So instead, I tend to focus on how people end up with those habits, and what it is about their psychological makeup that compels them to do so.

In honor of the newly released film, Simply Raw, in which 6 people set out to cure their diabetes in 30 days using only raw food, emotional processing, and light exercise, today I’m going to talk about food.

We are what we eat

The concept for the film isn’t complex: they brought six people together, all with type II or type I diabetes, and had them eat a diet of nothing but raw, organic living food for one month. The results are profound: by the end, everyone who followed the program had their diabetes reversed, including those with type I diabetes. (Click Here to see the Simply Raw trailer)

The challenge with raw food is that it’s so different from the way most people eat. (They include a raw food cookbook and other useful supportive info with the DVD)

To help anyone who wants to try out raw food, I’ll share with you what works for me when I want to go raw for a while. It’s not difficult, it just requires a willingness to be aware of how your body feels.

It’s a 3-5 day process, you need the following:

• A juicer. Preferably a twin gear low rpm juice extractor.
• A variety of organic vegetables, mushrooms, nuts and berries; especially ones you think you hate, or haven’t tried. Get a little of everything, and get more vegetables than everything else combined, because that’s what we want our body to like. I don’t recommend fruits,  because the benefit of cutting them out is that most people will see a reduction in insulin tolerance.
• If you have an herb garden, or a friend with an herb garden, get some fresh herbs as well.
• A bag of organic dark red beats.

After this, you should feel light and full of vitality!

Once you have your materials:

• Day 1-2: I start by eating vegan for a couple of days. It’s not necessary, but it helps me adjust.
• Until I started doing what I’m about to share, I honestly didn’t like the taste of vegetables at all. Now I eat vegetables more than anything else, not just because they’re healthy, but because I like them. So if I didn’t like the taste of vegetables, how did I start eating them? With a cleanse:
• Day 3: This is the hardest day… And probably the most important. It’s best to stay home all day for this one; your energy may be low, and you will go through detox. Start the day with a beat juice cleanse. It’s not complicated, just drink water, and fresh squeezed, organic, dark red beat juice all day long, and nothing else. Usually, it’s good to stop drinking the juice at lunch, because it gets a little intense. Doing this is like hitting the reset button on your digestive system. Right before bed, have 7 pine nuts or almonds– no more, or the efforts of the day were a waste.
• Day 4: This is when things start to get much, much better. Take out all of the different goodies that you have, and chop them into bite sized pieces and put them on a large platter. Don’t add anything to them, no salt, pepper, oil, dressing, nothing at all. Whenever you feel the desire for food, go to the platter, and start picking things up and sniffing them. When you like the way something smells, eat that. If you smell something you don’t like the smell of, have a little nibble of it, just to be sure. At the end of the day, notice what you did and didn’t like.
• You can also do the platter “on the go”. Just take the food with you in a container.
• Day 5: Eat more of the things you liked! If you’re feeling hungry, have more nuts or avocado. The oil in them will tell your body that you’re full, by triggering a hormone called leptin. For some people, day 5 never ends, they just switch to raw. For me, I eat the raw foods that I like for a couple of days, and then I usually start having vegan stir fries. After that, I just eat what ever I want, and I always discover that most of what I want to eat is vegetables! It’s a great practice to do at the beginning and end of winter, because for most people they will want more vegetables and less garbage during holiday meals. You could think of it as reprogramming your stomach!

In my next post, we dive deep into the psychology of disease and identity!

Lately it’s been getting colder, making the idea of stepping outside my door in the morning to exercise less and less exciting. Several years ago I was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, and even though I’m happy to say it’s cured, the memory of how cold I used to get in the fall is a hard one to let go of.

So, to motivate myself and reinforce the behavior of getting outside every morning, I’ve been rewarding myself with at home hydrotherapy. A hydrotherapy and massage teacher with 28 years of experience shared this method with me, and it’s so easy and so simple that it’s easy to underestimate – until you’ve tried it, and then there’s no going back.

First thing in the morning I do 20 jumping jacks or mountain climbers to warm up my muscles, and then run or cycle for 15 to 45 minutes, depending on how much time I have that day. It’s important for the metabolism and sympathetic nervous system that I don’t eat or drink anything except plain water. If you’re currently diabetic, be aware of your blood sugar levels because they may drop as you exercise.

Afterward, I get my long awaited reward that has pulled me forward like a carrot dangling in front of a horse. I run a bath with a temperature between 104°F and 108°F. This may seem hot but below 104°F and we don’t get the same health benefits. The bath should be 3 inches deep to start. If you have numbness in your feet (neuropathy) it’s very important that you start with lower temperatures (try 100) and that you use a thermometer. If not you run the risk of burning yourself.

Magnesium is important for diabetics

Aromatherapists recommend adding eucalyptus for people with a history of diabetes, and lavender for even deeper relaxation. You can also add 1 cup of Epsom salt, which reduces inflammation, speeds up healing, is a source of magnesium, and has several other benefits. Most diabetics have a magnesium deficiency, so using the Epsom salt can prevent some complications, and help the body regulate insulin levels. It may drop blood sugar levels, so if your levels are low after the exercise it’s a good idea to eat before taking the bath. If you have thin or sensitive skin, start with half a cup of Epsom salt and see if it irritates your skin.

I start by sitting up in the bath, and I massage my legs while I adjust to the temperature. Personally, my shoulders and back are more tight than my legs, so after about 5 minutes of sitting up I slide in, lie on my back, and meditate for 10-15 minutes. I find that the best ideas I have all day come to me in those 10-15 minutes. Then I get out, have breakfast, and start my day!

The benefit of all this is:

Energy, relaxation, vibrant health, and a sense of well being that lasts all day.

For those of us who aren’t used to exercising, it’s a great reward that will take the edge off of the initial soreness. Most people know that there is a staggering list of benefits associated with getting daily exercise, and anything that makes it easier is an important tool, especially for people with diabetic symptoms. By rewarding yourself for exercising, you will become more likely to do it! For more information on something called operant conditioning, listen to this podcast. You can use it to reprogram yourself to exercise more, and even enjoy exercising!

The hydrotherapy opens up the blood vessels and allows everything to flow more freely, which can eliminate pins and needles and cold extremities.

It speeds up the elimination of toxins and lactic acid, speeds up the healing of tissue, calms the mind, and relaxes the muscles. For people without existing heart conditions it strengthens the circulatory system and can reduce blood pressure.

Between the exercise and the bath it’s under an hour out of my day, and when I start my day off this way I know that I’ll feel energized and enthusiastic all day, no matter what life throws at me.

Disclaimer: If you have any serious health conditions, check with a health professional before trying this. If you do try it, start conservatively.