Simply Raw: Reversing Diabetes

Dr. Cousens says that the program includes "the use of proteolytic enzymes as well as the low-glycemic and low-insulin-index live-food diet that in itself has an anti-inflammatory effect." I admit it: This is the first that I remember ever hearing about proteolytic enzymes.

But Dr. Cousens says that a Dr. William Wong sent him a personal communication. It claimed that two people with type 1 taking only proteolytic enzymes were able to stop taking insulin.

Proteolytic enzymes may help prevent blood clotting and reduce the inflammation connected with diabetes, Dr. Cousens writes. Wikipedia tells me that people generally call them proteases.

The movie never mentions proteolytic enzymes, emphasizing raw food. "The diet that works the best is a high fiber, high carbohydrate, low-fat diet," Dr. Cousens says. No meat, dairy, bread, cooked grains, sugar, caffeine, tobacco, or alcohol. Nothing cooked above 118 degrees. The diet is "gourmet, all you can eat, raw, vegan meals three times a day."

That could be hard to follow. But the movie shows that this is just the induction phase. Later, the film showed that at least some of the participants were able to successfully transition to a diet less than 100 percent raw food.

This diet works best, Dr. Cousens says, "Because when you cook the food, you lose 50 percent of the protein, 70 to 80 percent of the vitamins and minerals, and close to 100 percent of the phytonutrients."

Let's not challenge those assertions. But personally, the diet that has worked the best for me is its polar opposite, a very low-carbohydrate, high-fat one including meat, yogurt, including even caffeine and a little alcohol.

These diets do, however, share some similarities. Both extremes eschew bread, cooked grains, sugar, and tobacco.

The answer to this puzzle, I think, is the question of moderation. Aristotle taught us the virtue of "moderation in all things." Aristotle was wrong.

When it comes to a successful diabetes diet, "moderation kills," Dr. Cousens writes in his book (page 246). I think that's the best explanation why such different diets as his and those such as used so successfully by patients of Dr. Richard K. Bernstein both work so well.

I loved the movie. See it when you can.