Restoring health and building vitality

In a new book, the 30-Day Diabetes Miracle, coauthor Franklin House, MD, explains how only a month on this diet can work wonders.

What is the core of you “miracle” program in The 30-Day Diabetes Miracle?

The three pillars are plant-based diet, the right form of physical activity, and the mind-set. Lifestyle choices can have a tremendous influence on health, well-being, and longevity. We focus on type 2 diabetes, but the information is also relevant for patients with type 1.

Why is the plant-based diet better than what most of us eat?
That standard American die is literally killing us. On the other hand, a whole-food, plant-based diet gives us more fiber, less total fat and lower saturated fat, much less unhealthy trans fat if processed food are avoided, much less dietary cholesterol, more antioxidants, and more phytochemicals such as beta-carotene. It attacks the cause of the diabetes process, not the symptoms.

Many nutritionists advise diabetes patients to eliminate oro severely limit carbohydrates. Why do you say 65% to 70% of our diet should come from unprocessed plant-based carbohydrates?

We’re absolutely pro-carb. Not all carbohydrates are bad simply because they raise blood sugar. Carbs are the most efficient source of glucose. You need glucose like our car needs gas. We encourage eating the same amount of carbs at the same mealtime every day-and low-glycemic carbohydrates like beans.

What kind of eating schedule do you think works best?
We say eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince, and supper like a pauper. The most important meal of the day is breakfast, and it can be your larger meal if your after-meal glucose levels are still on target. You can even have food traditionally served in the evening, such as bean chili on whole-wheat toast with a side of steamed Swiss chard.

Eat 30% to 40% of your calories at lunch. For example, a vegetable barley stew, a mixed green salad, and some fruit. On the go? Stuff a whole-wheat pita with hummus or sliced sweet peppers, cucumber, and red onions.

Avoid supper all together, but if you choose an evening meal, consume less than 10% of your daily calories by eating a plate of steamed above-ground vegetables or a green leafy salad with lemon juice. No snacking between meals.

Before making any big changes in your eating habits, you should consult with your dietary expert and doctor, as changes in medications may be needed.

You write about above-ground vegetables and below-ground. Why does where a vegetable grows make any difference in our diets?
The roots of “below-ground” vegetables such as potatoes, carrots, beets, and turnips are high in starch, which our bodies easily break down into glucose. We need to control portions because blood sugar elevates rapidly after eating them. On the other hand, starch content is low in the stems and flowers of plants harvested above ground. A nice bonus in eating vegetables like spinach, celery, and broccoli is we can fill up on t hem without risking spikes in blood sugar.

Where does exercise fit in?
Increased activity is a cornerstone of diabetes care that’s as important as a good diet, but we reject the pervasive myth of “no pain, no gain.” After blood sugar is under control, we encourage strolling, stretching, strength training, and intermittent training. Even if you just walk, you can see reductions in blood pressure and blood sugar. And don’t forget that an extra benefit to exercise is stress reduction.

What “right mind-set” does a diabetic need?
Most of our type 2 patients got themselves into that mess by the choices they made. Only by changing those choices can they get out. It’s up to them. Doctors won’t do it for you. Even our book won’t do it for you. You have to take charge of your own body, one day, one meal, one step at a time. Our 30-day prescription details menus, exercises, and activities to empower patients.