conventional model, 40 –46, 136
diagnosing, 187 –92
embracing, 36
insulin resistance as basis of all diabetes, 11
language used to describe, 36
misconceptions about, 38
prevalence of, 1
See also specific types, including
type 1 diabetes , type 1.5 diabetes , type 2 diabetes , and gestational diabetes
diabetes antibody panel, 188 ,
, 190 –92
Diabetes (journal), 294
Diabetes Care (journal), 227
diagnostic blood tests, 187 –92
digestive health, 139
dinner, 258 –72
and decision fatigue, 260 –61
and parties, 268 –70
ordering in restaurants and cafés, 261 –68
prepping for, 261
questions about, 270 –71
recipes, 339 –48
reexamining approach to, 20
DKA (diabetic ketoacidosis), 191
DNL (de novo lipogenesis), 114 –15, 118
double diabetes, 63 –64
DPP-4 inhibitors, 206
Dr. Neal Barnard’s Program for Reversing Diabetes (Barnard), 80
Earthlings (documentary), 32
edamame, 156 ,
EFAs (essential fatty acids), 172 –76, 183
eggs, 69 , 84 –86, 90 , 97
The 80/10/10 Diet (Graham), 33
emotional hunger and eating, 286 –87
endothelium, 90 , 139 –40
energy drinks, 163 , 227
energy levels, 3 , 139
EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid), 173 , 175 , 183
EPIC (European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition), 81 –82, 127 , 138 –39
erectile dysfunction,
Esselstyn, Caldwell B., Jr., 9 , 141 –42
Esselstyn, Rip, 9 , 213
exercise, 289 –310
benefits, 290 , 291
and blood glucose, 21 –22, 149 , 294 –95, 300 –307,
consistency, 300
and decision tree documentation, 198
and fasting, 303
and glycogen stores, 117
and hypoglycemia, 301 , 305
identifying preferences, 297 –98
and insulin, 294 –95
and insulin resistance, 21 –22, 215
intensity of, 295 , 296 , 304
and mitochondria, 291 –94
with partners or in groups, 298 –99
and poor nutrition, 307 –8
scheduling, 299
and setting goals, 296 –97
and whole carbohydrate energy, 214
fasting, 117 , 303 . See also
intermittent fasting
fat-insulin connection, 50 –61
and causes of insulin resistance, 49 , 50 , 64
previous research on the connection, 49 –50
and reversing insulin resistance, 6
a step-by-step overview, 51 –61,
FATPs (fatty acid transport proteins), 54
fats/fatty acids, 65 –78
absorption of, 52 , 54
animal-sourced, 66
awareness of amounts consumed, 155 , 164 , 165 –66,
beta cells sensitivity to, 60 –61,
and biochemistry of insulin resistance, 49 –61,
and blood glucose, 45 , 69 ,
and chronic disease, 45
and exercise, 295
and fat-insulin connection, 52 –61,
and fat-soluble vitamins, 176 –82, 184
guidelines for consumption of, 77 , 78
importance of, 67
inhibition of insulin due to, 49 , 50
and insulin resistance, 50 , 215 –16
legumes substituted for fat-rich foods, 169 –70
and liver function, 58
and low-fat plant-based diet, 140
saturated fats, 69 –71, 73 –75, 76 , 82 –83, 140
short-chain fatty acids, 109 , 229 , 240
trans fatty acids, 67 –68
unsaturated fats, 75 –77
in whole foods, 77 , 166 ,
, 183
and yellow light foods, 154
fatty-acid syndrome (aka Randle cycle), 50
fatty liver disease, 11 ,
, 58 , 73 , 105 , 139
fermented foods, 153
fiber
and breakfast, 221 –22
effect on digestion, 113
fiber supplements, 109
function of fiber, 102 , 108 –9, 158
and gut bacteria, 106 , 108 –9, 158 , 240
in smoothies, 229
Finland study, 89
fish, 69 , 90 , 95 –97, 153
flaxseeds,
, 173 , 183 , 222
foam cells, 140
Forks Over Knives, 6 , 34 , 80
free radicals, 71 , 111 , 294
fructose, 102 –3, 138 –39
fruit
and advanced glycation end products, 90
authors’ consumption of fruit, 34 , 35
batch prepping, 248
and blood glucose stability, 168 –70
and breakfast, 218 –19, 221 –22
and chronic disease, 144
dried fruit, 153 , 243
and exercise, 302 , 303 , 305 , 308 –9
as green light food, 153 , 168 –70, 183 , 231 , 354
juices, 162
and lunch, 244
macronutrients in fruit,
micronutrients in fruit, 169
ordering in restaurants and cafés, 265
and organic produce, 255
and reduced risk of diabetes, 138 –39
research findings, 82
and risk of premature death, 138
shopping for fruit, 252 –53
strategy for increasing consumption of fruit, 169 –70
water content,
Garcia, Lindsay, 65 –66
Garden Breakfast Pan, 327
gastric emptying rate, 51 –52
gestational diabetes
about, 14
conventional views on gestational diabetes, 45
diagnosing, 189 , 190 ,
and insulin resistance, 8 , 11 ,
recurrence, ix
GLP-1 (glucagon-like peptide 1) receptor agonists, 206
glucose
blocked from entering liver and muscle tissues, 56 –57
brain’s burning of glucose, 117 , 118
and consumption of fiber, 109
conversion to fat, 114
and excess insulin’s effect on tissues, 57 –58,
, 60
and exercise, 295
and glycogen stores, 116 –17
insulin’s relationship with glucose, 47 –48,
, 56 –57
liver’s absorption of glucose, 48 , 113 –15
liver’s controlled release of glucose, 58 , 60
liver’s immediate burning of glucose, 115 –16
liver’s storage of glucose, 46 , 116 –17
muscles’ storage of glucose, 117
and saturated fatty acids,
in short-chain carbohydrates, 102 –3
See also
blood glucose
gluten, 224 –27,
GLUT vesicles (glucose transport vesicles), 71
glycemic index versus glycemic load, 220 –21
glycogen, 46 , 56 , 116 –17, 277 , 302
glycosylated hemoglobin, 150
goal setting with MDM, 151 –52, 183
Graham, Douglas, 27 , 33
grains, refined, 105 –6
green juices, 161
green light beverages, 160 –61
green light foods
about, 154
adding flavor and texture to food, 315
calorie density, 236 –38,
fat intake, 166 ,
and glycemic index versus glycemic load, 220 –21
and hunger, 231
and insulin resistance, 18 –19
lists of green light foods, 153 , 353 –56
macronutrients in green light foods, 166
maximizing intake, 182 , 183
ordering in restaurants and cafés, 262 –63
as post-exercise fuel, 308 –9
shopping for green light foods, 252 –54
Greens and Beans, 345
green tea, 160 –61, 228 –29, 280 –81
Greger, Michael, 9
grocery shopping, 252 –56
Gupta, Satish K., 142
gut bacteria
and fiber-rich foods, 106 , 108 –9, 229 , 240
and refined carbohydrates, 106
and tempeh, 156 –57
Hashimoto’s thyroiditis (autoimmune hypothyroidism), 24 , 109
Health Professionals Follow-Up Study, 82 –83, 128 , 227
heart disease
and cholesterol levels, 73 –75
and consumption of animal-sourced foods, 126
and consumption of fruit, 138
and consumption of sugar, 102
and intermittent fasting, 277
and Kempner’s rice-fruit diet, 136
and ketogenic diets, 122
and low-carbohydrate diets, 139
and nitrates/nitrites, 88
and plant-based diets, 127 , 139 –43, 144
reversing heart disease, 43 , 122 , 139 , 140 , 144
and soy products, 156
in Uganda, 140 –41
Hearty Sweet Potato and Squash Soup, 241 , 333 –34
Hegsted equation, 73 , 74
Hellerstein, Marc, 114
hemoglobin, 149 –50
herbs and spices, 153 , 222 , 249 , 254 , 265 –66, 309 , 356
herbal teas, 161 , 229
HFCS (high-fructose corn syrup), 58 , 103 , 219
high-fat diets
and blood glucose stability, 169
and burning fat, 294
as cause of insulin resistance, 49 –50, 135
and de novo lipogenesis, 114
and fat-insulin connection, 51 , 54 –55, 57 –58, 64
and fatty liver disease, 73
and free radical generation, 294
insulin function compromised by high-fat diets, 133
See also
ketogenic diets ; low-carbohydrate diets
Himsworth, Harold Percival, 50 , 134 –35, 136
Hot and Spicy Broccoli-Cauliflower Rice, 343 –44
hot sauce, 246
hummus, 246
hunger, x , 231 , 240 , 286 –87
hydration, 160
hydrogenation, 67 –68
hypertension,
, 96 , 139
hypoglycemia, 148 , 198 , 210 , 231 , 301 , 305
Indian Journal of Pharmacology , 223
industrialized farms, 91 –92
infectious diseases, 126 , 144
inflammation
and advanced glycation end products, 90
and autoimmune diseases, 93
and consumption of fiber, 109
and dysregulated gut microflora, 109
and essential fatty acids, 172 –73
and gluten intolerance, 225
and heme iron, 88
and high-fat/low-carbohydrate diets, 294
insulin resistance triggered by inflammation, 54 ,
, 56
and micronutrients, 106
and omega-6 to omega-3 ratio, 159 , 172 –73,
and plant-based diets, 111 , 138 , 140
and saturated fatty acids, 71
insulin
adjusting levels, 4
authors’ requirements for insulin, 28 , 32 , 35
beta cell’s production of insulin, 46 –47
and beta cell suicide, 60 –61,
and carbohydrates, 41 ,
conventional views on insulin, 44
excess insulin, 57 –58,
, 60
function of insulin, 47 ,
glucose’s relationship with insulin, 46 –49,
, 56 –57
insulin misperceived as cause of insulin resistance, 41 ,
, 43
insulin misperceived as the enemy, 47 , 64
and oils, 159
reducing need for insulin, 6 , 10 , 28
and saturated fatty acids, 71
insulin-dependent diabetes
A1c percentages in,
authors’ experiences, 24 , 192
and breakfast, 231
and carbohydrate-to-insulin ratio, 131
and decision tree documentation, 197 –200, 357 –59,
and exercise, 301 , 303 –4
fasting to reduce blood glucose level,
and insulin droughts, 301
and intermittent fasting, 21 , 279
and logging food consumption, 171
and low-carbohydrate plant-based diets, 130 –31
and low-fat (high-carbohydrate) diets, 134 , 135
and low-fat plant-based diet, 4 –5, 136 –37
and medications management, 193 –97
and monitoring blood glucose, 193
and oils, 159
and timing injections, 200 –202
and transitioning to MDM diet, 192
and types of diabetes, 13 –14
See also
type 1 diabetes ; type 1.5 diabetes
insulin resistance, 37 –64
as basis of all forms of diabetes, 8 , 11
biochemistry of insulin resistance, 48 –61
and carbohydrate-rich foods, 100 –101, 113 , 115 , 118
causes, 49 , 50 , 64 , 69
and chronic disease, 11 , 12 ,
, 58
and consumption of fiber, 113
conventional views on insulin resistance, 41 ,
, 43
and de novo lipogenesis, 115
and double diabetes, 63 –64
and excess insulin’s effect on tissues, 57 –58,
, 60
and exercise, 21 –22
and fat in diet, see
fat-insulin connection
and fat types, 66
and glucose control, 60
and green light foods, 19
and heme iron, 87
and high-fat diets, 49 –50, 135
and liver function, 58 , 60
and low-carbohydrate plant-based diets, 131
and low-fat plant-based diet, 144
and mitochondria dysfunction, 292 –93
and insulin resistance quiz, 214 –18
and red light foots, 19
reversing insulin resistance, 6 , 10 , 28 –29, 138 , 189 , 276
and saturated fatty acids, 69 ,
silent insulin resistance,
triggered by inflammation, 54 ,
, 56
and types of diabetes, 13 –14
and type 1 and type 1.5 diabetes, 61 , 63 –64
and unsaturated fatty acids, 75
and yellow light foods, 19 , 154
insulin sensitivity
and carbohydrate-to-insulin ratio, 131
and carbohydrate tolerance, 43
and conventional treatment of diabetes, 5
and decision tree documentation, 197 –200
and exercise, 21 –22, 149 , 290 , 297
and glucose,
and ideal body weight, 43
and intermittent fasting, 21 , 276
and Kempner’s rice-fruit diet, 135 –36
and low-fat (high-carbohydrate) diets, 44 –45, 134 –35
and low-fat plant-based diets, 6 , 45 , 78 , 134 , 144
optimized implementation of tools for insulin sensitivity, 309 –10
and role of insulin, 57
and transitioning to MDM diet, 192
and unsaturated fatty acids, 75 –76, 155
intermittent fasting, 273 –88
about, 7
benefits, 20 –21, 277 –78
and blood glucose, 21 , 276 , 281
fasting regimens, 279 –85
and hunger, 286 –87