Since my diagnosis of Type 2 Diabetes in mid-November, 2019, the plan was to blog about my efforts to reverse this by eating a whole-food plant-based diet. I was hoping to document my experiment by sharing my lab tests here. Then COVID-19 happened. I skipped the lab for the 3-month follow and only rely on my home blood-glucose testing strips, blood pressure monitor and weight scale to give me an idea of how it’s going. I hope to get to the lab at some point soon to check my HbA1c.
Until then, I carry on by eating a high-carb, low-fat whole-food plant-based diet (that is a mouthful in itself!) promoted by the team of Cyrus Khambatta and Robby Barbaro in their Mastering Diabetes program. While I have not participated in their coaching modules, I have both hard-copy and audio version of MASTERING DIABETES: The Revolutionary Method to Reverse Insulin Resistance Permanently in Type 1, Type 1.5, Type 2, Prediabetes and Gestational Diabetes. Not only do they have personal experience on this subject (both being Type 1 diabetics) but they have done their research, citing every single study they reference and there are many.
COVID and diabetes are not a good mix. I desperately want to correct my insulin resistance through diet, intermittent fasting and exercise. The thing is, while I find eating plant-based fairly easy, I do struggle with the no oil, no salt, no sugar part of things and my inability to be 100 per cent compliant is slowing down my progress. Every meal is a new beginning.
I am going to post some of the things I eat here. I tried to do a daily journal but it’s impossible to keep up while also working at my day job. I am trying to teach myself food photography, so some shots may look fancier than others, but all the meals are made by me unless otherwise stated.
Breakfasts:
- Fresh Fruit: Raspberries, Blackberries, Blueberries, Mango, Kiwi
- Mint (from my garden) was for decoration, but after the photo, I put it into a mug with boiling water and made mint tea
- Blueberry Oatmeal with strawberries and blackberries. 1/2 cup blueberries in bowl with 1/2 cup of oats. Add 1/2 cup of water. Microwave for 2 minutes. Stir. Top with fresh fruit. (Frozen fruit also works for the oatmeal part). Added nutrition: sprinkle with hemp seeds, freshly-ground flax or chia seeds. I’m currently adding mint to everything as it is fresh in the garden, and also good for digestion!
- Green Juice! 1 bunch of Swiss Chard, 4 celery stalks, 1 mini cucumber, 1 green pepper, 1 green apple, 1 thumb of ginger, juice of 1 lemon. Lip-smacking goodness.
- Watermelon and cherries!
Lunches:
- Giant Salad: Romaine, Spring Mix, Arugula, Mint, Orange, Tomato, Red Cabbage, Green Onion, Walnuts with an oil-free Lime juice, Garlic, Coconut Aminos dressing, veg broth
- Leftover Takeout from Reyan Restaurant in Mississauga. Syrian Food! From the vegan portion of the menu: Ful Medames (fava bean dish) and Hurraq Osbao, a lentil pasta dish. Enhanced with a drizzle of tahini, pomegranate arils and parsley.
- Dr. Praeger’s California burger on a sprouted whole grain bun with lettuce and tomato
Dinners:
- Black bean quesadilla, Salsa, Coleslaw with Apple Cider Vinaigrette
- Friday Night Pizza Night! Vegan pizza from Pizza Nova. This is me being less than 100% compliant. While the crust is whole wheat and the pineapple and veggies are OK, the vegan cheese is a processed food which is a red-light food for me. I may try no cheese at all next time, just to see how it goes. It was delicious though!
- Buffalo cauliflower wings with vegan ranch dip. Korean tofu “ribs”. Sautéed sesame tatsoi. Tatsoi is a a mild-flavoured Asian green from the Brassicaceae, or mustard, family. It can be eaten raw, or prepared as you would spinach. It’s a great source of vitamins A, C and K, carotenoids, folate, calcium and potassium.
- Green salad with leaf lettuce, mini cucumber, red cabbage, tomato with rice vinegar; Corn on the cob
- Snack of vegan coconut yogurt