Diabetes reversal without medicines? Shocking, right? An Indian-origin Chief Financial Officer (CFO) recently revealed that he has reversed Type 2 diabetes without taking any medicines.
Ravi Chandra, a CFO at Amoli Enterprises Ltd, was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes at the age of 51. According to the South China Morning Post report, after the diagnosis, the doctors recommended him to start taking medications immediately. However, he claims that instead of taking medicines he started running helped his blood glucose levels to return to normal in just three months.
The South China Morning Post report reveals that he never needed to take diabetes medications. Since his diagnosis in 2015, he has run 29 races – 12 marathons in Hong Kong, China, Taiwan and India, 5 half-marathons, 7 10-kilometre races and 5 ultra runs, including the 100-kilometre Oxfam Trailwalker in Hong Kong.
According to Chandra, within three months of starting to run regularly, his blood glucose levels had fallen back into the normal range, to 6.80 from 8.
In 2011, when Chandra started running after getting inspired by his friends, he had to stop due to some injury. He started running again after his diabetes diagnosis and this time he took a fresh approach.
“I began by walking for a kilometre, and then I would run-walk-run for 10km. Soon, my stamina improved, and I was able to run 10km without stopping three to four times a week,” he told the outlet.
Now, he runs 8km to 9km six days a week before going to work. On Saturdays, after work, he goes for a long run, often on his favourite route on Lantau Island, from Tung Chung, where he lives, to Disneyland and Hong Kong International Airport. “It’s a 21km stretch and is beautiful. I love running by the sea,” he said.
Chandra also said that he runs using the maximal aerobic function (MAF) technique. It is a technique which combines exercise, nutrition and stress to build your aerobic system.
“Using this method has helped me run slower than I normally would, which has kept me injury-free,” he told the outlet.
The CFO claims that he has run roughly 20,000 kilometres since he started running. According to him, running is both addictive and contagious. His children, aged 29 and 24, were also motivated to take up running after seeing their father’s success.
On diet, he said that he typically consumes only vegetarian food and occasionally eats fish or chicken. The majority of his breakfast is made up of carbohydrates in the form of curd rice, idli, or dosa. For his lunch and dinner, he frequently eats rice served with cooked veggies. He also consumes fruit as a snack and uses apples and oranges as fuel for lengthy runs and races, he told the outlet.
‘Impact of lifestyle changes vary person to person’
As a medical expert, while Chandra’s experience of reversing type 2 diabetes through running alone is inspiring, it’s important to note that individual responses to lifestyle changes may vary, Dr Pawan Kumar Goyal, Senior Consultant Internal Medicine, Fortis Hospital, Shalimar Bagh told Financial Express.com.
“Regular exercise, like running, can improve insulin sensitivity and help in improving blood sugar levels, and diabetes control. However, the effectiveness of exercise in entirely reversing diabetes without medication depends on many factors such as the severity of the condition and overall health status,” Dr. Goyal said.
He also informed that lifestyle modifications are an integral part of Diabetes management.
“Every Diabetic person should try to seriously contemplate changing his lifestyle more healthily before embarking upon medications. and while taking medicines complement medical management with lifestyle modification. However, individuals with diabetes should consult healthcare providers for tailored treatment plans which include exercise and nutritional guidance also,” Dr. Goyal told Financial Express.com.