Hi @SherryGittingsGabrielle and all you warriors,
When diagnosed diabetic February 2021, my doctor wanted me on metformin, long acting insulin, and quick acting insulin. Of course my A1C was 13.5. Meaning my average blood glucose readings were 340(18.9) with many readings above 400(22.2).

I negotiated with her to give me 3 months to try to get my A1C under control. She told me I needed to get my A1C down to 6.1 to buy another 3 months.

I met her goal by eating to live, not living to eat. And I am still doing no diabetes medications. I was averaging 2 meals a day. I was eating less than 10 carbs a day.

At 3.5 months my A1C was 4.9. Still no diabetes medications. Since then, 9 months later, it was 5.3. And recently my A1C was 5.1. I have been eating 3 meals a day since I had the 4.9 A1C.

Almost 6 months before I was diagnosed diabetic, I began asking my doctors to help me reduce my medications. I was on 13 medications. In 2021, I went to 99 doctors appointments (101 were scheduled, but I moved 2 from December to January 2022 so I wouldn't break 100). I had 2 heart operations and 3 hospital stays.

I am now on only 3 maintenance medications, plus my Albuterol rescue inhaler. I don't like just treating symptoms, I want cures. This year, my 9th doctors appointment of the year is this Friday. We will discuss the growing cancer, and my treatment options this time (my 9th treatment in the past 5 years since the cancer was removed). It's a good thing that this is just a minor inconvenience and irritation. I got this.

I am reading Dr Jason Fung's, The Diabetes Code, and am intrigued. But I have been dragging my feet and reading a little bit at a time.

I made the decision to eat to live, not live to eat, and am down to 2 meals a day and less than 10 carbs a day again. In fact, I am almost fasting. My numbers are lower than they have been in more than 6 months.

This works for me. I have been there before, and I also have a history of of fasting 4 long weekends in the spring and 4 times in the fall for 72-85 hours from Thursday through Sunday, since 1984 or 5.

I think these are reasons for me to try this fasting for health, when I am finished with the book. If I can use up the glucose trapped in the cells, my insulin resistance should drop significantly. I just have to tightrope the blood glucose numbers. Baby steps.

Never give up, never surrender, never ever.
You got this.
Have a blessed day.

Hi @A DiabetesTeam Member and all you other warriors out there.
Ceylon Cinnamon can help a small amount for some people.
Tumeric helps some people a small amount.
Prebiotics can help some people.
Inulin fiber, from chicory root, can help some people.

Chromium has a small effect for some people.
Magnesium has a small effect for some people.
Holy Basil can help some people.
Berberine can have a small effect for some people.
Vitamins like B12, C, D3, E can help people who are deficient.
Apple Cider Vinegar helps some people.

CoQ10 to improve some peoples kidney function.
Milk thistle to help some peoples liver function.

But understand that none of these can replace pharmaceuticals. They have small effects and each might help some people more so if they are deficient.

Metformin, Insulin, and other diabetic medicinals have a many times stronger effect.

Exercise, if your doctors allow, has a significant effect for most people.
Portion control and right eating can be quite significant in controlling your diabetes journey.
Eliminating added sugars in food and drink.
Cut the carbs.

Getting your BMI down to a normal level of 18-25% can improve your diabetic journey.

Getting rid of viseral fat and organ fat, can change your diabetic journey and your life.

Keep your morning fasting blood glucose numbers below 126(7.0).
Keep your 2 hour numbers below 139(7.8).
Stay away from hypoglycemic events 70(3.9).

Baby steps. I can do baby steps and you can too.

Never give up, never surrender, never ever.
You got this.
Have a wonderful day.

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A Diabete...

@A DiabetesTeam Member I encourage you to read his book he really is a forward thinker and he preaches Intermittent Fasting and LCHF (low carb high fat) as methods to achieve remission.

He is a Kidney Doc who saw hundreds of Type 2's in his practice and came up with the philosophy that he should treat patients "now" instead of waiting the 15 years until they needed dialysis before trying to help.

He gets some remarkable results but what I like best about him is that he doesn't try and convince anyone that "his program" is for everyone. You really have to be motivated.

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A Diabete...

Any medication has to be reduced to benefits vs potential side effects.

If the one outweighs the other then you can make an informed decision, so you should always ask anytime you are prescribed anything for the reason "why" or "why not something else" and "what if I don't take it". Then you can make a decision.

@A DiabetesTeam Member here is the notes I have on the studies around Cinnamon:

Cinnamon lowers blood glucose levels

In human trial(s) (2009) taking 3g/day lowered A1C by 0.8% after 90 days (but no further benefit – and didn’t state if stopping the supplement caused A1C to rise or remain the same).

A second study (2006) noted that it could reduce FBS by 0.5 mmol/l or 9 mg/dl

If you are considering a supplement 3g/day = 3000 mg – many capsules are 600mg or less, so be prepared to take “a lot” of capsules a day to get a “clinically relevant” dose.

AND depending on the sub-species of cinnamon, more than 2g/day is toxic to the liver so if you are going to take this supplement the cinnamon “must be” CEYLON Cinnamon, the more common CASSIA is toxic at clinical dose levels.
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So if you really read the data you will quickly see that you need a "truck load" of cinnamon every day just to move your numbers a tiny little bit.

That doesn't mean that it has no value because if we do ten things that do a tiny little bit that turns into something "helpful".

The problem is the Wild Claims of the Benefit and the Expectations.

You are not going to ever replace meds with Naturals/Traditionals. But collectively, as part of your overall strategy which includes diet, exercise, supplements and meds if you need them you will fair better.

If we look at supplements as something we can simply add, whether it's cinnamon or garlic or any of the dozens of others, that isn't a hassle and can be easily incorporated, then why not.

But we just can't expect to put a teaspoon of cinnamon on our cereal and see our numbers take a dive - they just don't work like that.

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A Diabete...