Book Claims to Have “The Diabetes Cure”

In a new book, “The Diabetes Cure,” author Vern Cherewatenko, MD, claims that an herbal compound, hydroxycitric acid (HCA), coupled with a chromium supplement, plus some serious dieting and exercise, is the cure for type 2 diabetes.

Cherewatenko, a family physician in Renton, Washington, says that HCA, which comes from the brindle berry, helps the muscles to absorb more glucose. When this happens, a “full signal is sent to the brain, resulting in reduced food intake.” Not only are you accomplishing the goal of increasing your insulin sensitivity, says Cherewatenko, but you are also regaining control of your appetite, without any side effects. In “The Diabetes Cure,” he rails against the rising epidemic of type 2 diabetes in America, blaming the Western diet of fatty fast foods and a lack of exercise.

JAMA Disagrees

“HCA reduces cravings for sweets and enhances the effectiveness of the body’s own insulin,” writes Cherewatenko. “Used for years as an herbal alternative to diet drugs, HCA allows the muscles of the body to absorb more glucose.” And, best of all, for Cherewatenko, there are no side effects. He backs up these claims with scientific research and case studies.

After 10 years of research, Cherewatenko claims, HCA has shown no side effects in animals or humans. In one study, after 8 weeks of taking HCA before meals, people lost an average of 11 pounds, while those on a placebo lost only four pounds.

Other researchers found little effect from HCA. In another study, published in The Journal of the American Medical Association, researchers discovered that patients taking HCA and patients taking a placebo both lost a significant amount of weight, and “between-group weight-loss differences were not statistically significant.”

Nonetheless, Cherewatenko stands by HCA’s powers, along with another key supplement, chromium.

Chromium and HCA

A type 2 himself, Cherewatenko prescribes a “one-two punch” of HCA and chromium. Chromium has been demonstrated in independent studies to increase insulin sensitivity and muscle mass, plus reduce cholesterol and triglyceride levels in people with diabetes.

9-Step Process

The secret to “The Diabetes Cure,” according to Cherewatenko, is a nine-step process:

  1. Seeing your physician for a thorough consultation and examination.
  2. Following your physician’s guidance while taking HCA.
  3. Preparing yourself for lifestyle changes.
  4. Exercising daily.
  5. Eating a healthy diet from which you do not stray.
  6. Fighting oxidation with vitamin supplements.
  7. Staying stress free.
  8. Monitoring your blood glucose daily.
  9. Pursuing a positive attitude.

Besides his outline of the cure, much of Cherewatenko’s book is an overview of diabetes and its complications. “The Diabetes Cure” is published by Cliff Street Books/HarperCollins.

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