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The End of Diabetes by Joel Fuhrman MD (2013): What to eat and foods to avoid

The End of Diabetes - diet and healthy eating book by Joel Fuhrman MDThe End of Diabetes (2013) is a book that advises a plant-based diet to recover from type 2 diabetes or have a better prognosis with type 1 diabetes

  • Avoid red meats, eggs, and oils/fats, minimize fish and white meat poultry to 6 ounces a week
  • Eat lots of salads and vegetables; also legumes, some fruits, nuts, and seeds – at least 85% of caloric intake should be from plants
  • Nutritarian diet, rich in micronutrients

Below on this page is a description of the food recommendations in the diet. What to eat  |  Foods to avoid  |  Advice with gestational diabetes. There’s a lot more in the book.

Get a copy of The End of Diabetes for more information on medical research on diabetes and diet, the detailed eating plan, and recipes

The theory behind The End of Diabetes

This book claims that oils/fats and red meat/animal fat in the diet, along with refined grains and sugars, can cause diabetes, and suggests a plant-based, high nutrient density diet to provide ideal nutrients. This could lead to:

  • No highs or lows in blood sugar
  • Reduction of medications by an average of 50% if the first week, more in the first month, and most typically 100% within six months
  • Need for insulin is eliminated, typically within the first week
  • Normal, lean, and stable body weight
  • Normal life span, without complications
  • Reversal of diabetes and prevention of diabetes-related complications

Dietary recommendations for The End of Diabetes

Parts of this book refer to phase 1 and phase 2, but there are no clear guidelines found for these phases. Below see what to eat, foods to avoid, and advice with gestational diabetes

What to eat with The End of Diabetes

  • Foods high on the Aggregate Nutrient Density Index (ANDI) – mostly vegetables
  • Don’t eat between meals, leave a long time between meals to allow for glycolysis to happen
  • Eat approximately the same amount of calories at each meal and stay with three meals a day
  • Starches
    • May be starchy vegetables or whole grains
    • During phase 1, recommended not to have high-starch vegetables or grains – get carbohydrate and calorie requirements from cauliflower and beans
    • If you’re eating a one-cup serving of a starchy whole grain, such as oatmeal, steel cut oats, or wild rice with breakfast, do not eat the starchy vegetable option with dinner.
    • If you are slim and exercise a lot you can have more starches; for overweight diabetics these are limited foods
  • Vegetables
    • Vegetables should be half raw and half cooked, 30-70% of calories
    • Have 8 servings of vegetables a day, with at least two of those being cruciferous vegetables, one raw and one cooked
    • Eat unlimited amounts of: All raw vegetables, all cooked green vegetables, tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, mushroom, onions, cauliflower
    • Raw vegetables should be eaten in large quantities at the beginning of each main meal. A sensible goal is to shoot for one pound of raw vegetables daily
    • Starchy vegetables should be limited in the first phase of this diabetes-reversal program (stages are not clearly defined in the book). One serving a day – beets, carrots, peas, corn, and butternut and winter squashes.
    • Cruciferous vegetables – kale, collards, broccoli, broccoli rabe, brocollina, brussels sprouts, watercress, bok choy, cabbage, Chinese cabbage, mustard greens, arugula, kohlrabi, red cabbage, mache, turnip greens, horseradish, rutabaga, turnips, radishes
    • Salad vegetables – lettuce (all varieties), tomatoes, carrots, radishes, fennel, string beans, english peas, hearts of palm, celery, broccoli, cauliflower, baby bok choy, snap peas, endive, water chestnuts, zucchini, onions, scallions, sprouts, cucumber, snow peas, peppers, stewed mushrooms
    • A half an avocado is permitted occasionally, as long as there are no other foods containing fats such as nuts
    • Always wash fresh vegetables thoroughly. Buy organic if possible. Always buy organic spinach and celery
  • Fruits
    • Fruits should be 15-25% of calories
    • Limit fruits to a total of five servings daily, usually 2-3 fresh fruits with breakfast, one after lunch, and one after dinner. Blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, and strawberries are especially recommended
    • Limit dried fruits such as raisins to a minimal amount, usually only as a flavor enhancer
    • Always wash fresh fruits thoroughly. Buy organic if possible. Always buy organic strawberries
  • Legumes
    • Beans/legumes should be 20-30% of calories
    • Use beans as your primary starch source
    • You may need to add more beans to your diet to reach your caloric needs
  • Nuts and seeds
    • Raw nuts and seeds should be 10-20% of calories
    • Limit to one to two ounces daily, depending on weight and activity level – usually a one-ounce limit for overweight women and a 1.5 ounce limit for overweight males
    • Raw sunflower, chia, hemp, raw unhulled sesame, pumpkin seeds
    • Seeds are preferred over nuts
  • Animal foods
    • Twice weekly or less, 2 or 3 ounce servings, total less than 6 ounces a week
    • Limit fish and white meat to a small amount of fish or shellfish once a week and then only one other small serving of non-fish white meat per week
    • Another part of the book says: fish / fat-free dairy twice weekly or less; poultry, eggs, oils once weekly or less
    • Fish include: salmon, sardines, squid, flounder, scrod, or trout
    • Most people do fine with 2 or 3 small servings of animal products a week, but for some, even this small amount of animal protein can cause their cholesterol to go into the unfavorable range. Therefore this book recommends only one or two servings of animal products a week
  • Whole grains
    • Avoid in phase 1 and limit to a one-cup serving or less per day in phase two
    • Grains should be whole and intact when cooked in water
    • Brown and black rice, barley, quinoa, steel-cut oats, old-fashioned oatmeal
  • Beverages
    • Choose water
    • Can have diluted vegetable juice
    • Small amounts of nut or seed milk
    • Limit alcohol to one or two alcoholic drinks a week or a few glasses of wine a week
  • Breakfast
    • About 300 calories
    • Breakfast should consist of a few low-sugar fruits, such as berries, papaya, kiwis, pomegranates, oranges, and green apples
    • A half cup of cooked oats, or even a whole cup for men, is also acceptable to eat with breakfast. Another option is a squash-based breakfast soup
    • Try to eat one tablespoon of ground chia seeds or flaxseeds daily with breakfast
    • Eat four walnut halves every day with breakfast
  • Lunch
    • About 400-500 calories
    • Make salad your main lunch dish
    • Can also have a soup
    • One serving of any type of fruit, not just the low-calorie ones – a mango, peach, pear, orange, or banana are good ideas
  • Dinner
    • About 400-500 calories
    • Begin with a salad, or raw vegetables with dip
    • Always have a large plateful of steamed green vegetables with dinner
    • Could have a vegetable bean soup, or vegetable stew such as ratatouille, or beans, or a bean burger
    • If it is your fish night, have salad, steamed greens, and a small piece of fish cooked with garlic, onions, and tomato
  • Water-sauteeing is a good cooking technique, instead of cooking with oil
  • Get organic foods if you can afford them – it’s better to eat fruits and vegetables grown and harvested using pesticides than not to eat them at all. Try at least to get organic versions of the foods with the most pesticides – apples, celery, bell peppers, peaches, strawberries, nectarines (imported), grapes, spinach, lettuce, cucumbers, blueberries (domestic), potatoes

Foods to avoid or limit with The End of Diabetes

  • Animal products
    • No eggs
    • No red meat
    • No whole milk, cheese, butter
    • These could be considered in small amounts on special occasions or holidays
    • Limit fish and white meat to a small amount of fish or shellfish once a week and then only one other small serving of non-fish white meat per week
  • Fats and oils
    • Avoid all processed fats and oils – including animal fats, processed oils including olive oil, and trans-fats
  • Salt
    • Do not add salt to any food
  • Starchy foods
    • Avoid fruit juices
    • Avoid high-starch foods made from flour, bread, bagels, pasta, pizza, rolls, white rice, processed cold cereals, or white potatoes until you’re completely off insulin and sulfonylureas – even then only have unprocessed versions
  • Beverages
    • No sweetened drinks of any kind, including artificially sweeteners
  • Other
    • No sugar-free cookies, cakes, pastries, or other sugar-free products

Advice with gestational diabetes

  • Don’t eat carbohydrates (even beans) with breakfast because insulin resistance is highest in the morning
  • Breakfast – salad, roasted eggplant casserole
  • Lunch – vegetable-bean soup or stew, roasted tofu slices wrapped in raw collard green leaves, zucchini- cauliflower casserole, lentils over lettuce and cabbage
  • Dinner – steamed green vegetable dish plus raw vegetables plus one fresh fruit

Health benefits claimed in The End of Diabetes

The diet in this book claims to reduce the risks for: amputations, blindness, cancer, breast cancer, colorectal cancer, prostate cancer, type 1 diabetes, type 2 diabetes, erectile dysfunction, food addiction, food cravings, heart disease, high blood pressure, insulin resistance, kidney disease, overeating, overweight/obesity, nervous system disease, toxic hunger

As always, this is not intended to be a replacement for professional medical diagnosis or treatment for a medical condition. Consult your doctor before starting a new diet. This page describes what the authors of the diet recommend – Chewfo is describing the diet only, and does not endorse it.

Get a copy of The End of Diabetes for more information on medical research on diabetes and diet, the detailed eating plan, and recipes.

Buy now from Amazon
Dr. Fuhrman’s website is http://www.drfuhrman.com/; you can also find him on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/drfuhrman, Twitter at https://twitter.com/drfuhrman, and his YouTube channel is http://www.youtube.com/drfuhrman.

How has this diet helped you? Please add a comment below.

{ 55 comments… add one }

  • Maria July 8, 2013, 11:57 am

    Not good, this diet will likely make diabetes worse. Dietitians say diabetics need a good variety of all the food groups, emphasizing regular snacks and meals to keep blood sugar consistent. This diet doesn’t allow for enough meal/snack times (no between-meal snacks), nor does it get the servings right–too little meat, too much fruit (it’s all sugar!), and inconsistent portions of starches.

    My mom’s managing her diabetes well on the standard diabetes diet and just laughed when she saw this author describing his diabetes cure on TV.

    • Stephanie March 15, 2015, 11:36 pm

      Maria, that’s what I thought at first, too. I did a low carb plan for a while and it brought my blood sugars down a bit, and things were going great until I started having issues with the protein. Of all things, now I had to watch the carbs AND the protein, very frustrating! So I thought I’d give this eating plan a try, to sub in the cup of beans for the meat, because I was already eating too much protein at 1 serving 3x per day. I was very surprised that the beans didn’t cause my blood sugar to skyrocket. What worked for me before stopped working, so I had to make a change, and for right now, this is what works. I don’t eat the oatmeal in the morning, I skip the grains altogether, and I watch the fruit, but I play around and see what my body tolerates. I am glad your mom is managing her diabetes, and I wish her good health.

      • Stephanie March 15, 2015, 11:37 pm

        Whoops, I just realized how old your post is. Sorry, lol 🙂

    • Julie January 24, 2017, 3:55 pm

      Maria,
      Your mom is managing her diabetes, this diet is for those of us who want to get rid of diabetes, and it DOES work. Whole foods including fruits are essential in getting rid of diabetes.

  • carol barnes August 14, 2013, 11:36 am

    I think Dr Fuhrman is onto something here. As for me, I have greater difficulty with meat than with sugar. Glucose levels are worse for me after eating a steak than after a candy bar. I’m just sayin’….

  • Rayca September 13, 2013, 11:35 am

    @Maria. I’m laughing at u and your mom. For believing in the SAD dieticians. Good luck yo your mom down the road when she’s “managing” her diabetes but takes on a whole host of other (related) diseases.

  • Pat September 22, 2013, 8:51 am

    This lifestyle change has been a blessing. I have incorporated about 75 % of his advise and working on getting in the other 25%. As he said my first week, my blood sugar went into normal range. I could hardly believe my eyes. I am losing weight and feeling like I am getting to the top of my game. Its been tough giving up some of the things I love, like daily avocado, eggs, lots of nuts. But as my weight is going down and my energy going up, I am excited to develop these new taste buds and would highly recommend to everyone.

    • elisabeth handel August 3, 2014, 3:21 pm

      I can’t wait to get the book !!!!

  • andrew nitsa October 12, 2013, 11:52 am

    Hi. I have read his book and have started his food choices and exercise program dancing to music every day. Also tread mill. I am 71 years old and have cut my meds to one half in one week. My blood sugar readings are 4.8 every day. Now quite a remarkable improvment. My doctor will be surprised. For the last 6 months he has wanted me to increase my Blyburide and Metformin. I now know I can get off all pills in the next two months. My weight has dropped 7 lbs in the last week. I want to start a dance class to help his method and awareness to all overweight people and diabetics. People that dont agree are the doctors that keep pushing insulin and pills on people that cant stop eating bad food. I feel great with more energy and happy I read this book. The End of Diabetes by Joel. Fuhrman. The Gift of Life should be the sub title.

  • claudette cornelsen October 16, 2013, 10:55 am

    I don’t understand why you have diabetics eat steel oats when it raises blood sugar levels

    • Penny Hammond October 16, 2013, 2:01 pm

      There are many different opinions about which foods are good or bad for diabetics.
      Dr. Fuhrman believes that the way to fight diabetes is to have enough natural nutrients in your diet, and to minimize fat and animal foods.

    • Daniel S. January 5, 2014, 4:11 pm

      Breakfast is difficult: No Bread, No Eggs, No Juice, No Bacon, No Hashbrowns, No Cooking Oil (I’ve switched to coconut oil)…some ideas are harder to adapt than others. Dr. Fuhrman recommends whole, intact grains, the less cooked the better, slower to digest, better for diabetics. So, with oatmeal/steel cut oats, he recommends soaking them overnight, and eating them cold in the morning. I soak 2 oz of Rogers Porridge Blend (steel cut oats, large flake oats, oat bran, wheat bran and flaxseed) in 2 oz of pomegranate juice, overnight. (Good research: pomegranate and diabetes!) Then add: tbs walnuts, tbs ground flaxseed, some cinnamon, nutmeg, a handful of frozen blue berries and pomegranate arils topped with homemade almond milk. A cup of homemade hot chocolate (cocoa powder, matcha green tea powder, vanilla, stevia & coconut oil and more homemade almond milk) = Breakfast of Champions! Yummm!

      I was 215 lbs at my heaviest, 189 before Christmas, and 183 this morning, I’ve survived the Christmas season, staying disciplined to Dr. Fuhrman’s The End of Diabetes diet and exercise plan, now it’s time to kick it up a notch in the New Year!

      One thing that really made a difference for me was cutting out the olive oil in my homemade salad dressings. Dr. Fuhrman says, if 1 tbs of oil has 150 calories, why put 3-400 calories of dressing on 30 calories of salad? Or something like that…

      It’s the excess fat that causes type 2 diabetes, it blocks insulin, the key that opens the door of all cells to allow glucose from the blood to be absorbed. The pancreas makes more insulin, and eventually poops out. High blood sugar, causes other …complications.

      • sandrainc July 5, 2014, 3:40 pm

        Daniel…a uk dr is coming to the same conclusion…too much fat causes diabetes and putting people on 800 cal vlcd omitting meats and oils for 8 weeks which is resulting people coming off/drastically redusing diabetic medication

        • Mike April 28, 2015, 3:33 am

          The UK Dr. is in Newcastle, and all diabetics and prediabetics should read his Banting Lecture. If you google “newcastle diabetes”, it should be top of the list.
          From his website: “Our work has shown that type 2 diabetes is not inevitably progressive and life-long. We have demonstrated that in people who have had type 2 diabetes for 4 years or less, major weight loss returns insulin secretion to normal.

          It has been possible to work out the basic mechanisms which lead to type 2 diabetes. Too much fat within liver and pancreas prevents normal insulin action and prevents normal insulin secretion. Both defects are reversible by substantial weight loss.
          A crucial point is that individuals have different levels of tolerance of fat within liver and pancreas. Only when a person has more fat than they can cope with does type 2 diabetes develop. In other words, once a person crosses their personal fat threshold, type 2 diabetes develops. Once they successfully lose weight and go below their personal fat threshold, diabetes will disappear.”

          I know some of you hate the word reverse, but he has proven it. The point is that everyone has a weight beyond which they will go into insulin resistance. Go below YOUR point, and you will cease being insulin resistant.

        • Mike April 28, 2015, 3:37 am

          To clarify; although fatty liver and pancreas cause the problems, these organs become fatty not by eating fat (which goes straight to the flab) but by eating excess carbs (which are turned to fat in the liver, some of which stays in the liver, some of which spills over into the pancreas, and some of which goes to flab.
          I have also read that insulin resistance can be considered the body’s defense against caloric overload. When cells are full of fat, they shut down the import of energy (carbs) to protect themselves. So when the caloric overload is reversed, so will the insulin resistance.
          Long and short – lose weight. How much depends on your genetic lottery.

      • elisabeth handel August 3, 2014, 3:26 pm

        It sounds like you’re on the right path !!!
        I’m going to read the book …. I’m not diabetic but I need to take better care of my immune system …

  • Marlowe January 10, 2014, 5:02 pm

    I have never been overweight so ate as much nuts and healthy oils as I felt like as I thought it was my high consumption of sugars that keeps my type II diabetes number out or range and also my LDL Cholesterol way out of range. My HDL is perfect – twice the number as it can be.. and my triglycerides is very low – my blood pressure is on the low side of normal but my blood sugars won’t go to normal and my cholesterol (bad) is double what it should be. One dr. said it was “fluffy” rather than sticky LDL. another wanted to put me on statin drugs even though statin drugs can elevate blood sugars. Maybe it is the extra virgin olive oil – or the wantus and almonds and pecans I eat way more than is suggested.. or the organic virgin coconut oil I am liberal with as I always weigh on the slim side of 110 and am 5’3.5″ I exercise daily. was able to eliminate sugar & most carbs from my diet with the help of a compulsive eaters program I attend.

    • Penny Hammond January 10, 2014, 7:19 pm

      There’s a book you may find interesting that’s written by a heart doctor and a health writer which explains the latest thinking about cholesterol – The Great Cholesterol Myth by Jonny Bowden PhD & Stephen Sinatra MD – there’s a Chewfo summary of the book but the book itself has a lot of detail about how the old thinking has been overthrown, and recommended levels may not be relevant for all people. The recommendations are rather different than The End of Diabetes.

    • Mike April 28, 2015, 3:45 am

      Your numbers are exactly like mine. After dieting (largely eliminating starch and cutting down on all calories) my TGs and HDL went to fairly healthy, but my LDL stayed high. Sugars havent changed much (I was only prediabetic), and blood pressure has always been OK. I got the ion plasma mobility test, and my LDL particle number is OK, but my large HDL is way into the too-low risk zone. Odd, because my last HDL test was good. Something is afoot. I notice that a glass of wine will drop my blood sugar to around 80, and I’m currently trying to work out why. Some research says that alcohol reduces insulin resistance. Another possibility to my mind is that it stimulates insulin release (not good, I think, if you are trying to make cells more sensitive to it).

  • John Parson March 6, 2014, 7:11 pm

    Can I have quinoa while on the eating plan. I was just recently diagnosed with diabetes, and the doctor is giving me 5 weeks to turn it around before she wants me to start taking meds. Don’t want to take meds, for anything, ever. Just curious about the quinoa though as it is the only grain, not really a grain but they classify it as one, that I have eaten in the last year.

    • Penny Hammond March 7, 2014, 8:07 am

      During Phase 1, which is for a quick turnaround from your diabetes issues, Dr. Fuhrman recommends no high-starch vegetables or grains, or other high-carbohydrate foods. He lists quinoa with grains. So while you’re setting out on this diet, quinoa would be out because of its carbohydrate level.
      In Phase 2, he advises you to limit whole grains (including quinoa) to a one-cup serving or less per day.

  • Judy Ryster March 9, 2014, 10:37 pm

    Just starting…Day 3 sugar 300 in mornings. A few hours after 1/2 of oatmeal and 2-3 fruits it is 445!! By 10 at night it was 116. What can I do? No snacking…from supper till breakfast is a long time without any food. I take Insulin with breakfast and dinner.

    • Penny Hammond March 11, 2014, 6:14 pm

      This diet has a moderate amount of carbs and low fat, which might not work for everybody. You could try another diet that may fill you up better and smooth spikes in your blood sugar, eg Practical Paleo by Diane Sanfilippo.

  • MaryEMaurer April 12, 2014, 6:02 pm

    I’d really like to reverse my diabetes which I’ve had for 10 years but it’s very hard for me to believe that this can be done. First of all, I’m an RN and I was NEVER taught that diabetes could be reversed. Secondly, I have a husband who believes in the teachings of a renown institution such as the ADA and warns me not to be fooled by Drs who have very questionable ideas like Dr Fuhrman. He is immediately skeptical whenever I bring up the possibility of following Dr Fuhrman’s advice and diet. Finally, a very highly regarded nutritionist that I personally know said diabetes could never be reversed. Yet, I really want to try this diet! I’m very hopeful about its outcome and would love to be free of this disease, medications and very real possibilities of complications. So, wish me luck and I’ll let you all know how things work out.

    • Penny Hammond April 13, 2014, 11:16 am

      Good luck!

    • A April 30, 2014, 3:08 am

      Please watch this movie, documented reverse diabetes through raw vegan diet, some of the same principles as Dr. Fuhrman,
      http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2pjkC71exKU

      Itscalled simply raw reversing diabtes in 30 days

    • Julia King Tamang May 15, 2014, 12:45 pm

      Mary–believe it. Stick with it and you’ll see.

    • Davidparshman October 24, 2014, 2:09 pm

      Hi Mary,

      I am with you on the skepticism, particularly when there are sales associated with a certain plan. I am cautious about the motives of those promoting certain diets, supplements, etc indicating that their are the only truly good ones. I will say this. I knew that my diagnosis of type 2 was because I was fat. I was 285 when I started out on Dr. Fuhrman’s diet. I am not holding as strictly to it as recommended, but in 7 weeks I have lost 35 pounds, I have increased my exercise level to 3 miles walking a day, and my sugar is staying in normal range. The primary thing, in my opinion, is to have balance, proper portions, and eat healthy raw foods as much as possible. Limit salt, eat berries, almonds, sunflower seeds etc and listen to your body. We are all different, and it is important to take care of yourself in your own unique way. My goal is wieght loss now, fitness, and a healthy sustainable diet. So far so good.

    • Shan May 17, 2015, 12:24 am

      watch this video Death to Diabetes,
      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G-_kgOVIDLo

  • Katie April 27, 2014, 2:36 am

    I have diabetic neuropathy after being diagnosed for 5 years, (I was gestational diabetic, 30 yr ago with 2 pregnancies), I am an RN with training in traditional medicine, BUT, I have always bucked the system and this diet makes a lot of sense, except it seems low in protein and enough calcium to prevent osteoparosis that this 60+ age woman is concerned about. If I am reading this correctly it is about 1500 calories a day? I am wondering if following this diet might reverse the tingling, numbness and tightness I experience in my feet and legs. I do NOT want to follow in my father’s foot steps. Throughout my profession (as a midwife), I have always studied nutrition and feel it is very important. I would appreciate your comments. My health and cessation of this condition as well at the diabetes itself is very important. Thank you. PS Are there any studies that back up this theory?

    • Penny Hammond April 27, 2014, 1:29 pm

      There are 3 main approaches to diets for diabetes:
      – Low fat. Let’s face it, every diet was a low fat diet for a couple of decades – low fat diets were believed to reduce your weight and therefore reduce the risks of diabetes. This model is going out of style.
      – Low carbohydrate / low glycemic. This is probably the most popular advice at the moment.
      – Vegan / high nutrient. This is what this book is based on.
      It’s possible that different diets will work for different people. Give this diet a chance to see how it works for you. There’s also a possibility that a diet can be great in the short term but you may need to introduce other foods in the longer term.

      Dr. Fuhrman believes that a plant-based diet is optimal to protect against osteoporosis – see his article on osteoporosis.

      As with practically every other diet book, there are a plethora of studies quoted to back the book, in the Notes section at the end of the book. Studies are often created with a particular end-view in mind, and can be interpreted in different ways.

  • Pauline Lebel May 21, 2014, 8:05 pm

    I have just been diagnosed as pre-diabetic. How can I apply this diet to my condition so that I will not advance to being a type 2 diabedic? Can Dr. Fuhrman’s book help me in this regard?

    • Penny Hammond May 25, 2014, 1:55 pm

      I can’t find any references in the book to pre-diabetes, but there are lots of references to using the plan to lower high blood sugar. If the diet works that way for you, it would help you to avoid moving to full diabetes.

  • jess July 11, 2014, 2:58 am

    I am pre diabetic and this diet messed up my blood sugar. I found all whole grains and beans and most fruit except for less than a half cup of berries I could not eat without it influencing my insulin levels. I don’t think diabetes is Dr. Fuhrman’s forte. When I eat beans I become so tired; same with whole grains. Fruit I like and it gives me energy and then I feel funny in my head from the blood sugar fluctuations. Animal protein works perfect and veggies and nuts and seeds. I don’t do dairy as I can’t digest it. I can eat tofu so sometime I rotate that with salmon, eggs and chicken. I am going to stick with the foods that don’t influence my blood sugar at all so only animal protein, tofu, low starchy veggies and nuts and seeds and avocado for my healthy fats. I feel very balanced with this food. As soon as I add even a little whole oats. or brown rice or sweet potato or bean dips I’m very adversely affected. Also no fruit juices or sugars. This is what has worked perfectly for me and I never have food cravings like I did with Fuhrmans diet.

  • Teri July 16, 2014, 10:37 pm

    I had normal blood sugar after one week on the diet. I felt so good it was incredible. I had to take my glasses off to drive.

    If you are diabetic you owe yourself at least one week on this eating plan to know how great things can be when sugar levels are normal

  • Matt January 23, 2015, 3:56 pm

    I’ve been following this diet for nearly three years. I lost 35 lbs and loved everything about it. Two years ago I had normal A1C readings of 5.1 and 5.3 — three months ago, however, I had an A1c of 6.6. I hunkered down and stayed true to this diet plan and after 3 months of following it very well, I still have the same 6.6 A1C reading. What gives?

    This is very much a lifestyle for me. I don’t indulge (or overindulge) on sweets, carbs and rarely have meat products. Where am I going wrong?

    • Penny Hammond January 24, 2015, 4:08 pm

      There is some controversy over whether a moderate-carb and very-low-fat diet like this one, even when the carbs are unprocessed, is helpful for diabetes. There’s been a shift away from the belief that very low fat is good for diabetes. It could be that, for you, a different diet would be beneficial, for example something lower in carbs and with more fat – for example Dr. Bernstein’s Diabetes Solution.

  • Susan February 12, 2015, 3:21 am

    Am I able to drink herbal/decaf tea? I never use any sweetener. Water is always my first choice but I really enjoy a cup of tea each day…

    • Penny Hammond February 13, 2015, 1:33 pm

      In Chapter 8 “The Nutritarian Diet in Action”, Dr. Fuhrman says that green tea does not cause hypoglycemia or address the main cause of diabetes; however in cases where extra help is needed, a combination of natural plant extracts can be added to the protocol, which can further reduce or eliminate the need for medications and their significant side-effect profile.

      In Eat to Live (2003/2011), he says that if you have hypoglycemia you should avoid tea (p.200) – he’s not specific about types of tea.

      In Super Immunity (2011), he lists green tea as an anti-angiogenic food, encouraging weight loss (p.75); he also says that green tea can help reduce the risk of breast cancer (p.70). Green tea is listed in many of the meal plans.

      So… it’s not really clear, but it looks like green tea may be an option for you, but there aren’t any clear guidelines on herbal teas or decaffeinated black tea.

  • Ernie April 5, 2015, 5:02 pm

    Anyone have the recipes for the meals he recommends for the phase 1 /gestational such as the different dressings for the breakfast salad (creamy hemp seed herbal or the roasted tomato-basil )or the vegetable bean soup for lunch or zucchini-cauliflower casserole or spicy beans over lettuce, etc.

    • Penny Hammond April 10, 2015, 9:40 am

      You’re right, there aren’t recipes in the book for these meal suggestions (apart from the Vegetable Bean Soup, which is in the soups section of the Menus and Recipes chapter). It looks like Dr. Fuhrman assumes you can make up these recipes… You could try searching online for recipes.

  • Isabelle Levi October 3, 2015, 4:02 pm

    I was diagnosed as being diabetic because I LOST a lot of weight in a short time. Dr. Fuhrman’s diet which I am currently following is not addressing this issue except to say” eat more of the same”. Any recommendations? However, I fid find out that my blood sugar has dropped since I started a
    modified version of Dr. Fuhrman with olive oil on the salad and more nuts than recommended).
    I am looking forward to seeing what my A1C will be shortly.

    • Penny Hammond October 5, 2015, 2:13 pm

      Have a look at your blood sugar levels after being on the diet to see whether they’re within acceptable levels – it’s not usual to be diagnosed based just on having lost weight; there need to be other indicators!

  • Claudia October 28, 2015, 12:14 am

    Thank you so much for doing this! Having a cheat sheet ready at hand helps a lot. My goal is to get off the diabetes meds well before year’s end and I think this is the way to do it.

    What’s amazing to me is how easy it is to get full on this diet. Only week in, I’m already starting to lose my sweet tooth. He recommends not snacking, which actually works well for me. My blood sugar levels have dropped to the point where I’m already down to 75% of my usual daily dose of medication. (My doctor not only knows about what I’m doing, but is thrilled.)

    Yes, it’s a HUGE adjustment. I especially miss dairy products, and eating out is tricky. What motivates me is how much better I feel, it’s like night and day.

    • Penny Hammond October 31, 2015, 12:03 pm

      Glad to help, and how wonderful that you’re feeling better!

  • Anna Ross January 11, 2016, 1:38 pm

    My husband has been diabetic for years. I wanted him to try The End Of Diabetes Diet. He does heavy work in construction so he says he will have to eat oatmeal in the morning with fruit &nuts. But I’m afraid the carbs in oatmeal n extra sugar in fruit will raise his glucose levels.

    • Penny Hammond January 13, 2016, 6:04 pm

      This book advocates a plant-based diet for diabetes; it actually doesn’t restrict natural sugars in foods much. It’s not a low-carb diet; it focuses on whole, unprocessed carbs instead.

      The division between when you do phase 1 and phase 2 is unclear – it’s only in phase 1 you’re supposed to avoid whole grains; fruits are allowed on both phases in this diet.
      See the notes in “what to eat” above, from the Breakfast section in chapter 8: The Nutritarian Diet in Action:
      Breakfast:
      – About 300 calories
      – Breakfast should consist of a few low-sugar fruits, such as berries, papaya, kiwis, pomegranates, oranges, and green apples
      – A half cup of cooked oats, or even a whole cup for men, is also acceptable to eat with breakfast. Another option is a squash-based breakfast soup
      – Try to eat one tablespoon of ground chia seeds or flaxseeds daily with breakfast
      – Eat four walnut halves every day with breakfast
      (note: dairy is very restricted on this diet – fat-free dairy twice weekly or less – so try oatmeal with water)

  • GloriaC-S March 18, 2016, 10:52 am

    Penny, Can you direct me to Phase 1 description in The End of Diabetes. I can only find Phase 1 references related to gestational diabetes and Type 1 diabetes.
    Thanks!!

    • Penny Hammond March 24, 2016, 1:21 pm

      I can’t find clear guidelines on what to eat on the two phases.
      This is about all I can find, in chapter 8:
      “Think about setting up your menu plan in two phases. The first is a more strict phase in the first few weeks to get your weight down to a safer number and to reduce as much of your medication as possible early on. In this phase, other than a limited amount of beans, avoid high-carb foods and eat no animal products. Of course, you can remain in phase one as long as you need or want to maximize results. What follows here are general guidelines to understand phase two of this program. The main difference between these guidelines and phase one (when you are looking to control your out-of-control glucose numbers and reduce medications) is more restriction on fruit, grains, and starchy vegetables. The exact specifics of the phase one plan will be laid out in chapter 10 [note – chapter 10 doesn’t give clear guidelines on this]. Then move on to phase two, a more livable phase, once you have reached a stable place. Then you could add one serving a day of peas, butternut or acorn squash, and intact whole grains such as black wild rice Think about setting up your menu plan in two phases. The first is a more strict phase in the first few weeks to get your weight down to a safer number and to reduce as much of your medication as possible early on. In this phase, other than a limited amount of beans, avoid high-carb foods and eat no animal products. Of course, you can remain in phase one as long as you need or want to maximize results. What follows here are general guidelines to understand phase two of this program. The main difference between these guidelines and phase one (when you are looking to control your out-of-control glucose numbers and reduce medications) is more restriction on fruit, grains, and starchy vegetables. The exact specifics of the phase one plan will be laid out in chapter 10 [but they’re not]. Then move on to phase two, a more livable phase, once you have reached a stable place. Then you could add one serving a day of peas, butternut or acorn squash, and intact whole grains such as black wild rice”

  • Jim Condit Jr. May 11, 2016, 12:47 am

    I was hoping you were going to address her hopes of getting rid of her neuropathy. Everybody, even Dr. Fuhrman, seems to skirt around this subject. Is that because it is incurable once it goes so far?

    • Penny Hammond May 22, 2016, 5:08 pm

      There are 2 case studies in this book that reference neuropathy (beginning of chapter 4, Dr. Glen Paulson, and beginning of chapter 4, Jessica), and no further discussion. In the second case study, the patient describes how she feels better after the diet – “My vision is much better, and my painful neuropathy is completely gone (that took three months).”

      There’s a book that’s written specifically about what to eat to get rid of neuropathy – Sugar Crush by Dr. Richard P. Jacoby and Raquel Baldelomar. It takes a rather different approach to what you should eat.

  • cyndi August 19, 2016, 12:16 pm

    I have been a Diabetic 15 years…Im a Brittle Diabetic, harder to control…yeah right,STEP AWAY FROM THAT PIC CYNDI,AND PUT DOWN THE GOOD & PLENTY.,,Its my Fault I have bad Sugars
    300- my Machine saying…HI
    When I behave my Sugars are perfect n normal.
    I have Cirrocis from Fatty Liver discoveredin 04. I had went down n looked Great.
    Then we were in a Catostrophic Car accident that broke my 24 year old Daughters neck, and made my 30 year old heart stopped n she was trapped,they got her out n saved her life. I hurt my back badn bruised Chest to Pelvic.
    3years this Sept 2016 n all is better but all that drama threw me into almost anervous break down..between the Meds n eating out of nervousness n deep depression Im back up to 216….I have other health problems. Being 57 I may not be here much longer if I dont stop tbe high sugars. Im disabled hard to use arms or hands much. Walking is all I can do n I do walk. I have small legs n butt,smaller arms but bigger in upper body, belly, boobs n back.
    I need this book bad…I need to do this.
    I told my oldest n shes going to help Me.
    If Im still living in a year I’ll give you update. If you dont hear from Me,I bit the bullet….Cyndi

    • Penny Hammond August 21, 2016, 6:02 pm

      Cyndi, so sorry to hear about everything you’ve gone through, that’s really tough and I completely understand using food to escape your pain. Been there, done that.
      It sounds like you’ve got some of your strength back, good on you. You can do this. And you can do this with your family, encouraging each other. I hope you feel healthier for the future.
      Penny

  • Jim Demello January 17, 2017, 3:12 am

    What about using intermittent dieting to lose weight and prevent diabetes?

    • Penny Hammond June 20, 2017, 8:13 pm

      You can try that, however it’s not what’s suggested in this book.

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