Today is World Diabetes Day, a day to raise awareness for this chronic disease sweeping across America. 30 million Americans suffer with type 2 diabetes and every year 1.5 million more are added to the list. The Center for Disease Control is concerned that  unless we do something soon, we are going to see diabetes skyrocket to 55 million in the next decade, which means half the people in the United States could develop diabetes.

Diabetes, unfortunately, never arrives alone. Other complications are always the bi-product of this dreaded disease. The CDC warns that unless we see a radical change in health habits, in the next decade we could also see:

• 35 million heart attacks
• 13 million strokes
• 8 million going blind
• 6 million with kidney failure
• 2 million amputations
• 62 million deaths

And then there’s prediabetes. 86 million Americans are affected here (1 out of 3 Americans). The name pre-diabetes may not sound too alarming, but don’t let the name fool you. Pre-diabetes is still dangerous. It not only increases your risk for developing type 2 diabetes but it also doubles your risk for heart disease, whether it progresses to type 2 diabetes or not. On top of that, 9 out of 10 people don’t even know they have pre-diabetes!

That’s the bad news. But we have good news for you–you can eat to beat diabetes! And the best medicine is what we put on our plate. The American Kidney Foundation along with many others are promoting a whole food plant-based diet as the best way to turn your health around. It can reverse type 2 diabetes, reduce the amount of medication for type 1 diabetes, and prevent and reverse heart disease (#1 complication of diabetes).

Aim to Be a First-Class Foodie

1. Eat more leafy greens
2. Eat more colorful fruits and vegetables
3. Eat more peas and beans
4. Eat more starchy vegetables such as potatoes and corn
5. Eat more fresh and frozen fruits
6. Eat more whole grains

Most of the time, when people think about having better health, they think about less–eating less saturated fat, less sweets, less salt. Do changes like these help? Absolutely, they are all good tips for beating diabetes and heart disease. But when you’re a First-Class Foodie, you’re also thinking about more–more veggies, more beans, just more plant foods in general.

What is the Real Culprit in Diabetes?

Most of us have been taught that sugar is the main culprit when it comes to developing diabetes or pre-diabetes. But is it the real culprit in the disease? Although it is definitely part of the picture, the main culprit is insulin resistance. How does this come about?

I like to think of the cells in the body as a kitchen. Let’s say you’ve just returned from buying groceries for the week and in your arms are bags of good food. You have plenty of glucose with you, the fuel that your body needs to thrive and flourish. But to get the glucose into the cell, you have to open a door, just as you open the door to a kitchen. The cell door is locked, but you have the key. That key is called insulin. It’s what your body uses to change glucose into energy. But somewhere along the way, your key has gotten sticky and it can no longer open the door to the cell. So the glucose can’t get in. Instead, it is building up outside in your bloodstream. And your cells have become insulin resistant.

What made the key sticky? In 2013, a study of 150,000 Americans showed that those who ate 0.5 grams of red meat a day had a 48% higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes. Less than 1 gram a day! It doesn’t take much to make the key sticky. Saturated fat can gum up the key so your cells no longer utilize the insulin produced by your pancreas. The standard American diet in America is sadly set up to create insulin resistance. It is loaded with deep-fried foods like French fries, processed meat like bacon and hot dogs, plus a high amount of cheese. All these foods increase our risk for type 2 diabetes in a major way. But a plant-based diet can turn this sad picture around.

Begin with Beans

Studies show that beans, lentils, and peas work on many levels to prevent diabetes. One study showed that people who eat at least 3 servings of beans per day were 35% less likely to develop type 2 diabetes. Lentils appeared to help the most for lowering the risk for diabetes, but all beans are a major player in reversing the disease. There are many reasons for this:

• Beans are low in calories and saturated fat
• Beans are loaded with fiber
• Beans are an excellent source of calcium, potassium, and magnesium
• Beans help with weight loss
• Beans are very low on the glycemic index, making them gentle on blood sugars

If you eat just a cup of beans a day, you can experience significant blood sugar improvement in just a few short months. Many diabetics who eat beans find it not only improves their blood sugar for that meal but it also prevents their blood sugar from spiking after the next 3 meals!

Ways to Include More Beans in Your Meals

1. Enjoy a bean burrito with black beans or pintos.
2. Sprinkle white beans or garbanzos in a salad.
3. Add kidney beans to your pasta rather than using burger–skip the high saturated fat and cholesterol.
4. Start your lunch or dinner with a bean soup.
5. Dig in with a black bean burger or lentil loaf.
6. Try a cannellini bruschetta (open-faced sandwich) with tomatoes and kale (see picture above).

Power Up with Greens

Greens are a powerhouse for nutrition and better health. They are well known as being low in calories, high in antioxidants, and high in fiber. Try adding greens to your pastas. Add several big handfuls of baby spinach to the pasta; stir it in until the leaves just begin to wilt. Then serve it up to your family.

Go for Whole Grains

Grains are often looked upon as the “bad guys” on the block. But they are some of the healthiest carbohydrates or body fuel around. You can enjoy quinoa, brown rice, rolled oats, and oat groats. These are called intact grains because they receive minimal processing, making them very gentle on blood sugars. Eating cooked whole grains in their intact form (versus flour or in a dry cereal) can help ward off diabetes. When you eat just 2 servings of whole grains daily, you can have 21% less risk for developing type 2 diabetes.

Does this mean you shouldn’t eat anything with flour? Not at all, but while intact grains are a Class A food for preventing and reversing diabetes, flour is a Class B food and should be used in moderation.

Feast on Fruit

Can fruit help prevent diabetes? A recent study of 184,000 people, conducted by the Harvard School of Public Health, discovered that people who frequently ate whole fruit had lower chances of developing type 2 diabetes. They ate fruits like oranges, bananas, apples, grapes, apricots, berries, peaches, pears, and plums. The best results were found in eating apples, berries, and grapes.

Go Plant-Strong

If you want to be plant-strong and say goodbye to chronic diseases like diabetes, particularly if your family has a history of this disease, eat more beans, greens, intact whole grains and fruit. They will stack the odds in your favor when it comes to preventing and reversing diabetes. What if you already have diabetes or pre-diabetes? These same foods will stabilize and even lower your blood sugars. So aim to be a First Class Foodie–for better health and less medicine.

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Be a First Class Foodie

First Class Foods

GREEN LEAFY VEGETABLES:  Most nutrient-dense of all plant foods, green leafy vegetables are rich in fiber, magnesium, calcium, vitamins, minerals and other phytonutrients.  Examples include arugula, beet greens, bok choy, broccoli, cabbage, collard, kale, mustards, romaine lettuces, spinach, swiss chard, and turnip greens.

GREEN VEGETABLES: These vegetables provide an abundance of antioxidants for optimal health and healing. Examples include artichokes, asparagus, brussel sprouts, celery, cucumber, green beans, green bell pepper, sprouts, and zucchini.

COLORFUL VEGETABLES:  Colorful pigments of these vegetables are rich in flavanoids, which reduce your risk for cancer, heart disease, asthma, and others. Examples include beets, carrots, cauliflower, eggplant, garlic, leeks, onions, purple cabbage, squashes, tomatoes, and turnips.

LEGUMES (Peas, Beans, and Lentils):  Legumes are rich in fiber, protein, complex carbs, and other nutrients. They help to control and stabilize blood sugars. Examples include black beans, black-eyed peas, garbanzos, garden peas, kidney beans, lentils, lima beans, mung beans, pinto beans, red beans, soy beans, and many kinds of white beans.

STARCHY VEGETABLES: These vegetables are a rich source of fiber, complex carbohydrates, and vitamins and minerals. They are good partners with all plant proteins. Examples include baked potatoes, corn, peas, sweet potatoes, and yams.

FRESH FRUIT: Fruits are a good source of energy and fiber along with ample amounts of antioxidants and vitamins. Northern grown fruits are the best choices for reducing inflammation and stabilizing blood sugar. Examples include apples, apricots, berries, cherries, grapes, peaches, and many others. 

WHOLE UNREFINED GRAINS: Whole grains provide fiber and other nutrients that are missing in refined grains such as white rice, white bread, and semolina pasta. They are a foundation for many plant-strong meals. Examples include barley, brown rice, buckwheat, bulgar, millet, oat groats, rolled oats, quinoa, and spelt.

WHOLE FOOD FATS: These are good sources of heart-healthy fat, protein, and other nutrients. They can be a #1 class food when eaten whole; refined oils should be avoided since they are not attached to fiber (this lack of fiber will spike blood sugars and impair heart health). However, because they are high in fat, they should be used in moderation, especially if you are dealing with disease or trying to lose weight. Examples include: almonds, cashews, chia seeds, flax seed, nut butters (peanut or almond), pumpkin seeds, pecans, pine nuts, sesame seeds, sunflower seeds, walnuts, whole avocados, whole coconut, and whole olives.

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2ND Class Foods

These are healthy food choices to enjoy once in a while rather than for daily eating.

PROCESSED WHOLE GRAINS: These include whole grain breads and cereals along with couscous. Processed whole grains are much healthier than refined grain products. They do cause greater spikes in blood sugars than the intact whole grains in the 1st Class Foodie List, so it is best to use them in moderation rather than every day.

PROCESSED FRUIT  OR VEGETABLES WITH ADDED SALT, SUGAR OR FAT: This includes applesauce, canned fruits with added sugar, dried fruit with added sugar, as well as canned and salted vegetables. Look for fresh and frozen fruits and vegetables as much as possible as well as unsweetened fruit products.

MILK ALTERNATIVES: Try plant milks such as soy, almond, or nut milks. These will be healthier than regular dairy. They also contain no cholesterol and are often lower in fat. The best choices are the unsweetened varieties.

MEAT SUBSTITUTES: Try tofu for a less processed protein food. Grocery stores often stock soy burgers, veggie burgers, and other plant-based meat substitutes. If using these, think of them as a treat. Also be a savvy label reader when you buy. Commercial meat substitutes can be high in fat and salt but low in fiber.

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Final Tips

1. Eat primarily from the First Class Foods List for maximum nutrition and health protection.
2. Use processed whole grain products and milk and meat substitutes moderately.
3. If you want to lose weight, skip the juice. It adds up to excess weight very quickly and can lead to pre-diabetes. Use natural fats much less until you reach your weight goal.
4. Learn to make burgers with whole foods rather than buying commercial varieties.
5. Try to make a new recipe at least once a week or try a new First Class Foodie food once a week. I have found it’s all about finding the right recipe  to enjoy something new. How about trying a New-Start Health Bites recipe once a week? 
6. Have hope–you are growing in health day by day. Aim for greater health every day for more strength, energy and peace.