DEFEATING diabetes is hard, there is no cure. People diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes can damage their hearts, kidneys, eyes, nerves and hands, and the disorder can also increase your risk of heart attacks and blindness. With the odds stacked against you, avoiding these awful outcomes seems almost impossible. However, one Durban North resident has decided that the impossible is but a state of mind.
Manogran Govender, a consulting civil engineer, recently published his first ever book, titled ‘Defeating Diabetes’.
The 51-year-old was diagnosed with diabetes in March 2002, and soon enrolled in a programme offered by endocrinologists. He followed all the advice given by doctors, dietitians and diabetic nurses, but instead of recovering he found his condition worsened rapidly.
“Thirteen years ago I had faith in the medical profession, but as my condition deteriorated I decided to set off on my own journey of self-discovery. I began researching every book I could find on Type 2 diabetes. I also saw my father and mother-in-law suffer first-hand the effects of the disorder and it made me even more determined to succeed. Through this exploration I found that within two years I was able to control my glucose level to the point of me now having normal blood glucose and glycated hemoglobin level,” he said.
“It required a radical change in my life, and I realised that through my own experiences and through writing this book that nutritional science was lacking in the medical fields. Even our dietitians adopt American requirements when giving out dietary advice,” he said.
Govender added he wrote the book for his children and in the hopes of helping others.
“This wasn’t a financial consideration, writing this book, but it was about leaving a legacy for my children and hoping that it would help other people in similar circumstances. There are no secrets, no miracle cures or magical machines that can help, everyone has a choice to radically change their lifestyle and regain their health by leading a balanced and active lifestyle,” he said.