R.J.N., M.D. is board certified in orthopedic surgery. He has been following one of the regimens described in this book for the past three years.
“I am fifty-four years old and have had diabetes since the age of twelve. For thirty-nine years I had been treated with a traditional diet and insulin regimen. I developed severe retinopathy, glaucoma, high blood pressure, and neuropathy that required me to wear a leg brace. Both of my kidneys ceased functioning, and I was placed on kidney dialysis for many months until I received a kidney transplant. The dialysis treatments required me to be in the hospital for about 5 hours per visit, 3 times a week. They were very debilitating and left me totally exhausted.
“Years of widely fluctuating blood sugars affected my mental and physical stability, with great injury to my family life as a result. The resultant disability also forced me to give up my surgical practice, and to suffer almost total loss of income.
“Frequent low blood sugars would cause me to exhibit bizarre behavior, so that people unaware of my diabetes would think I was taking drugs or alcohol. I was hostile, anxious, irritable, or angry, and had extreme mood changes. I would experience severe physical reactions that included fatigue, twitching of limbs, clouding of vision, headaches, and blunted mental activity. I suffered many convulsions from low blood sugars and was placed in hospital intensive care units. When my blood sugars were high, I had no energy and was always sleepy. My vision was blurred and I was usually thirsty and urinating a lot.
“For the past three years, I have been meticulously following the lessons that Dr. Bernstein taught me. I measure my blood sugars a number of times each day and know how to rapidly correct slight variations from my target range. I follow a very low carbohydrate diet, which makes blood sugar control much easier.
“In return for my conscientious attention to controlling blood sugars, I’ve reaped a number of rewards. My neuropathy is gone, and I no longer require a leg brace. My retinopathy, which was deteriorating, has now actually reversed. I no longer suffer from glaucoma, which had required that I use special eyedrops twice each day for more than ten years. My severe digestive problems have markedly improved. My mental confusion, depression, and fatigue have resolved so that I am now able to work full-time and productively. My blood sugar control has been excellent.
“I now deal with my diabetes in a realistic, organized manner, and as a result I feel stronger, healthier, happier, and more positive about my life.”
