Type 2 diabetes -- the fifth-leading cause of death by disease in the United States -- kills about 73,000 people each year. And, the prevalence of diabetes is growing by about 8 percent per year.

However, type 2 diabetes is NOT an incurable disease, as most would have you believe – including the New York Times reporter above – and surgery is an absolutely inappropriate treatment option as it in no way shape or form addresses the cause of the disease, which is insulin and leptin resistance.

“Diabetes Surgery” – The Next Dangerous Fad?

Unfortunately, the quick-fix fantasy is a solid staple in many people’s minds, and since 2005, the FDA has given approvals to three American hospitals to test gastric banding for children as young as 13!

These studies went forward even though the mortality rate for adult bariatric patients currently stands at 2 percent within the first month after surgery, according to the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality.

Already, many adult patients feel so miserable about their health, they'll resort to harmful, painful "cures" like gastric bypass to "escape" those extra pounds without even thinking about or trying anything else first. What's to stop kids from wanting the same thing?

The procedure limits the amount of food that can be consumed, which is why some are saying it could help the growing obesity and diabetes epidemics, both among adults and children. But these surgeries are loaded with complications, including:

• Death
• Liver failure
• Weakened bones
• Eye problems
• Immune system damage

My Personal Experience With Diabetes

I should know because not only have I helped thousands of people completely control their type diabetes, I have also done it for myself.  In the late 90’s, before I became aware of Nutritional Typing I tried the Eat Right for Your Blood Type program.  Well, while this clearly works for some, it was an absolute disaster for me. 

I very quickly developed type 2 diabetes on this program as my fasting blood sugar rose over 125.  Of course, I immediately realized something was wrong and started my normal exercise program along with eliminating the grains that his program advised, and my blood sugars have been well controlled ever since.

I have also helped my dad control his diabetes, although it was far more complex as he had high iron levels that damaged his pancreas and actually caused a combination of type 1 and type 2 diabetes. Nevertheless, he is doing great with only a few units of insulin a week.

I also have numerous unsolicited testimonials on my site describing the remarkable results you can achieve by treating your diabetes with the simple guidelines described below. The latest one reads: 

“I was recently diagnosed as a new diabetic and decided to treat it "the Dr. Mercola way" and rejected all the different medications offered to me.  I read your articles on how to do so, and in 4 months my A1C went from 12.2 down to 7.4 - am still working on my healthy new lifestyle.

Unfortunately I used Splenda for my sweet tooth and I also have thrown it away.  I was having panic attacks, diarrhea, and fainting episodes.  I was even afraid to drive myself to work.   Am doing much better now, wish I had taken your reports on Splenda more seriously.    

And thank you from the bottom of my heart, Dr. Mercola, for your common sense approach to curing diabetes.   If only more physicians could see it your way.  

Even an endocrinologist wanted me to use Actos or Avandia - no thank you - or insulin! I prefer the natural way!   Dr. Mercola, you are such a blessing to all of us who have lost faith in modern medicine.  I love you!!!!    You gave me HOPE!  

I have been an RN for 25 years, and have seen too much.   I think you should start wellness clinics allover the United States....and retrain our physicians!   Of course, some treatments are necessary in life-threatening situations - but nobody has to have Splenda, or take diabetic meds without really being coached and encouraged to try to reverse diabetes.  

It's such a simple concept, yet so not embraced by physicians.  My doctor even told me that losing weight is impossible and that I would eventually need 2 or 3 drugs.   I lost 16 pounds and have lowered not only my glucose but also my lipids.   I will prevail, thanks to your website!!!!” 

Why Perform Surgery For a Curable Disease?

Not only is type 2 diabetes completely preventable, it is almost always curable using dietary and lifestyle modifications. Medications, supplements and surgery are simply not the answer for diabetes. First of all, type 2 diabetes is not a disease of blood sugar, but a disease of insulin, and perhaps even more importantly, leptin signaling, and can be controlled by recovering your insulin and leptin sensitivities.  

How? 

By eliminating or dramatically reducing grains, sugars and trans fats in your diet, getting enough healthy omega-3’s, exercising, and sleeping well. Best of all, no one has died yet from resorting to these lifestyle modifications as far as I know.  

Any meal or snack high in grain- and sugar carbohydrates typically generates a rapid rise in blood glucose. To compensate for this your pancreas secretes the hormone insulin into your bloodstream, which lowers your blood sugar. Insulin is essentially a storage hormone that helps you store the excess calories from carbohydrates in the form of fat in case of famine. 

Over time, your body will become “sensitized” to insulin and require more and more of it to get the job done. Eventually, you can become insulin resistant and then become diabetic. 

Adding to the problem, when your insulin levels to rise due to an excess of carbohydrates, they send your body a hormonal message essentially telling it to store fat while holding on to the fat that is already there. So not only will excess carbohydrates make you fat, they will make you stay fat.  

Once your blood sugar normalizes you can have some of these foods but your body will always tell you if you overdid it by having your fasting blood sugar rise. 

Exercise is also a vital player when it comes to treating diabetes because it increases the sensitivity of your insulin receptors, causing the insulin already present to work much more effectively, so your body doesn't need to produce as much. 

The other key player in diabetes is the hormone leptin. Leptin is the way that your fat stores speak to your brain to let your brain know how much energy is available and, most importantly, what to do with it.  

The only known way to reestablish proper leptin and insulin signaling is through your diet! 

Your Call to Action 

Normalizing your weight and treating diabetes go hand-in-hand. Fortunately, following these simple guidelines will help you achieve both.  

• Severely limit or eliminate sugar and grains in your diet. Following my nutritional type diet will help you do this without much fuss. While nearly all type 2 diabetics need to swap out their grains for other foods, some people will benefit from using protein for the substitution, while others will benefit from using more vegetable-only carbohydrates. Therefore, along with reducing grains and sugars, determining your nutritional type will give you some insight into what foods you should use to replace the grains and sugars.
• Exercise regularly
• Avoid trans fats
• Get plenty of omega-3 fats from fish oil or krill oil
• Get enough high-quality sleep every night
• Treat the emotional issues that brought your health to this low point by learning a valuable, effective and non-invasive tool like the Emotional Freedom Technique