Living Well with Type 2 Diabetes: Practical Tips and the Power of a Vegan Lifestyle

“To begin a diet change to reverse diabetes, step one is to avoid animal products. Now you might be thinking, ‘Wait a minute! I thought I was supposed to avoid sugar or avoid bread or maybe rice.’ Well, these carbohydrates do release glucose into the blood and that’s why people thought OK that sugar must be the problem. But it turns out that the real problem with diabetes is the build-up of fat inside the cells of the body. When fat builds up in your muscle cells or in your liver cells, the sugar can’t get inside and that’s the problem and so that’s why step one is to avoid animal products.

Step two, keep vegetable oils to a minimum. If you’re the kind of person who is making dinner and you take your bottle of oil and you go glug, glug, oil all over everything, that fat gets into your cells too and that’s a problem. So step three is choose the healthiest foods. So white bread [is] OK, but rye bread or pumpernickel [are] much better. The whole-grain breads are better. White potatoes are OK, but a sweet potato is much better.

I have one last thing though – let your doctor know that you’re going to do this. Because although these steps sound very simple, they can be very, very powerful. And if you’re taking medicine for your diabetes, your blood sugar can start to fall too low when you’re on a very healthy diet. Your doctor can reduce your medicine as the diet starts to bring your blood sugar down naturally, and that’s going to be the best part of the solution.”

Just as food fuels your body, movement is one of the most powerful tools for keeping blood sugar in balance. Diabetes can sometimes make the skin a bit drier or more delicate, so gentle daily hygiene, regular moisturizing, and prompt attention to any rash or wound are important. It’s equally important to pay attention to your eyes and mouth, where diabetes can quietly cause changes over time. High blood sugar can damage the tiny blood vessels in the eyes and increase the risk of gum disease. Schedule annual eye exams to catch any vision changes early and keep up with regular dental checkups.

Adopting a vegan lifestyle is one of the most powerful actions you can take to improve blood sugar control and overall health – and the benefits can begin within weeks. Each vegan meal helps your body restore balance, reduce inflammation, and boost energy. Start now by filling your plate with colorful vegetables, fruits, whole grains, beans, lentils, tofu, and nuts.