Congratulations! I also won that award. Like you, I was also nominated in Grand Rapids Michigan five years ago. I had dropped 60 pounds in the previous 9 months and the person who nominated me not only noticed my weight, but also my new active life style.
I won an award!
EyesWideOpen
(Jeanne Wagner)
#25
Well folks they definitely did not give me the mic to say anything. I received a framed certificate. And yes they read the comments my co-worker wrote as the story. The AHA rep. Was just SO PROUD of me and mentioned what an accomplishment, reversing diabetes is SO DIFFICULT. A lot of the walkers congratulated me along the walk. It was nice. 
I work at a college and a lot of college folk turned up for the event. Our nursing director walked with me a little bit and said ‘I’ll have to use you as inspiration. I can’t stick with anything, nothing works.’ I suspect she knows diabetes could be at least improved if not reversed but hasn’t had any luck. I told her a little but I am very aware of people’s reactions anymore. When they hear low carb they usually start to drift. No one can imagine giving them up. It’s as terrifying to them as fasting is to us when we first hear about fasting. At least I know I was scared to death when I first heard that fasting went hand in hand in the Keto world (and as a long-term diabetic and quite sick, I would probably have to do it). She just wanted to congratulate me though, and quickly moved on. I may reach out to her privately later.
That’s me on the right and my college President agreed to pose with me on the left.
daddyoh
(Eric - The patient needs to be patient!)
#26
Congratulations again. I work at a university and generally don’t speak much about my WOE except to 2 close work friends. Unfortunately I find bastians of learning are places where learning is sometimes not wwlcomed.
It’s nice to have your president’s support at least in the award.
BatStryker
(Tony Battelle)
#27
The irony is not lost on me. The AHA still endorces a low fat high carb diet that has never reversed anyones’s diabetes. Here we have real evidence that turning the food pyramid upside down can produce real results for better health. I don’t understand why in the face of all the evidence, that this major organization that claims to have American’s best health interests at heart would still be promoting the archaic low fat diet. I can only sirmise that there are powerful corporate interests that want to maintain the status quo so folks will continue to develop health issues that we are told will require lifetime medication. My question to this forum then, if anyone is still reading at this point, is “What can we do about it?”
daddyoh
(Eric - The patient needs to be patient!)
#28
I think this is highly likely. Not sure what we can do about it. It is frustrating that the AHA and diabetes associations around the world and others promote nonsense at best and harmful recommendations at worse.
We should try to do any much of this as possible:
- Be an exemplar for the LCHF diet way of life and talk about it to people that will listen
- Convert two people to KETO and inform them. Then encourage those two do the same with two more.
- Be as blunt as possible with our doctors about what is working and why. this may take many visits to accomplish.
- Support people like Nina Teicholz who are working within the government committees to change the food pyramid.
- Start a support group in your community or support one by attending.
I’m sure there are other things.
EyesWideOpen
(Jeanne Wagner)
#29
It’s a very good question. We can educate those around us. We can share articles that use the gold standard study results (with the link to the study), share books, educate our own doctors, nutritionists and dieticians. Attend the hearings for the guidelines and testify as a citizen. They get way too many special interests talking. It takes a lot of money to sway law makers. We will have to continue to spread the word grassroots style, and support those organizations who are doing non-industry supported clinical trials. The truth will out. More of us can become certified NTPs (Nutritional Therapy Practicioners), certified Keto Coaches (http://mariamindbodyhealth.com/keto-coach-certification-program-open-enrollment/), and gain other similar designations. We then will have more cred to reach more people.
dlc96_darren
#30
Jeanne, I remember when we first started keto, I had never been interested in fasting before then. I supposed my exposure to fasting had mainly come from the perspective of fasting for spiritual reasons, and that didn’t interest me. But when I realized it had genuine health benefits, I was ready to get on board.
Astonishingly, what surprised me the most was how little I needed to eat, once I was eating enough fat in my diet. I know this was the key for me, because I’ve done low-carb/high-protein diets before, and was always hungry.
At first, I believe I screwed up telling people, who were asking me about my weight loss, that I just stopped eating. 
No, I didn’t stop eating, I just didn’t need to eat as often. Live and learn.
Maybe what we should just tell people what they can eat, and then to eat when hungry. I believe the fasting will come about more naturally. Then we people start to realize they can go longer periods without eating, they can learn more about IF and EF.
EyesWideOpen
(Jeanne Wagner)
#31
Yezbut… I did not believe it until something in me changed. Something has to change for a person to do keto much less actual EF. IF comes naturally as you said, and it did for me too. But something big had to change in my mind and heart to even try it. Hopefully more people out there won’t need such a powerful change to happen before they try it.