Beat Diabetes | Diabetes Reversal Program

A 12-month evidence-based approach for the effective management and reversal of type 2 diabetes. 

Overview: Many people are just slowing down the progression of type 2 diabetes without truly healing from it. The inevitable result of this mediocre approach is a lifetime of medications, decreased quality of life and the high risk for frightening complications like heart disease, kidney failure, neuropathy and blindness. However, the scientific evidence is clear that appropriately dosed lifestyle interventions can put type 2 diabetes into remission / reversal (ref 1-8). This very comprehensive lifestyle program is designed to help guide and educate you on how to address the root causes of T2D and thereby drastically increasing the possibility to truly heal from this devastating disease.

What to expect: This is a 12-month comprehensive program involving the following components:

1. The program begins with an initial consult with the staff Naturopathic doctor and Nutritionist who will assess your health status, review baseline blood test results, and set you up with an individualized treatment plan and nutrition program (meal plan + recipes).
   
   

2. Thereafter, you will participate in two 3-hr intensive group sessions involving health talks by the doctor, a full meal, and cooking classes. The health talks are designed to help you truly understand the root causes of diabetes and a thorough explanation of the science behind the lifestyle interventions being recommended. The delicious meals and the fun and engaging cooking classes equip people to make the needed dietary changes critical for the success of this program. 
   
   

3. After the 2 intensive sessions, you will not be left on your own - the program will continue to support you for the next 11-months. You will have access to on-going cooking classes for the next 9 months, and 7-more follow-ups with the Nutritionist who can provide resources, guidance and encouragement as you make lifestyle changes. 
   
   

4. On-going guidance and monitoring with the Naturopathic Doctor will occur throughout the whole program. Check-ins with the Naturopathic doctor occur at every 4 months.

What is the goal? The American College of Lifestyle Medicine released a recent position statement on type 2 diabetes stating:
”remission should always be held as the primary clinical goal and that lifestyle medicine interventions that produce changes leading to remission should therefore become the standard of care.” (ref 8). This is also the goal of the program: absolute arrest and reversal of type 2 diabetes. The program attempts to set people on a sustainable path towards totally healing from, not merely managing, the disease. It must be clear that participation in the program does not guarantee reversal. No result can be guaranteed. However it is not good enough to settle for the mediocre goal of merely slowing the progression of diabetes when scientific evidence suggests that appropriate lifestyle interventions can potentially reverse the condition. 

How will I know I’m making progress? The Nutritionist will provide on-going guidance regarding your lifestyle changes, and the staff Naturopathic doctor will be reviewing blood work and other necessary examinations throughout the program, as needed. Patients will also be encouraged to work with their medical doctors, endocrinologists, and other specialists, for appropriate imaging, tests and monitoring, if needed.

Payment and insurance

Full cost: $980 (initial down-payment of $490)
Monthly payment plan available: $44.55/month for 11 months

For those with naturopathic medicine coverage
Full cost: $880 (initial down-payment $440) + $100 billed to health insurance for initial consultation
Monthly payment plan available: $40/month for 11 months

Following the program, follow-up consults are available at various clinic locations or via telemedicine
Fee: $65

Location
All consultations and sessions will be held at Pathways Clinc’s North York location
4150 Chesswood Drive, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, M3J2B

Disease Reversal Program is offered in partnership with

References

1. Lim EL et al. Reversal of type 2 diabetes: normalization of beta cell function in association with decreased pancreas and liver triacylglycerol. Diabetologia (2011) 54:2506 - 2514

   
   

2. Lean, M et al. Primary care-led weight management for remission of type 2 diabetes (DiRECT): an open-label cluster-randomized trial. Lancet (2018); 391: 541 - 51

   
   

3. Steve, S et al. Very low-calorie diet and 6 months of weight stability in type 2 diabetes: Pathophysiological changes in responders and nonresponders. Diabetes Care.  (2016); 39: 808 - 815

   
   

4. Taylor, R et al. Understanding the mechanisms of reversal of type 2 diabetes. Lancet Diabetes Endocrinol. (2019); S2213 – 8587 (19) 30076-2

5. Taylor R. Type 2 diabetes: Etiology and reversibility. Diabetes Care, Volume 36, April 2013. p 1047 - 1055

   
   

6. Barnard, N et al. A low-fat vegan diet improves glycemic control and cardiovascular risk factors in a randomized clinical trial in individuals with type 2 diabetes. Diabetes Care. (2006); 29: 1777 - 1783

7. Lee, YM et al. Effect of a brown rice based vegan diet and conventional diabetic diet on glycemic control of patients with type 2 diabetes: A 12-week randomized clinical trial. PLoS ONE. (2016); 11 (6)

   
   

8. Kelly, J. et al. Type 2 diabetes remission and lifestyle medicine: A position statement from the American College of Lifestyle Medicine. Am J Lifestyle medicine. 2020