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Va. (WDBJ) – For more than 30 years, Dr. Daniel Joseph Cox has researched type 1 and type 2 diabetes. He said he began noticing changes in his own body, including more frequent trips to the restroom and increased thirst. He then experienced weight loss and blurred vision
“And I realized I have diabetes. With that realization, I met up with my colleague and endocrinologist and he wanted me to go on medication right away. I said, well, I know a little bit about diabetes, let me try,” Cox said
Cox said he controls his diabetes without medication or insulin
“There’s two basic principles that influence diabetes control. One is carbohydrates that push your blood glucose up and two is physical activity that brings your blood glucose down,” Cox said
Cox said these are basic elements but essential to control
“I was able to lower my A1C from 10.3 down to 6, meaning I was no longer considered to have diabetes. Of course, I do have diabetes, but I know how to control it,” Cox said
Cox said the first step is eliminating foods high in carbohydrates, including corn, rice, grains and potatoes
Cox said oatmeal can be healthy for someone who does not have diabetes, but not for someone who does
“That breakfast will just push your blood glucose through the ceiling. And once it’s elevated, it will take a long time to come back down unless you do something,” Cox said
Cox said “something” means exercise, which he described as the last piece in lowering A1C
“Skeletal muscles or the muscles that move you, they use glucose as fuel and they don’t care about insulin resistance. They will use your glucose in the bloodstream and suck it out of the bloodstream and lower your blood glucose,” Cox said
According to the CDC, over 40 million people have diabetes, and 11 million do not know they have it. Cases are rising nationally, and younger people are being diagnosed more than in the past, according to the script
“They have access to all this food that they didn’t have, you know, 50, 60 years ago. My grandmother’s attitude is if you don’t grow it, you don’t eat it. And you only eat when that dinner bell rings. And think about how different that is from today’s lifestyles,” Cox said
Cox said uncontrolled diabetes can also promote dementia, Alzheimer’s disease, blindness, inability to digest foods, pain and other complications
Dr. Cox has a book with hidden gems, diving deeper into taking back control of your life from diabetes
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