Food studies show disease reversible

Thank you for the Nov. 23 editorial about diabetes. Contrary to your statement that “there are ways to delay the onset or prevent it altogether if caught in the pre-diabetic phase,” diabetes is preventable and reversible, even when not in the pre-diabetic phase, i.e., after decades of high doses of insulin.

For example, T. Colin Campbell, in the 2004 book, “The China Study…” pointed out the high quality diabetes and cardiac research of Dr. James Anderson. One of Dr. Anderson’s studies in 1986 was with 25 type 1 and 25 Type 2 diabetics eating mostly whole plant foods in a hospital setting and showed impressive results for both types. One man, with a 21-year history of diabetes who was taking 35 units of insulin per day, was off all insulin within just a few weeks. Similar results had been reported earlier at the Pritikin Centers in “Diabetes Care 5 (1982): 370-374.” Both nutritional plans also significantly reduce cholesterol.

Even more exacting and impressive is the 2007 book review of diabetes research work as reported by Dr. Neal Barnard, describing “the scientifically proven system of reversing diabetes without drugs.” The research conclusively shows reversal based upon whole plant food eating plans alone, without any changes in exercise levels. These studies replicated and expanded Dr. Anderson’s work from more than two decades earlier. Some of Dr. Barnard’s work has also appeared on the American Diabetes Association Web site earlier this year.

In short, to a large degree, “you are what you eat.”

Norm Kosky