In 2012, Heather Smith was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes.
Since she was overweight and the disease ran in her family, Heather wasn’t surprised by the news. Still, she thought, “I can easily manage the condition.”
What followed, though, was anything but easy. Getting back on the road to wellness would require a commitment and the help of some caring people.
“I weighed nearly 400 pounds and was a bad asthmatic,” Heather recalled. “I was having trouble breathing, so I was hospitalized and placed on IV steroids. By the time I left the hospital, I was taking four shots of insulin per day. I felt so defeated.”
Then, Heather’s condition worsened. Doctors placed her on an insulin pump, but when they told her she’d need a highly concentrated form of the hormone reserved for those with severe insulin resistance, she realized she had to make dramatic changes.
“I knew it was serious,” she said. “That’s when I started to look at other options.”
So, in 2018, Heather had bariatric gastric sleeve surgery, a procedure that proved to be a turning point for her.
The early results were positive. Heather lost 100 pounds and completely transitioned away from insulin. But just as quickly, her progress stalled. Her post-surgical, high-protein, low-carb diet drove her blood sugar levels out of control and she was forced back onto insulin.
After an Esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD) and colonoscopy, Heather asked her primary care provider for a referral to a registered dietitian at Fisher-Titus, a process that was as simple as her provider sending an electronic order.
Soon, Heather met with Kelly Berry, a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN) and diabetes educator at Fisher-Titus.
“I would not have understood any of this had it not been for Kelly,” Heather said. “She took the time to explain not only how I should eat, but why I needed to eat a certain way.”
Kelly helped Heather understand that her high-protein, low-carb diet was the problem. The lack of fiber and carbohydrates led to chronic constipation. And since Heather’s liver sensed that her body was starving for energy, it responded by releasing stored glucose. That’s what drove her blood sugar levels so high.
“Kelly taught me that not all carbs are bad and that, even if you’re a diabetic, your body needs them to function properly.”
But still, Heather couldn’t start eating carbs without feeling anxious. For years she’d heard that carbohydrates were the enemy of weight loss, so the idea of eating carb-rich foods again felt counterintuitive, even frightening.
“I was very nervous about re-introducing carbs into my diet. I never want my weight to come back on, and many people are told that to lose weight, you must give up carbs. This is such a horrible myth,” Heather said.
By following Kelly’s nutritional recommendations, though, Heather lost an additional 125 pounds. Her total weight loss now exceeds her current body weight. “I was eating more than I had in five years, but I was eating the right foods.”
Most importantly, Heather was able to stop using insulin and has not needed it since. She still wears a discrete continuous glucose monitor and takes diabetes medications, but her relationship with the disease has completely transformed.
“Kelly empowered me so that I could take control of my disease, instead of the disease controlling me,” Heather said. “She gave me the tools I needed to reach total wellness, while working with my physician.”
Heather’s message to others in a similar situation is one of encouragement and persistence.
“If you are facing a health struggle, and something does not seem right, I urge you to look at your entire body,” she said. “A medication does not always relieve every symptom. Even if you have been diagnosed for some time, recommendations change, as do our lifestyles. Give the people at Fisher-Titus a chance to help you. You won’t regret it.”
The Fisher-Titus Nutrition Counseling team is dedicated to helping patients achieve lasting wellness through personalized, evidence-based dietary guidance. Learn more about Nutrition & Lifestyle services here. Ask your primary care provider for a referral today.