said...

I am not a diabetic nor do I know any, but I am very aware of the inseparable connection between our physical welbeing and our lifestyles. I also know that a critical part of this is the quality and quantity of the food that we consume. I just want to thank you so much Ian, for being another light in the dark for all who are still struggling in the hardships of misunderstanding. I believe that your kind of attitude forges the path toward global peace.

Glen K

Witek said...

Hello, nice post!

I'm a Type 1 Diabetic (insulin-dependent) and have watched the Raw for Life DVD and read Gabriel Cousens' book The Cure for Diabetes. I tried a week raw juice fast followed by a couple weeks of raw food, but I wasn't able to get completely off my insulin and lost hope. I did lower my insulin needs during the period, but it seemed to be because of the smaller amount of carbohydrates I was ingesting during that time versus on a vegetarian diet with cooked food. Perhaps I didn't do things exactly as they should be done, and a retreat focused on diabetes would be a very interesting thing to try. The book "The Cure for Diabetes" as well as the movie are somewhat vague on the exact steps required for this whole process. Lots of talk but little specifics. I really wish there was a more comprehensive resource available!

Anonymous said...

I am a late onset Type 1 diabetic and share your experiences with Gabriel Cousens books. I love the recipes but don't have a dehydrator. I find raw food is healthier and more filling but that life style is very exclusive and separating socially.
I want to share my success in getting off insulin in two weeks under the care of a special traditional Chinese doctor - Dr Cecilia Zhang cecilia@healdiabetic.com. I have now been off insulin for over 5 weeks and hope to eventually stop taking her natural pills and teas. I want to get the message out that diabetes can be cured and do not be scared to stop taking insulin. Of course it has to be done gradually and monitored vigilantly as shown in the video. Good luck

Anonymous said...

There seem to be many questions people have, which is great! From Kate asking about fruit (important question!), to freakmod asking for a more comprehensive resource. This is why every month there is a tele-seminar and Q&A with "Gabriel Cousens, MD, the author of the book Freakmod referred to, "There Is a Cure for Diabetes" and the supervising physician in the documentary, "Simply Raw: Reversing Diabetes in 30 Days." Please contact me for information on the comprehensive resources and answers you are requesting if you would like at michael@treeoflife.nu. Best regards and peace to our bodies, souls, and soils.

Anonymous said...

Hi Ian. Just found your blog & good on you! Just wanted to tell freakmod that he should get his/her hands on a book called "Death to Diabetes" by a bloke called DeWayne McCulley. Google it - he has a web site otherwise grab a copy from ebay or anywhere else you can get your hands on it. He probably isn't as strict as Raw for 30 days but he is on the same track and gives excellent detailed information. Hope this helps - it certainly did for me

Witek said...

Thanks, I'll check out those resources :)

RJ said...

Hello,
I agree! Raw foods work! -- as long as you eat them with the right other foods. Last year my wife bought the book "Death to Diabetes" and lost 27 pounds. More importantly, she came off her diabetic medication.

As a result, I tried this man's super foods and raw food diet program and I LOST 37 POUNDS [my wife is jealous :-)]

The author almost DIED from a diabetic coma, his book is well-written and very thorough -- he believes in raw food dieting, juicing, etc., and explains step by step what to do. It's so simple!

I was a little afraid of raw foods also, I think because of the "bland" taste. But this author provides a lot of cool tips about how to make Brussel sprouts and broccoli taste sweet but still healthy for you! And, it works! I always hated Brussel sprouts because they're so BITTER, but not anymore! :-)

You should read this man's story and his book!

The author's name is Dewayne Mcculley, he's an engineer, he also has a diabetes cookbook that my wife plans to get. I love the title of his book: "DEATH TO DIABETES". He breaks down the medical jargon and explains how diabetes really works, and why some diets won't work, and why certain foods are necessary for blood glucose stabilization. He also explains all the myths about diabetes.

p.s. I am so happy to be off the diabetic drugs! AND I FEEL GREAT! So does my wife. But, we need to tell more people about this man's inspirational story. (You can find him on Youtube also -- he's funny).

Sincerely,
Richard

Anonymous said...

I have the same concern as Kate. I read about the smoothies in "Greens for Life" and was shocked at the thought of using four bananas with kale. My teeth are sensitive to sweet and they hurt the same whether I eat sugar or a sweet fruit (like dates). Gabriel Cousin's book about diabetes also says that high glycemic fruits do increase the blood sugar level. So I'm stuck with this dilemma about having an easy to drink but high glycemic smoothie compared to diabetic-friendly but hard-to-pour-down-the-throat smoothie given by Dr. Cousin's book. I'm going to try this on my kids as well so it's very important to have tasty drinks!

Alkababy said...

Hi Anonymous,
boy you are a busy person! I see your name everywhere!

I agree. Sugar is sugar is sugar and while I agree with much of Dr Young's hypothesis I have problems with some parts of what he claims.
re an easy to drink 'smoothie', I look at it this way. Ten seconds of 'Ugh!' is a pittance to pay for years of vital health. I give up on making my juices tasty, and the idea of adding (admittedly potassium laden= good) with their substantial sugar content=bad just to make a smoothie taste good.. I'm over it. Gulp and it's gone, good health come on in!

Of course in my case I've also been drinking ionized water for the last ten years and that does change your taste buds to not need sweetness, and to savour some greens I'd have bolted away from as a kid!.

Finally, sensitive teeth are in my experience as sure fire indicator of an acidic system.