As of today, I can say that I no longer have diabetes.  If you call my doctor, he will tell you the same thing.  My blood now tests consistently in the normal range for blood sugar, and without any medication whatsoever.

So despite the fact that a huge number of people are being diagnosed with type 2 diabetes every year, it absolutely can be cured for some number of them.  The cure is surprisingly simple – diet and exercise.  It turns out that the medications are actually counterproductive, because they make it much harder to burn fat – which is absolutely the key.  I’m not saying you should just stop taking the meds – that would be dangerous.  But if you are exercising and watching the diet, your focus with your doctor should be on what needs to happen for you to start eliminating those drugs.

I started on 3 different diabetes meds, and one of them – Actos – has a well know side effect of weight GAIN.  I understand why my doctor prescribed it – his priority was lowering my blood sugar.  Even though I told him I was exercising regularly (and understatement, I assure you), and my weight was dropping, he was working based on the raw numbers.  I kept insisting that I wanted to come off of the meds, and he was skeptical – likely because 99% of the people who come to his office TELL him they will lose weight, and don’t.  But you can.  And it will work.  I can prove it. 

Knew I wouldn’t get it on Friday, so figured I’d cruise in on Saturday (like I did last year) to get the new iPhone 3G.  Got to the mall, and there were EASILY 300 people in line.  Um – no.  I’d try Sunday.

Picked up Sydney Ellen at 7:45 in the morning from a friends house after the Jonas Brothers concert (in her words “The best concert I’ve ever seen in my entire life”), had breakfast at a luxurious Denny’s, and headed to the Northridge mall.  Only 11 people in line – but this was 2 HOURS before the store opened at 11am.  Since Sydney was getting my old iPhone, she was all for waiting.  So we waited.

11am the doors open and….nothing.  No movement.  Turns out they were letting people in that were turned away at midnight Saturday night – about 10 of them – and then started letting the rest of us in.  One at a time to not just buy, but “activate” the phones in the store.  I assume this is to keep people from getting a phone without a contract, and then Jailbreaking it to use with another provider.  Whatever.  It was a major PITA.

Finally our turn came, and the whole process to 15 minutes.  Time to play with the over 500 apps available and more coming every day.