WHY Health Matters + Wilma’s Update on Reversing T2Diabetes

Dr Jedha, Host

Hello, Dr. Jedha here, and thanks for joining me for episode 36 of Type2 Diabetes Talk. 

Your health is your wealth. I’ve used that term to sign off on my emails for a very long time, and over at DMP we use the same on our weekly news and member updates. Your health is your wealth.

01:35

It is so true, yet in so many cases we take it for granted or don’t realize just how important health is until we get ill or develop a health condition. When we don’t have good health, we sure notice it, even if it’s a cold or flu. It can decrease our energy and knock us off our feet for several days, or sometimes even weeks, and with longer-term health challenges, diabetes included, it can disrupt various aspects of our life, creating challenges that affect daily functioning, long-term goals, and it can have a ripple effect across many parts of our life so that it decreases our overall quality of life, depending on the health condition. Ill health can reduce our physical capabilities, increase mental and emotional strain, affect our ability to engage in social activities, lead to social isolation and loneliness. In some cases, it can lead to dependency on other people. It could impact our employment or career progression, increase our risk for other health conditions and have an emotional and physical impact on loved ones too. For instance, it might limit our ability to be active with grandchildren. There are lots of ways ill health can have a ripple effect, but it’s interesting because, even though we know good health is important, often it’s not enough of a motivator to get us changing habits. For example, we do have some members who join us and never change a thing. Clearly, they joined us for a reason. Usually, that reason is to lower blood sugar and A1c, lose weight and reduce or stop medications. These are obvious goals and certainly good reasons, and they’re things that we help people with all the time if they get proactive. So that’s the thing if you truly want those things, you have to be prepared to be proactive and make a commitment to yourself.

03:47

Not changing anything is not going to change anything. As Einstein did say, the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over, expecting different results. If you change nothing, nothing will change. And, of course, when people do use our programs proactively, they experience all of those incredible results – lower A1c to normal, losing weight usually effortlessly and reducing or stopping their medications. But the influence of that has a much deeper effect, which we’re going to get into in just a moment. But coming back to these motivational factors, while we might understand, our health is our wealth, great health is actually for something. There has to be a motivation behind your vision and goal, something bigger than just: I want great health. So I invite you to take a little time with me now to ponder why health matters and, more importantly, why health matters to you. 

05:06

Just imagine for a moment if you had perfect health. How would your life look different to now? Would you have more time to yourself? Would you pursue a hobby or another career? Would you be able to be more active with your grandkids? Would you write a book, travel more? Whatever it is? Take a moment to imagine. Now, it doesn’t matter what age we are. We can embrace the challenge of improving our health for the future. So why is health important to you as you age?

05:45

In episode 31, Dean shared his why and for him, he wanted to look after himself better, to feel in control of his health, rather than relying on medications or doctors to prop him up. He also said he had a great role model, his 85-year-old mum, who looked after herself well, because she was determined to avoid medication. So I guess, for both Dean and his mum, they wanted to feel confident and empowered, that they had the ability to take care of themselves so they could experience the best in life.

06:20

So what is your motivation for wanting great health?

06:25

Is it increased longevity, the ability to enjoy life to the fullest and spend time with loved ones for as long as possible? Is it the ability to be physically active, living with less physical pain, increased mobility, so you can engage in activities with less physical limitations? Is it because a healthy body supports a healthy mind and that mental clarity and clear cognition are important so you can stay sharp and engage in passionate conversation? Is it because you want to have more energy so you can do daily tasks and enjoy or pursue hobbies? Do you want good health for the social benefits, the ability to have an active social life or be able to actively participate in family occasions or events? Maybe your why is to have more resilience to all sorts of things, so you can handle stress better, recover from illness faster and just generally feel capable to handle life’s challenges better? Is it because you love a greater sense of self-confidence, higher self-esteem, so you feel there are more opportunities open to you in life? Would you like to be a good role model for your loved ones, for kids or grandkids? There are lots of different reasons why health matters. So think about why health matters to you. Paint a vision of what you want for yourself in one month, six months, one year, two years or five years, and take small and consistent steps toward that vision every single day.

Announcement 08:11

Are you ready to take charge of your diabetes health? Are you ready to take charge of your diabetes health? Dr. Jedha’s T2Diet Program has been clinically proven in a randomized controlled trial to dramatically reduce A1c weight and medications in just 16 weeks. The T2Diet Program will guide you step-by-step to discover an eating plan that feels natural and sustainable for you and, most importantly, works to get results. Join the program today and see your health transform. 

Dr Jedha, Host 08:48

Back in episode 7, wilma shared her life-changing story from taking the T2Diet program. Wilma started with a blood sugar of 22 millimoles per liter, which is 396 milligrams per deciliter and a super high number. She managed to get it down to 10, which is around 180. And while that was a big improvement, Wilma really wanted to avoid taking medications and she wasn’t getting much support from the diabetes clinic or her doctor.

09:19

Wilma first found us at DMP in March 2023 and, as I said, she took the T2Diet program and in 16 weeks saw some incredible changes. Her fasting numbers came down to around 6.5, which she was so excited about, whereas prior to that they were up in the teens, or in other words, they were above 200 when she started, but came down to around 117 in those first 16 weeks. And Wilma also lost 52 pounds, or 24 kilos, in that first 16 weeks, and she wasn’t even trying to lose weight. When I left Wilma, she said she was going to do another 16 weeks and she had shared her results with me a few times after that. Now Wilma has been a member with us for over a year and she is still going from strength to strength. So let’s dive in and get an update from Wilma about how she’s going a year on from where she started. 

Dr Jedha, starts chat with Wilma, 10:13

When we first spoke, obviously we shared your story, which was just fantastic, and last time you’d already achieved amazing results. Obviously, you said you were going to go for another 16 weeks and you’d sent me an update from your doctor’s appointment in November. That was the first update. So I thought, before we kind of go to your most recent update, you might want to backtrack to that, because you said your doctor was finally amazed at your results then. So what happened in November when you went back?

Wilma, Guest 10:58

So I really like, I’m just pretty vigilant with the way I eat and the way I prepare food. Yeah, it’s just become I don’t want to say a real challenge for me, but it has become I don’t know, just so. It’s so different than it used to be for me when it comes to weight, when it comes to how I eat and how I plan things. I think doing my numbers first thing in the morning is a confirmation that it’s doing the right thing and I feel affirmed, I guess, by having that happen, which is kind of strange, I guess, even to say, because I just it’s so different. And then with the weight, weight just comes off on its own, which has never been my focus. But yeah, when people notice it makes you feel good.

11:49

So when I walked into the doctor’s office, she right away noticed you know that I was doing so much better. But I already knew my results because I can now get them lifeLabs to send it to me before I go to her, and I just kept my one from the previous time so I could check it myself right and see what it was. So when I saw that the numbers were so much lower, I was just really excited to go to the appointment, which I don’t think I’ve ever been excited to go to a doctor’s appointment before. So I again told her about the program and it’s just become a way of life and I look forward to going again to my next appointment to kind of show her again that it’s going to go down again. I’m not, I’m not even worried that it’s not like I know it will, because you just start to really learn the kinds of food that your body really reacts positively to.

Dr Jedha, Host 12:38

Yeah, that’s exactly right, and it’s amazing that you’ve noticed how effortless the weight loss is once your metabolism and once everything balances out in your body and it is getting the food that it needs, that it just happens naturally.

Wilma, Guest 13:07

It really does, like you don’t have to focus on that at all because it kind of takes care of itself, and you start to feel like I’m really at a point right now that I’m ready to go for those walks morning and night, my knee is so much better, and I know it’s because the weight is off of it too. The inflammation is gone, I just think because even eating, in regards to that, is so much better. So I’m really looking forward to that, just the walking and getting that extra exercise in, because I think that’s going to be kind of the next ticket for me anyway.

Dr Jedha, Host 13:47

Yeah, that’s really good. And in terms of your weight I mean I’ve calculated, because you said initially it was 52 pounds and then another 12 pounds and another 10 pounds I mean it’s about 74 pounds (34kg) or something that you’ve lost now, isn’t it?

Wilma, Guest 14:05

Exactly? Yeah, yeah, it’s just incredible, yeah. And for not making that your focus right, cause it’s never been the focus, it’s just been the by-product and, yeah, kind of a reward I find. Anyway, yeah, and having to take my clothes in or to buy new clothes, like it felt so good to be away and, yeah, wearing a sleeveless shirt and, yeah, just feeling good, yeah, in my own body. Yeah, it felt good.

Dr Jedha, Host 14:35

So that’s so fantastic, because you said the weight was always a problem and you couldn’t lose it?

Wilma, Guest 14:43

Yeah, always.

Dr Jedha, Host 14:44

Yeah, yeah. And just coming back to the results too so when you started at DMP in March 2023, you said your A1C when you got the result because you didn’t have it at first, but then you let me know it was 7.8 when it started. Yeah, and then when you went back in November, the A1C was 6.5 yes yeah, so in November it was 6.5 and then it got down to 6.2.

Wilma, Guest 15:21

Yeah, yeah. I must say this from November to March, I wouldn’t say it was more difficult, but it was, I really did have to focus, because you do get excited about anything oh, I’m doing so well, you could just go out and treat yourself. It doesn’t work like that and I used to use food as kind of a reward or kind of. 

Dr Jedha, Host 15:36

Yeah it’s interesting that I think we’re just taught that, or it’s a common thing that we use food as a reward when there’s other ways we can reward ourselves instead of food.

Wilma, Guest 15:51

Yeah, there has to be a different focus and not even, I would think, a reward anymore. I think the reward is how I feel inside. I had a comment from my son because I went to see the grandkids and about halfway through the visit it was a crummy day weather-wise. We were inside, couldn’t go out, and my little grandson he’s just like a caged animal when he can’t go outside. So we were playing downstairs, we were playing upstairs, we were doing all what we can do. And finally, Andrew came to me and says Mom, I have never seen you move like you’re moving now. I could have just cried. I just thought that was the best compliment ever, because I could move like a grandma with my kids and my grandkids.

Dr Jedha, Host 16:38

Wow, and that’s such a powerful, that’s a powerful reason, isn’t it? 

Wilma, Guest 16:47

You know it is. Like I just feel like I have my life back, at least. It’s just, it’s just so different and that it like I’ve only experienced this up and down, and up and down all the time, and this for the first time, I feel like it’s a constant and the constant is going in the right direction. But it’s not this yo-yo up and down.

Dr Jedha, Host 17:11

I love it. Yeah, that’s really fantastic, Wilma. You really got a great glow on you now too.

Wilma, Guest 17:16

It’s just fantastic, yeah it just feels good, because I really with your mental health. I think it has a big part to do with it.

Dr Jedha, Host 17:25

Yeah, so it changes everything across your whole life, really, doesn’t it? And it is that thing of like how good you feel because the longer you persist in creating that new lifestyle for yourself and seeing those results, it is such a powerful thing and how you feel you don’t want to go back to feeling terrible again. 

Wilma, Guest 17:53

No, yeah, this program is amazing and I just hope people find it like I just feel like I was so lucky just to find it, because it has been so good.

Dr Jedha, Host 18:11

Wow, I hope you can hear how excited and happy Wilma is to feel so incredible in her life right now and with the changes that have occurred with her health. She is feeling so empowered and just feeling so great. And not surprisingly, Wilma joined DMP in March 2023, gave me an update in November 2023 and we met at the end of April 2024 to do this latest update, just to put that in perspective. So in a year, she lowered her A1c from 7.8 to 6.2, her fasting levels have come down to almost normal now sitting at around 6.1, and she has lost an incredible 74 pounds or 34 kilos, and that’s without even trying. She can now feel comfortable in her own body and looks forward to so many things being with the grandchildren, going to family events and being able to wear nice clothes for photographs and even wearing a bathing suit and going traveling. So many opportunities have opened up for her as a consequence of choosing health, not to mention the ability to keep up with her grandchildren and now start walking regularly, as she’d had major knee problems only a year ago.

19:34

There are so many wonderful whys sprinkled through Wilma’s story, but for her now, the why and the reward is based on how she feels on the inside and she never wants to go back from that again. Isn’t that so wonderful? Like Wilma said herself, our programs really are fantastic and will change your life. Programs really are fantastic and will change your life, and I’m incredibly proud of the fact that the work I do has led to so many powerful life transformations. That really is so rewarding. If you’re not currently one of our members, I do hope you consider joining us as a member. I’ve seen it time and time again that in as little as 16 weeks, you can dramatically improve your health, and when you understand how to create a sustainable life plan for yourself, just like Wilma has, you’ll just keep on going with your new lifestyle so that you, too, elevate your diabetes health and experience life in a whole new way. You can find out more about our programs over on our website, so please do go check them out and consider joining us as a member, as I said, because only you will experience the benefits.

20:48

If you’ve been listening to the podcast a while, you’ve heard me talk about carbs probably quite a lot, but when it comes to our diet and nutrition, we eat food, so for many people, especially when newly diagnosed, hearing about carbs leads to lots of confusion. So in the next episode we’re going to answer the question: what is a carbohydrate? And look at answering some other questions around carbs as well. So please do tune in. Thanks again for joining me today, have a great week ahead and I’ll see you next week. 

Dr. Jedha, over and out.