Can You Cure Yourself?

Why do we as doctors keep singing the same old tune of lifestyle changes? Because it is the only treatment that has been shown to cure many chronic diseases!

I myself have four chronic conditions, three of them directly related to obesity

1. Prediabetes- This is basically when your glucose levels are increased but not to the level of diabetes. The vast majority of prediabetes cases will progress to full on diabetes. The only way to stop this from happening is through weight loss and dietary changes. In fact, you can usually cure your diabetes if you lose enough weight. This can be done with diet and exercise, but bariatric surgery can also produce the same results. I am off my medication and my long term health risks from diabetes have dramatically decreased!
2. Osteoarthritis- Due to the extra weight on my joints as well as past injuries, I have signs of arthritis at the ripe old age of 35. I take Vitamin D, glucosamine, and chondroitin, but the best way to prevent my arthritis from progressing is good ol' weight loss and exercise!
3. Chronic pain- This is directly related to the arthritis above. I have chronic neck pain, back pain, knee pain, hip pain, you name it. The kind of pain that keeps me up at night. Are medications the solution here? You guessed it- nope! Again, weight loss and exercise, as well as sleep hygiene and stress reduction, are all proven treatments for chronic pain. Yoga has been instrumental with helping my pain.
4. Migraine headaches- My other and longest running chronic condition is migraine headaches. I've had them on and off for many years. Sometimes, up to several weeks at a time of day-in and day-out misery. In making my lifestyle changes, I have dramatically changed my diet, sleep better, exercise regularly, meditate for relaxation, and cut out caffeine. Guess what? Migraines gone! Off of all my many migraine medications and supplements. My headaches can now be managed with a simple dose of ibuprofen or a small glass of diet soda. 

What an amazing difference! And all just with lifestyle changes. So worth it :)