She had been having headaches, which was unusual for her, so she went in to see her doctor. To her dismay, not only was her blood pressure high, but so was her cholesterol, and she was showing signs of becoming diabetic.

Her doctor immediately wanted to put her on drugs to help stave off diabetes, but she resisted due to her concern about their side effects. She asked me if there are alternative options and I was happy to tell her that there are.

First, I asked Diane what she ate and was shocked to hear that her diet included chocolates, cheese, and ice cream. No, no, and no! Instead I encouraged her to learn more about the glycemic index (GI) of foods and to allow that to guide her toward more healthy food choices.

The GI of a food is based upon two things: the amount of carbs it has in it, and whether they’re in a form that’s quickly absorbed, or whether they’re “tied up” in the structure of the food and released slowly during digestion. Lower and slower is the key.

Most vegetables (but not all) are basically “free.” Even though they do contain carbs, their effect on blood sugar levels is so low that their GI doesn’t register.

If you tend to consume a lot of high-glycemic carbohydrates such as sugary desserts, white breads, potatoes, fruit juices, and soda (foods that cause your insulin level to increase), eventually the constant spikes in your blood sugar can overwhelm your ability to self-regulate, and you can become insulin-resistant. When that happens, your risk of diabetes skyrockets. (To this point, a recent Harvard study found that regularly drinking sodas raises your risk of diabetes by an amazing 80%!)

However, despite what some of the popular diets are telling you, it’s not a good idea to totally eliminate carbs from your diet. In fact, I think it’s a terribly misguided concept, because healthy carbs such as whole grains, flax, beans, and vegetables are among the richest sources of essential vitamins and minerals in the human diet, and there’s no way to replace them if your diet mostly emphasizes protein and fats. The key is to include the right carbs in your diet, those which create fewer and lower peaks and valleys in your blood sugar levels.

Generally, I recommend that you start with a solid foundation: a high-fiber, low-fat, largely vegetarian diet that includes at least one 4-ounce serving of cold-water fish, like salmon or tuna, each week to satisfy your need for protein and essential fatty acids.

Your fat intake should consist largely of monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats such as cold-pressed olive oil and flax oil, as well as fish oil. I urge you to totally avoid trans fats and eat little or no saturated fats. Then, build upon that foundation by making sure that each meal contains mostly low-glycemic items. This is one of the most important things you can do to protect yourself against diabetes.

To find out the glycemic index of specific foods, I recommend that you start by checking the free online database at http://www.glycemicindex.com, and click on the “GI Database” tab at the left side of the page. Then simply type in the name of the food and you’ll get the glycemic index.

For exercise, Jeanie began to take a daily walk, which not only helped her to lose weight, but also relieved some of the stress she was dealing with. And she began a regular practice of daily meditation.

Within the next 3–6 months, her condition greatly improved. Her blood sugar and cholesterol levels dropped significantly and she was greatly relieved.