Diabetes Prevention Program

[klh1016]

I joined a DPP, Diabetes Prevention Program at the end of July. I was wondering if anyone else has had any success with one of these programs?

Karen in Monroeville

[LZeeW]

@klh1016  A few years ago, I had a Hemoglobin A1c just in the "pre-diabetic" range.  I had an absolute health epiphany! 

I joined a group.  I lost weight, changed my diet, and track my activity with my Fitbit.  I have had a normal A1c for five years now.

The original DPP scientific study showed a 58% reduction in the development of Type 2 diabetes with lifestyle changes.

I am a take control of my health destiny person, not a take some metformin and hope for the best person.

[klh1016]

Thanks LZeeW, I feel the same way, so far I've lost close to fifteen pounds!

[Whyshoshoni]

I had a similar experience two years ago, not with pre-diabetes, but already high cholesterol.  Doc (35 yo-ish) wanted to put me on statins.  When I asked shouldn’t I try diet and exercise first, she scoffed and said ‘it may be hereditary’.  I ditched that doc and embarked on my own get healthy plan.  I went from mostly sedentary to very active, starting eating healthier and lost 40 lbs.  Last blood work a couple months ago was pronounced ‘perfect’.  I feel great and have plenty of energy.  I love all the lifestyle changes I’ve made over the last couple years and their positive effects.

I applaud your both your choices to be proactive and take charge of your health!  Most docs would rather push pills at you than advise you to make changes to improve your health.  But I am lucky that I now have a 70 year old doctor who is an excellent role model, as she lives a very healthy lifestyle which is obvious by looking at her.  In better shape than most 25 year olds, and happily sharing her secrets.

good luck in your journey to stay healthy!

[klh1016]

Thank you, since I swim in the mornings, I decided to preorder the Charge
3. I'm excited to get a nice new version. I had the one, but accidentally
got it wet. 😕
Karen

[Heather-S]

You should google Yolanda Holder. She’s an ultra marathon race walker. She began walking when she lost both her parents to diabetes. She’s pretty inspiring and wrote a book as well. 

[klh1016]

Thank you for the information.

[bikerhiker · Accepted solution]

---

@klh1016 wrote:

I joined a DPP, Diabetes Prevention Program at the end of July. I was wondering if anyone else has had any success with one of these programs?

Karen in Monroeville

---

I was hypoglycemic for ages and I had been on a Diabetes Prevention Program since I was very young and managed to control my BFS and Hemoglobin A1c at perfect levels (below pre-diabetes).  I was an ultramarathoner, thin and did long distance cycling and swimming plus a diet of protein and low carb had helped kept my diabetes at bay.  About 3 years ago, a serious of unfortunate events caused me to gain more weight and then got my blood work back.  I was pre-diabetes.  So I went back to my old DPP and today I lost weight and back to being clear again.  I think the DPP is more of a lifestyle program than a diet program and I also believe that lifestyle had to do with relationship with myself, with people and with work.  In the past, I associated myself with people who are control freaks, companies who exercise control over people and myself.  And probably because, a friend at the time noted that I too was a control freak; controlling every aspect of my life and my partners so I always get a good outcome rather than embracing the unknown and as such attract people and companies that operated with the same Modus Operandi.  He said that I came from a sense of fear.  Today, I embrace working with the unknown and strangely enough, I get to work with people who now respects me and a company who respects my well being rather than pushing me with guilt that I'm not loyal enough, not hardworking enough and not willing to sacrifice enough for the well-being of the company.  Of course, I now make much less money than before, but I am less stressful and more happier.  Which explains why I have a much easier time losing weight compared to the past, where I had to do an ultramarathon, ultracycling and ultraswimming to get lean and mean.  Now, I just do 30min swim x 2 and 1 HIIT and that's enough for me to lose weight.  

[GershonSurge]

The Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP) is a specific program that only reduces the risk of those with pre-diabetes from developing diabetes by 58%. The advantage is frequent support and interaction with other people.

Why settle for 58% when a whole food plant-based diet with a small amount of exercise will reduce it by virtually 100%? It can also reduce the risk of a heart attack to virtually zero. It can even reverse serious heart disease. It prevents, arrests or cures all degenerative diseases. 

[klh1016]

Wow, congratulations on getting back on track!

[klh1016]

I agree with you 100%, that's my ultimate goal as well.

[Daves_Not_Here]

These are really inspirational posts to read.  My takeaway is that, contrary to what we may be led to believe by our society and the healthcare community, pre-diabetes and diabetes do not inevitably progress, and can be reversed in many cases through our own personal action. 

Funny how the American Diabetes Association has 4 dietary recommendations on how to reverse pre-diabetes on their site but makes NO mention of limiting sugar or highly processed carbs.  Zero, Nada, Zippo.  And they recommend weight-loss methods that don't work, i.e., continue to snack but substitute fruit for cookies.  Like that will take off 50 pounds.  Methinks they're in the business of marketing Metformin, insulin and healthcare services to chronically ill patients and they're doing their best to grow the customer base.

I'd been pre-diabetic for at least 10 years and reversed it a year ago by finally ignoring my doctor and taking action.

[klh1016]

My husband told me I should do the same thing! Thanks

[bikerhiker]

Think of it of a cat and his job is to catch the mice to make his owner happy.  Would he catch all the mice and lose his job or would he catch some of the mice but not all just to show to the owner that he's worthy to be kept?  That is what is happening with the medical community.  Doctors are there to stabilize patients well enough with drugs in order to mask the symptoms so the customers will be happy to keep them working and well paid.  The big pharma also pay a lot to the doctors for recommending diabetes drugs, high blood pressure etc...  It is a billion or maybe a trillion dollar business.  

A lot of diseases can actually be cured with some proper motivational actions, but there are many cases that the patients themselves who simply aren't motivated to make a lifestyle change.  These people want to have the cake and eat it too, so you see organizations that offer programs to reduce harm simply cater to these people.  If you can't change them, then flow with them.  And that's why you see these diabetes programs offered by some sanctioned organizations sometimes don't bother to cut the sugar and the saturated fat and offer a false sense of hope to those who undergo the program.  In the end, they'll always end up with diabetes and will have to take the drugs to control the symptoms.  Then when drugs do not work, voila you have hospitals who are ready to take you in, milking your every penny from your savings just to fund the nice doctors and nurses who are enjoying their nice salaries and are just there so they have a job.  Period.  Everybody in healthcare is looking for ways to develop a make work project.

[Daves_Not_Here]

---

@bikerhiker wrote:

It is a billion or maybe a trillion dollar business.  

---

@bikerhiker - agreed.  I believe the incremental hard dollar cost associated with obesity, heart disease, and diabetes in the US is $500B per year, and these dollars flow into the healthcare system.  This institution has no incentive to reduce these chronic conditions.  (Is it true that nearly 50% of Mayo Clinic revenues relate to cardiology?)

A lot of diseases can actually be cured with some proper motivational actions, but there are many cases that the patients themselves who simply aren't motivated to make a lifestyle change. 

I suggest that all the conflicting advice from so-called "experts" tends to sap motivation -- hard to sustain difficult behavior changes if you're not sure what even works.  And I believe some of the information is actually counterproductive, particularly diabetes advice.

you have hospitals who are ready to take you in, milking your every penny from your savings 

Whether intentional or not, this institution seems designed to deplete your savings at end of life.

[VL2021]

Hi Karen,

I also joined a DPP program through work -- we started in July.  I've found it incredibly helpful, and have lost about 20 pounds. 

[DavideFitbit]

Welcome to the Community forums, @VL2021! 

Thank you for sharing your experience with this program, and congratulations for those 20 pounds lost! We've been considering these programs since the doctor told my mom she was pre-diabetic. 

Let us know about your progress. 😁