Your Success Stories

People need to get back to eating basic, healthy foods. – Ashton
I purchased two of your books. My husband and I have completely changed our eating habits based on the GI. Within the first ten days we lost seven pounds and we feel fantastic. Food prep is a little more involved now and I have to shop more often for fresh foods, but we are simply amazed. We now understand why we were not losing weight when we were eating ‘healthy’. It just makes so much sense. People need to get back to eating basic, healthy foods and ignore the messages that are being sent to us by the giant companies pushing junk. I say this because since we began eating this way we look at commercials for things like fast food and processed food and just shake our heads. We feel we have truly found a new and permanent way of eating. Finally!

[SCALES]

If I can turn my diabetes around like this in just a few months, despite having an underlying endocrine condition, I think there’s hope for everyone! – Kerry
In 2000, I was diagnosed with either a pheochromocytoma or other type of ganglioneuroma, in either case a rare cancerous tumor that brings havoc to the endocrine system, a condition that apparently only one in a million people have. Lucky me! Usually with this type of tumor (which is almost always benign) once the tumor is located and surgically removed, the patient can return to a normal life. In my case, like a very few who have this condition, an army of doctors and all of their tests have not been able to locate the tumor. It became clear a few years back that I was permanently disabled by the condition. Despite all of this bad news, I was able to adjust to most of the debilitating symptoms (dizziness, panic attacks, flushing, hypertension alternating with hypotension, fainting) and with the right mix of meds I’ve been able to find some quality of life.

Then came the news about a year ago that due to my endocrine problems I had developed diabetes. Having not been able to exercise for about 7 years due to my condition, with one of my few activities being eating, I had gained a huge amount of weight, and that added due and brought on the symptoms of diabetes, the last thing I needed on top of everything else. Though I had not had success with defeating my underlying endocrine problem, I knew I could fight Diabetes with the right medical help. I sought out the aid of Dr Richard Berkowitz of Wayne, NJ, a highly recommended endocrinologist whose specialty was the treatment of diabetes. Dr. Berkowitz was a godsend. He put me on actoplus metformin and other meds which helped me greatly. But more than this he referred me to Johanna Burani, M.S., Registered Dietitian and Certified Diabetes Educator.

I knew I had to fight the diabetes by seriously changing my diet and had begun this process already. I knew I wanted a healthy food plan but I was so confused as to what that plan should be. Johanna explained the causes of diabetes and the way the body converts foods to sugar in a way that I finally understood. She taught me about good carbs versus bad carbs, the ones she calls ‘gushers’. She was so understanding, patient and helpful and put me on a very simple food plan – one that I could easily follow. And follow it I did!

From the time I saw Johanna in August until the time of this writing (February 23, 2007), I have dropped from 330 pounds to 270 pounds, an amazing 50 pounds, (and a total of 70 pounds lost from my high of 350)! Even better, my blood sugar levels have dropped down into the normal range, my trigliceride level which was high has dropped, my bad cholesterol is down and my good cholesterol is up. When I saw Dr Berkowitz and Johanna recently for follow up visits in the last few weeks, they both were as thrilled with my progress as I am.

Most importantly, I feel so much better. Not only have my symptoms from diabetes been improving, but my other chronic problems related to the endocrine tumor have abated to a degree. In general I have more energy, I am less dizzy and I am more able to function. I have even now been able to begin a walking program, which is helping me continue to lose weight and in general feel better. As I’m learning I just have to carefully observe my food plan and stay with it! Notice, I don’t call it a diet. I don’t like that term, because it implies that there is an end to this and I know I can’t stop eating healthy. This for me has to be a lifestyle choice and I know I am choosing to eat this way for the rest of my life, not for the next year or so alone. I hope this story will inspire all of those readers out there who are feeling discouraged or overwhelmed with their fight to regain their health.’

Inspire others. Share your GI story.