Customer Reviews

The 30-Day Diabetes Miracle: Lifestyle Center of America's Complete Program to Stop Diabetes, Restore Health,and Build Natural Vitality

5 star:		(43)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(5)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

I started the diet on 4/5/08 after spending a week reading the book fully. In December of last year I was taking 110 units of insulin a day. While my doctor was happy with my control (A1c 6.4) and management of the disease, I was not. I felt too heavy and I felt I was getting progressively weaker. My heart was not doing well and I had frequent and painful angina. I was taking a lot of heart medicine (Norvasc, Benicar & hydrochlorothiazide).

I have severe neuropathy in both feet, including a wound in my left foot that will not heal and a diabetic foot disease called "Charcots Arthropathy". I suffered a "focal neuropathy" that paralyzed my right side for 3 months and has left my right leg weak. My walking is very restricted. Diabetes has also taken my left eye. I suffered several hemorrhages, due to retinopathy, and now I am blind in my left eye.
I only bring these symptoms up to show that my diabetes was advanced and acute. I was forced to retire and go on disability at age 49.

I found the recipes easy to prepare and delicious. The closer you follow the diet the better your results will be. Remember, this is a lifestyle change, not a diet. It only works if you stick with it for the long term. If you return to the same diet that brought about your diabetes in the first place the diabetes will come back.

A word of caution on this point, your blood sugar level may come down very fast. I took my regular dose of insulin on day 1 and by 10:00 pm I was at 57 and beginning to feel the effects of low blood sugar. Test your blood often and have your doctor reduce your insulin dose before you start.

I stopped taking insulin altogether on day 15. I have not taken an injection of insulin in the past year. My blood sugar level has stayed in the normal range. My doctor was amazed at the results. He tells me that he is telling all of the other doctors that one of his patients was able to cure his acute type 2 diabetes. He took down the information about the book and he says he is going to buy and read it and recommend it to his other diabetic patients.

I have lost a total of 36 pounds in the 90 days. My blood sugar is normal without insulin and I have never felt healthier. I no longer take any of my heart medication. My cholesterol panel is now 143 without Crestor and all sub panels are optimal.


Good luck and best wishes.

John Butler

So I've been following the lifestyle recommended by these authors for about 7 years. My dad was a diabetic and I have been pre-diabetic (if there is such a thing...). Having two small boys at the time, my wife and I decided to move to this type of healthy lifestyle so that they could have the best shot at health as they grow up. What their choices will be after they are grown is up to them. Like Khalil Gibran says, "You are the bows from which your children as living arrows are sent forth. ... For even as He loves the arrow that flies, so He loves also the bow that is stable."

While we changed our lifestyle primarily for the sake of our boys, the benefits that we experienced were amazing. I lost 30 pounds. My wife didn't need to lose any, but her severe monthly cramps simply stopped. Both of our boys (2 and 4 at the time) no longer had chronic ear infections. Almost all of my allergies went away. My blood pressure dropped. My sugars dropped to normal levels. Over time, my cholesterol dropped to 147(!) We were amazed!

I can certainly understand why the book has the word "miracle" in it. The physiological changes in the body seem miraculous when a healthy lifestyle is adopted. What is really amazing to me is that the medical industry is still relying almost exclusively on medications to treat the symptoms of diabetes instead of focusing on the cause of diabetes like these authors do- our lifestyle choices and habits.

By the way, one of the things I appreciated in this book was the large number of scientific citations throughout the book. The information presented is credible. I also liked the fact that this book and program comes from a non-profit organization and is not written by some docs looking to make a quick buck. This is clearly not your typical "diet" book, but advocates and lays out a step-by-step plan to take responsibility for our health back and start making better health choices.

My family has honestly enjoyed our health adventure. It's now fun to go to restaurants and pick out foods from across the menu that are healthy. However, we learned that changing habits is hard. But in our experience, it is so worth it. I really wish that we had had a book like this when we first changed to healthier lifestyle choices. It would have made things so much easier to have had a documented program like this to get us started on the right track.

My dad has diabetes and has struggled with it for years. It was awful to watch his health deteriorate in front of my eyes. I wholeheartedly believe that this program saved my dad's life. He went through the program in Oklahoma and came out a changed man. What my dad learned in OK has been invaluable. He's followed the program and lost fifty pounds. His cholesterol has dropped 500 (yes FIVE HUNDRED) points. He went off almost all of his diabetes medication. He had more energy than I'd seen him have in years. He was thinking clearer, making more money (he claims) and was just happier in general.
Having struggled with weight issues since childhood (and the constant fear that I would be the next to be cursed with diabetes) I finally went though the LCA program myself at 25. Since then, I have dropped thirty lbs, my triglyceride level dropped 100 points. I have energy like I didn't know existed- friends noted how I never complained of being tired anymore. I had debilitating headaches prior to my visit- gone. My skin is clearer and tighter. I feel SO much better in general. The results in the three weeks I was there were literally amazing. I like to work out now because they taught me how to exercise without hurting my body. They taught me to enjoy foods I wouldn't have otherwise considered. I am not going to be diabetic only because I followed this program. I honestly owe my dad's life and my healthy future to this program. If you're overweight, diabetic, pre-diabetic or if you just don't feel healthy, I strongly recommend this book and its ideas.

I am a Board Certified Internist, specializing in weight management. I have treated thousands of patients for overweight problems, over the past 30 years, many of them diabetics. I have visited the Lifestyle Center of America several times to personally evaluate their program. I spoke at length with not only their staff but with many patients actually in the program. I can honestly say it is THE BEST overall program for treating and preventing Type 2 Diabetes that I have seen. I would encourage all Type 2 Diabetic patients who are having any problems managing their diabetes to give the progam a trial. I believe you will see significant improvement in diabetic control even BEFORE "30 days!"

I borrowed this book from the library. I normally do not purchase books without first reading them. This is not one of those books that will make it onto my bookshelf. It is not the miracle it claims to be.

When undertaking a lifestyle change to control blood sugar the key thing to remember is that "Your Mileage May Vary."

Buying a good meter and taking your blood sugar often will give you a far better feel for what works for you than the advice of any book.

As much as I love a serving of steel cut oats (2 carb units) with a serving of blueberries (1 carb unit) for breakfast, this kind of breakfast will send my blood sugar unacceptably high for the vast majority of the day unless I'm willing to put in a fair amount of time into some heavy cardio and resistance work. Instead, I eat eggbeaters scrambled with spinach and mushrooms with Canadian bacon on the side and exercise moderately. That is what works for me.

Grain and legume based carbs, regardless of how unrefined (I have bought and ground my own wheat for years) they happen to be, will cause *my* blood sugar to go unacceptably high and stay there for too long if consumption is not followed by a significant level of activity. I really have to watch the fruit and starchy vegetables as well. I stick to berries and low carb veggies, but even then I'll see a jump unless I chase with Metformin or activity.

If this plan were to work for me, it would be imperative that I follow it exactly. People talk about the amazing weight loss after spending time at the LCA as if it's a miracle. Anyone is going to lose in a highly controlled environment like they offer. You will continue to lose if you continue to control your environment to that level. There's no "miracle" about it. Of course, everyone needs to eat better; I'm just not convinced that vegan is the only path, much less the best path to metabolic control of blood sugar for a diabetic.

The 30-Day Diabetes Miracle: Lifestyle Center of America's Complete Program to Stop Diabetes, Restore Health,and Build Natural Vitality

I have been through all the top diabetes programs in the country, counting carbs, limiting white flour and sugar, and I never got control of my Type 2 diabetes. I went through the program several months ago and it was incredible. At the time, I had lost 14 pounds in 18 days; you ask can you do this at home? YES - I have now lost 28 pounds, through many family gatherings, work events and stressful times, when I deviate from the lifestyle I do not feel as good. My asthma was gone in 3 days, my goal of climbing a flight of stairs was achieved and now I exercise at least 6 days a week, I miss it if I don't. My mood has remained positive; I have more energy and have noticed positive changes in many areas of my life.

I observed incredible improvements in other participants in the program. Walking without pain, less medications for their diabetes, hypertension and cholesterol. This way of 'medicine' is how we should be treated. Our physicians don't have the time to prevent illness, the health care system doesn't allow for it. Try this program you will be thrilled that you did!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I hope everyone who's struggling with diabetes or a weight problem will buy this book. I went through the program at LCA in Oklahoma, and although I don't have diabetes, my health and lifestyle has changed for the better in so many ways. I watched as people in wheelchairs literally walked out the door at the end of the program, many having stopped or lowered medications. I lost 45 pounds, have so much more energy, and can look forward to a longer, more enjoyable life because I've learned how to take care of myself, body, mind and spirit. If you're feeling hopeless, this is the book for you! Go for it! You can take control! :)
This has also been very helpful in relieving my symptoms of depression.

I have read and used the menus/recipes in the book for a couple of weeks. Initially, I was hesitant as the diet is completely vegan, but was surprised to discover that the recipes are very tasty and mostly easy to make.

The authors present a number of ideas new to me, such as eliminating snacks in favor of hearty meals, working toward the goal of a very light dinner (eating when you are active) and substantial breakfasts and lunches.

Most of the ingredients in the recipes are relatively easy to come by for most, but some people might have to resort to online ordering if they live away from a fully stocked healthy food store. The diet is based on whole grains, whole foods and lots of complementary proteins. Fat and salt are kept low. I feel I am getting healthier and gradually the diet is having a positive effect on my bood sugar levels. I recommend the book.

My mother has been a brittle diabetic ever since gallbladder disease caused her a chronic pancreatitis. We tried this plan for about 3 months, and her A1C increased by over 3 points to 9.1. Fasting blood sugars also went up significantly.

Going to the Atkins diet brought her A1C back to 5.7 and her average fasting sugars to the mid-90s. There just wasn't enough protein or fat in this plan according to her endocrinologist.

I started the lifestyle on 4/5/08 after spending a week reading the book (The Thirty-day Diabetes Miracle). In December of 2007 I was taking 110 units of insulin a day. While my doctor was happy with my control (A1c @ 6.4) and management of the disease, I was not. I felt too heavy and I felt I was getting progressively weaker. My heart was not doing well and I had frequent and painful angina. I was taking a lot of heart medicine (Norvasc, Benicar, Crestor & hydrochlorothiazide).

I have severe neuropathy in both feet, including a wound in my left foot that will not heal and a diabetic foot disease called "Charcot's Arthropathy". I suffered a "focal neuropathy" that paralyzed my right side for 3 months and has left my right leg weak. My walking is very restricted.

Diabetes has also taken my left eye. I have suffered several hemorrhages in my eye, due to diabetic retinopathy, and now I am legally blind in my left eye.

I only bring these symptoms up to show that my diabetes was advanced and acute. I was a practicing attorney and was forced to retire at age 49 due to my disease.

I found the recipes in the book easy to prepare and delicious. The closer you follow the lifestyle the better your results will be. Remember, this is a lifestyle change, not a diet. It only works if you stick with it for the long term. If you return to the same diet that brought about your diabetes in the first place the diabetes will come back.

I was able to come completely off my insulin in just 14 days. A word of caution on this point, your blood sugar level will come down very fast. I took my regular dose of insulin on day 1 and by 10:00 pm I was at 57 (100 is considered normal) and was beginning to feel the effects of low blood sugar. You must test your blood often and have your doctor reduce your insulin dose before you start the lifestyle.

I have stopped taking insulin altogether. I have not taken an injection of insulin in the past 10 months. My blood sugar level has stayed in the normal range. My doctor was amazed at the results. He tells me that he is telling all of the other doctors that one of his patients was able to cure his acute type 2 diabetes. He took down the information about the book and he says he is going to buy and read it and recommend it to his other diabetic patients.

I have now been on the "lifestyle" for more than ten months and my blood sugars are still normal (75-100) without the use of insulin. I reached my weight goal at about 60 days (175 lbs), about 32 pounds lost.

I have stopped my heart medications, Norvasc, Benicar, Hydrochlorothiazide and Crestor. My most recent cholesterol panel was 143 with all sub readings optimal. I have not suffered with angina pain in over eight months.

I still take Metformin every day. I am not sure that I really still need it, but it is sort of a security blanket for me. It is the only prescription drug I still take.

Good luck and best wishes.