Janice Williamson's 11 News report

In America, diabetes is considered by many to be an epidemic.

Experts say one in three children born today will develop the disease in their lifetime.

One way to control blood sugar levels is with diet, but some people believe that certain foods can actually reverse Type II diabetes.

In Doris Thuem’s kitchen, you’ll always find plenty of fruits and vegetables.  What you won’t find is any meat, dairy products or processed food.

11 News

Some people believe that certain foods can actually reverse Type II diabetes.

Two years ago, Thuem was told her diabetes was causing her to lose kidney function. 

So she decided to take action.

“I wanted to play with my grandkids, and I wanted to see them grow up,” she said.

Thuem’s “boys” are now her inspiration to follow a low-fat, vegan diet.  She’s lost 76 pounds – enough weight that she may be able to stop taking medication to control her blood sugars.

“Hopefully, next time I see my doctor I’ll be off of it,” she said.

Dr. Neal Barnard has studied Thuem’s diet for the National Institutes of Health. He’s also written a book about his theory that diet can reverse diabetes.

“I don’t use the word ‘cure’ because even if a person has come off the medicine completely and blood sugar is totally normal, if they go back to their old way of eating that diabetes is going to come back,” Barnard said.

Dr. Barnard believes that if patients can avoid the high-fat, high-sugar foods that create fat buildup in cells, their diabetes will get better.

“Over time you see the cells improving and rejuvenating in a sense.  It’s not magic – it’s biology,” Barnard said.

And back in Doris Thuem’s kitchen, lunch is more than a meal – in her mind, it’s the best medicine for her diabetes.