54/7: March 2013

About Me

Welcome to my blog!

I'm a guy--a guy's guy. A BIG guy's guy. I'm 6'6" and 271 pounds down from 286 Jan 1, 2013. I could have easily played pro football, but instead joined the Marines for eight years back in 1984-1991. I've always been big. In fact, I was 40 pounds when I was only a year old because I was fed baby formula instead of natures gold. I've heard I'm "just big boned" my entire childhood. But that's not necessarily true.

The fact is, I was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes in 2004. My recent Hemoglobin A1C (HbA1C) was 10.8, meaning out-of-control blood sugar (people without diabetes is between 4 and 5.6). So the Docs give me meds, and more meds, and adjust my meds, but nothing is changing. And I've been eating really healthy: lean meats, vegetables, an occasional dessert, etc. I'm in the Navy, so I exercise regularly. I've been shooting Lantus (insulin) twice a day, and Novalog (mealtime insulin) three times a day. The medications make me gain weight, which makes me need more medications, which makes me gain more weight--and Medical Boards in the Navy loom over my head, you can see the cycle: more diabetic.

After watching the Joe Cross documentary "Fat, Sick, and Nearly Dead," and reading Dr. Joel Fuhrman's books "The End of Diabetes" and "Eat to Live", I decided to take the radical plunge and begin a 60 day vegetable juice fast, as Joe did in his documentary. Every day, for 60 days, vegetables in a Vitamix or in my Omega juicer. Some may call me crazy, but I figure I don't have anything to lose--except the extra pounds (or "energy" as Joe Cross call it) around my gut. How about reversing diabetes I thought to myself.

So why 54/7?

54: In honor of my dad when he died at age 54 with diabetes. After he died, we counted the bottles of different medications--about 30. I'm up to 10. I've got a beautiful family with four kids, and I want to be around for their weddings and my future grandchildren.

7: On the seventh day, God rested--our Sabbath. I am giving my body a rest on this reboot, a Sabbath of sorts from meat, dairy, soda, caffeine, and all processed food. Only fruits, vegetables, seeds, nuts, and beans. A food rest to never return to the American way of eating again.

I begin my journey on February 1, 2013, and will break it on my birthday on March 31. After this 60 day juice fast, I'll be going to a plant-based ("Nutritarian") diet, as in Dr. Fuhrman's Eat to Live book. My goal is to get down to 225 pounds. No more medications, no more needles. Diabetes gone. Oh by the way I am telling my Doc's with their care what I am doing. Every 10 days I am giving blood to monitor my progress and leave my meds behind. I will be giving blood to my Doc's every 10 days posting my lab results and picture of my waist so we can show the world reversing diabetes is in fact an option.

Thanks for taking the journey with me!

Monday, March 18, 2013

Day 46

So hey to all you who follow me!! Hi. I am in Colorado on travel all week feeling like what do I do@!?@!?@ I am losing control. So next to my hotel is a "Whole Foods" so thank the good Lord. I was able to still get my healthy juice for this week. A bit expensive but I am still juicing. If I really need to eat I did get some nuts to avoid the temptation to eat bad food. The second thirty days I have had some salad but 98% of what I am doing is juicing. I hope to get that A1c down. I feel better and not so panicked since I am able to still juice while I am on the road. Keep praying for me!!! Wes

Friday, March 15, 2013

Day 43

Well I am still here. Day 43. By the way I passed my physical fitness test. Never failed. Never will. This last week I was in training and had some salads but other than that just juice. The thought crossed my mind to go to 90 days instead of 60. I am not sure. I will be on travel next week so pray for me. I will be looking for a juice bar so I can maintain the integrity of the new way I am living. I want to show the world you can reverse diabetes. Now If I can just get and good Endo Dr on my team it will be good. Still looking. My Primary Care Dr is very helpful. I still do not feel cared for from Balboa. I am still looking good. Still feeling good. Oh I did have one hamburger this week and it was good but I crave my vegetables and juice more believe it or not as my taste has changed. I can see now that I can complete this 60 day reboot and thinking now of how this will forever be a part of my life. See you all soon. Wes

Thursday, March 7, 2013

Day 37

Well.....here I am. FRUSTRATED and I'm going to vent.....It's Official....Navy Medical Board is on the way. I went to Endocrinology met my new Dr and just more of the same Socialized Medicine. HOW DISAPPOINTING!! I felt like I went to the clinic on the movie "The Hiding Place" staring Corrie Ten Boom. Stoic Cold and as always uncaring. You know WORDS MATTER TO REAL PEOPLE. Still after eight years just more and more of the same more meds is the answer. In the Dr visit a student with SDSU was present because I feel they were on edge with me because a year ago I wrote a letter to Patient Administration on how I felt my care was and it was a professional letter mind you. The very next day guess what the senior Dr did in Endocrinology at Balboa Hospital? Yep a PEB that is a Physical Evaluation Board oh how fun it is to ride on a one horse open sleigh!!! Retaliation from the head Dr. He was mad because I told them what care looks like and the substandard care I was receiving. Here is what I said..."My experience with NMCSD has been excellent with surgeries and childbirths, but I am unimpressed with the medical care in the specific and specialized area of diabetes care in Endocrinology. Care means so much more than prescribing medications and prescribing further medications to treat the side effects. Care means not treating patients as a number, but treating them with respect as an individual and to truly care for their well-being and their outcome."
But But But they would say well "Chaplain we are just following policy and procedures we have no control. Forget bedside manner in Navy Medicine. Forget to tell the patient that he is making significant progress with the LAB results below. So in the meeting with new Dr she asked me the aged ole question all the Dr's ask after pricking my feet....So, chaplain how long have you served on active duty? How much longer do you have to serve? I said kindly and with all due respect. Dr what does that have to do with my care? Whether I am enlisted or officer. Whether I have served 5 or 30 yrs is irrelevant to my care. So after the dark cloud formed and headstone in the office with my "new doc" I asked her "Doc what about my A1C??? Well after a very long pause she said hummm. "Doc what about my Triglycerides?" Doc what about my Cholesterol?" She responded.......There looks like a change. Yep Doc it looks that way I said. Those changes could be great talking points to encourage the patient. Like keep it up. Like Good job chaplain. Like we are proud of you. Like I could add a note in the Medical Board that you are showing significant change!!! Imagine that. CARE in ENDOCRINOLOGY that really mattered and put the patient first. Hummm. Yep I am venting to you all. So as it goes the FOCUS IN THE NAVY MEDICINE IS MORE MEDICINE as the good doctor told me. I DISAGREE!!! My focus is on HEALTHY LIVING AND DIET!!!! PLEASE HEAR ME NAVY MEDICINE. My focus is on healthy food not diet, NOT MORE MEDS. The farther we get from FEB 1, 2013 the better I show the NAVY and the WORLD YOU CAN REVERSE DIABETES!!!! So my goal is let the Medical Board go and by the time they are done picking at me they will see SIGNIFICANT change NOT because of the Navy Doctors but because of JUICING. Ok I am done.

***THE DOCTOR CHALLENGE "I DO NOT BELIEVE YOU WILL BE OFF INSULIN BY OCT 2013*** CHALLENGE ACCEPTED.

Today I passed my BCA in the Navy at 22% with a CFL who just does not know what she is doing and as always adds an inch on the last two cycles. But I passed. Truth be told I am at 21% and weighed in at 271!!!!!! AWESOME WES!!!!!!

A1C is 10.5 / 264 ave, down from 11.6 and 11.6 in Feb and Jan, respectively.

Lipids+Glucose Site/Specimen 28 Feb 2013 0710
Cholesterol PLASMA 141 
HDL Cholesterol PLASMA 30
Triglyceride PLASMA 379 (H)
LDL Cholesterol PLASMA 35 (L) 
VLDL Cholesterol PLASMA 76 (H)
Glucose PLASMA 165 (H) 

Hemoglobin A1c Panel Site/Specimen 28 Feb 2013 0710
Hemoglobin A1c BLOOD 10.5 (H) ****DOWN IN 16 DAYS FROM 11.6!!!!!!!!****
Estimated Average Glucose BLOOD 264 

Hemoglobin A1c Panel Site/Specimen 11 Feb 2013 1404
Hemoglobin A1c BLOOD 11.6 (H)
Estimated Average Glucose BLOOD 300 

Hemoglobin A1c Panel Site/Specimen 31 Jan 2013 0900
Hemoglobin A1c BLOOD 11.5 (H)
Estimated Average Glucose BLOOD 297 

Hemoglobin A1c Panel Site/Specimen 21 Nov 2012 0711
Hemoglobin A1c BLOOD 10.8 (H)
Estimated Average Glucose BLOOD 274 

Yes it is difficult, Yes I have had some raw salad to celebrate my success today and yesterday I had a Cobb Salad with my dear friend. But now I and thinking going 90 days versus 60 days to kick this disease out. By the way NAVY I am going nowhere soon. Hope you all can see the difference in the PICS below. I am looking good.

Tuesday, March 5, 2013

Day 33

I know it's been a while since I gave an update. Sorry. I am short on time to give the full update, but here are the recent pictures after 1 month of juicing. I'll post some encouraging news in the next couple days.