Liz's FIRE Adventure: "My endocrinologist couldn't believe his eyes"
2020. The year of the pandemic.
Though very mindful of the suffering of others during this time, I felt a deep sense of gratitude for the time spent at home, working online (I lecture at a university), and having so much time with my husband and university going, 22 year-old twin guys. I was in a good place – spiritually, psychologically and had accepted my health situation as just the way it is.
I was 61 and had accepted that ageing was a part of life. I was overweight but had accepted my lot as I came from a family with several obese people. I was a diabetic and had accepted that with loads of medication, my sugars were stable, and if not, I would get more drugs to get sort them out. I felt that I was responsible for my health because I had regular check-ups. I am a third generation asthmatic and took chronic meds to keep my chest clear.
In 2007, I had a major stroke, and although my recovery was nothing short of miraculous, it left me with poor concentration, poor sleep patterns and fear of another episode. I accepted that I would have to take statins and hypertension medication for the rest of my life.
That innocuous WhatsApp that changed my life
October 2020. An innocuous WhatsApp message came my way. The message had something to do with ‘Firing’ Diabetes. I ignored it for several days thinking it was just someone trying to remind me that I was fat and should do something about it. Upon opening and reading the message (because I became curious one day), I read of an online programme called “FIRE DIABETES in 40 days.” My husband was the one who called for more information and who signed me up the day before the programme started.
As for me, I was pretty sure one could not ‘reverse’ diabetes but figured that it couldn’t do me any harm. I had no big expectations of the programme.
Days turned into weeks, weeks into months. The ‘Fire’ journey turned into an adventure as I learned (from medical doctors) the science behind how our bodies work, the reason to keep away from carbs, the diet myths with which we have all grown up, how our minds impact on our wellbeing, while at the same time receiving flexible meal plans and recipes (from a professional and top chef), and learning how to enjoy food (and lots of it).
Experiencing the changes
No one was more surprised than I was when kilograms starting dropping off, energy levels and concentration improved remarkably, and one by one I abandoned medications (3 diabetes ones, asthma ones, the statin and the blood pressure meds) until my ‘medicine bag’ contained nothing but natural supplements, Panado (just for in case) and Glucophage. My 6-monthly blood tests provided evidence of the great things that were, and still are, happening in my body. Prior to completing my ’40 days’ my endocrinologist, upon looking at my blood tests, asked if I had doubled my medication without his knowledge.
It is now 2025. I have come through FIVE Festive seasons, including my birthday on 26 December, I have travelled extensively and have managed to stay on track. I still have loads of energy.
Unexpectedly, my eyesight has improved, so much so, that my optometrist exclaimed that she must have received the incorrect test results and wanted to know what I had been doing since my previous eye test.
On visiting my dentist for a check-up, he asked what had happened since I had last seen him as, for some reason, my gum health had improved dramatically.
Reading a book or doing work on my computer, I marvel at how well I concentrate and can analyse complex ideas. The brain fog has lifted.
The 40-day journey was the beginning of the adventure
It is now just over 4 years since I started on the FIRE for Life journey. My diabetes is in remission, I have healed from a lot of chronic ailments, and I can enjoy life without medication controlling my life.
Even though I had no big expectations of the programme … it is unbelievable how my life has changed since following the FIRE Lifestyle.
BEFORE | Lost 20 kg | AFTER |
11 – 12 | Morning blood sugar | 4,5 |
7,5 | HbA1c | 6,0 |
Increasing diabetic medication | Medication | Off her diabetic and other chronic medication |