|
Kamalpreet Singh
|
Reversal of Type 1 Diabetes upon
|
Plant-based Wholefood Diet: A Case Study
|
|
|
Abstract
|
Type 1 diabetes (T1D) is an autoimmune disease characterised by hyperglycemia caused by the inability to produce
insulin due to self-destruction of pancreatic beta cells. T1D causes irreversible health consequences like retinopathy,
nephropathy, neuropathy, hypertension and heart disease and makes the patient dependent on external insulin injections
for his entire life. The common perception in medical science is that blood glucose levels cannot be brought in non-diabetic range without the help of external insulin injections in the case of T1D. However, in the present case study we
examined the levels of blood glucose in a 5-year-old patient of T1D by putting him on a plant-based diet plan with regular
follow-ups. He was successfully able to maintain non-diabetic blood glucose levels and eliminate his insulin dependency
within 14 days on a consistent wholefood plant-based diet full of fresh fruits, raw vegetables, nuts, seeds and sprouts.
|
Keywords:Diabetes, Type-1 Diabetes, Plant Based Diet, Nutrition, Lifestyle Medicine
|
|
|
Introduction
|
|
Diabetes is one of the most common metabolic disorders
that is associated with many life-threatening
complications which diminish the quality of life of the
patient. Diabetes is mainly of two types: type 1 diabetes
(T1D) and type 2 diabetes (T2D). T2D is the most common
type of diabetes worldwide marked by an increased blood
glucose level, frequent urination, excessive thirst and
weight loss. In T2D, impaired receptors do not respond to
insulin, eventually leading to insulin resistance while in
T1D, there is a deficiency of insulin produced in the
pancreas1 . It is a juvenile onset disorder which is
characterized by pancreatic dysfunction due to autoimmune
reaction of the body where beta cells continuously get
destroyed, eventually leading to insulin deficiency2 . The
definite cause of T1D is still a mystery. However, certain
studies demonstrate the mechanism by which A1 beta casein
from cow milk can lead to T1D3,4 . Mounting evidence now
shows the association of the ever-rising vaccination doses
and the rise in T1D around the world5.
|
|
One highly sensitive method of C-peptide determination has
shown that beta cells can be detected even up to 40 years
after the clinical onset of the disease. These findings help
patients in advanced stage, for example, it helps patients
whose β-cell function was thought to have long ceased in
getting benefit from interventions to preserve β-cell
function or to prevent complications6 . A lot of effort has
been made to regenerate beta cells in vitro by providing
growth factors and by reprogramming/trans-differentiation
of terminally differentiated cell types. However, none of
these approaches have proved to be successful in growing
beta cells in vivo due to shortage of donors. The inefficient
technique of β-cell generation and the difficulty of growing
β-cell in adult humans sufficiently force a patient to adhere
to medication/insulin for his whole life7 . Dietary
modification and lifestyle change can play an important role
in reversal of T1D and T2D by restoring the glucose levels to
non-diabetic range, thereby either decreasing or eliminating
the need of medicine/insulin.
|
|
Case presentation
|
|
Here, we present a case of Harkirat Singh, a five-year-old
boy, weighing 18 kgs, who was diagnosed with T1D in
Georgia, USA on 28.11.2022. Before diagnosis, he
complained of frequent urination, increased thirst, excessive
weakness and some weight loss. On the day of diagnosis, his
Hb1Ac was 9.8% and blood glucose showed extreme
fluctuations, with average postprandial glucose (PPG)
above 300 mg/dl, the highest recorded was 490 mg/dl on
30.11.2022. It was an indication of T1D. The doctor
concerned prescribed insulin injections to control blood
glucose. He was advised to inject a total of 12 units of insulin
daily. In the absence of initial C-peptide and Glutamic Acid
Decarboxylase (GAD) reports, it was difficult to ascertain
the diagnosis to be T1D. However, such negligence in
maintaining records by the clinical practitioners should be
avoided which may lead to discrepancies in diagnosis.
|
|
The parents approached the author on 8.12.2022 and agreed
to put Harkirat Singh on a plant-based wholefood diet
immediately. The boy was put on a dietary modification plan
and was supervised by the author through daily phone
appointments. This diet was divided into breakfast, lunch
and dinner. Breakfast included three different types of fruits
which weighed 1% to 2% of body weight (in kilograms). In
this case it was between 180 and 360 grams of fruits in
breakfast. Lunch included three different types of raw
vegetables which weighed 0.5% to 1% of body weight along
with a customized vegan meal recipe. In this case it was 90 to
180 grams of raw vegetables followed by a customised
vegan meal recipe. Dinner was calculated the same way as
lunch. In addition to this, soaked nuts and sprouts were also a
part of the diet programme and the quantity of these was
equal to 0.1% of body weight. In this case it was about 18
grams each. Packed, processed and refined foods were
strictly eliminated from his diet. Animal food, dairy
products and oil were eliminated from the diet as these have shown to have a negative effect on diabetes3,8. Blood glucose
readings were regularly monitored and essential changes in
the diet schedule were made as and when required. The
parents were also in touch with the doctor concerned
regularly for assistance in adjustment of insulin dosage.
|
|
Results
|
|
Before intervention: The patient had been suffering from
T1D for two weeks as was diagnosed on 28.11.2022. His
HbA1c was 9.8% and blood glucose was 490 mg/dl at the
time of diagnosis. He was prescribed long-acting Lantus
insulin 6 units in the morning and Humalog rapid insulin 2
units after breakfast, lunch and dinner. His fasting blood
glucose level ranged from 110 mg/dl to 155 mg/dl with 12
units of total insulin per day. His PPG ranged from 100
mg/dl to 300 mg/dl with 12 units total insulin per day. There
were a few episodes of hypoglycemia with blood glucose
levels dropping below 70 mg/dl.
|
|
|
|
|
Post intervention: HbA1c was 7.3% post dietary
intervention recorded on 10.01.2023. His average fasting
b l o o d g l u c o s e l e v e l w a s 1 0 6 m g / d l
(21.12.2022–31.12.2022). His average PPG was 136 mg/dl
during the same period. The patient was able to eliminate his
requirement of insulin injections on the thirteenth day
(21.12.2022) of the dietary modification programme. He did
not require insulin injections after 21.12.2022. He is no
longer taking insulin injections. He is maintaining a normal
glucose range by following the diet programme religiously.
The patient was regularly monitored till 01.03.2023. His
average fasting blood glucose level was 100 mg/dl and
average PPG was 131 mg/dl during the month of February
2023.
|
|
Discussion
|
|
T1D has been neglected for a long time and its nationwide
prevalence is not yet known. The growing number of T1D
cases is a cause of concern as its treatment is difficult in
comparison to that of T2D. In this article, we show a
comprehensive analysis by stating the difference of blood
glucose changes before and after the dietary intervention in a
case of suspected T1D who approached us in December
2022. He was diagnosed with diabetes at the age of five and
from the very first day he was on insulin. None of his parents
have diabetes. His pre-intervention HbA1c reading was
9.8%, which is on the higher side. All the evidence so far
defines him as a T1D case than any other type of diabetes.
His higher values of HbA1c are suggestive of diabetic
complications which was evident by his excessive urine,
thirst, weakness and weight loss. His insulin dependency
was eliminated within 14 days of switching to a whole food
plant-based diet full of fresh fruits and raw vegetables.
Presently, he is no longer dependent on insulin. His glucose
levels are also in the non-diabetic range without insulin. He
is adhering to regular follow ups.
|
|
Cases of T1D are increasing around the world. The possible
cause can be genetics triggered by a wrong choice of food
habits, including consumption of processed milk of A1 cows
and increasing number of vaccine doses in the schedule4.
Dietary modification is a great assistance to medical science
in controlling diabetes to a large extent, without causing any
side effects. The complete reversal of T1D through dietary
modification is a ray of hope to many who are living a
disheartened life administering insulin injections thrice a
day to their children.
|
|
Conclusion
|
|
Diet and lifestyle play a major role in the reversal of
autoimmune diseases like T1D9 . If left untreated, T1D can
lead to severe complications. T1D was once thought to be
irreversible and progressive after diagnosis, but emerging
evidences suggest it can be reversed by following an
appropriate diet plan. Here, we successfully treated a patient
suffering from T1D by prescribing a customised diet plan.
The patient was able to eliminate insulin dependency within
14 days of the dietary modification programme. This case
study will serve as a ray of hope for the T1D patients and
their distraught parents around the world.
|
|
References
|
|
1. Diagnosis and classification of diabetes mellitus.
Diabetes Care Volume 37. Supplement 1; 2014.
2. Classification and diagnosis of diabetes. Diabetes Care.
American Diabetes Association 2016; 39, 13-22.
3.Tim C. Campbell, The China study the most
comprehensive study of nutrition ever conducted and
startling implications for diet, weight loss, and long-term
health. BenBella Books, 2017.
4.Keith Woodford, Devil in the milk: Illness, health, and
politics: A1 and A2 milk. Chelsea Green, 2009
5. Kamalpreet Singh, Vaccines may cause type-1 diabetes.
The vaccine crime report. Notion Press 2022.
6. Wang L, Lovejoy NF, Faustman DL. Persistence of
prolonged C-peptide production in type 1 diabetes as
measured with an ultra-sensitive C-peptide assay. Diabetes
Care. 2012,35:465-70.
7. Tesemma S Chala, Getnet Y Ali. Recent advance in
diabetes therapy: Pancreatic beta cell regeneration
approaches. Diabetes Management 2016, Volume 6, Issue 6.
8. Caldwell B. Esselstyn, Is oil healthy? International
Journal of Disease Reversal and Prevention 2019, Vol 1, No
1.
9. Stanisław Piłaciński, Dorota A. ZozulińskaZiółkiewicz,
Influence of lifestyle on the course of type 1 diabetes
mellitus. Archives of Medical Science 2014, 10: 124–134.
|
|
|
|
|
Dr. Kamalpreet Singh
A3 Sukh Sehaj Enclave, Anandpur Sahib
Punjab, India 140118
Email: kamalpreetsingh@gosatvik.ca
|
|
|
|
|
|
New Updates
|
|
|
|
|
|
|