“I have stayed on the diet. I bought fresh food and oatmeal on the way home from the seminar,” e-mailed Mark. “I am off all diabetes medicines. I thank God for what you all did for me. I have signed up for an SDA Bible course.” Mark was a participant in the second Reversing Diabetes, Obesity & Heart Disease Naturally (RDOH) seminar held in the L.A. area in February. He and other participants indicate that the two key seminar principles, “Eat whole plant foods whole, and walk, walk, walk” continue to resonate.

Sponsored by the Southern California Conference with Loma Linda University, Glendale Adventist and White Memorial medical centers and Weimar Institute, the event drew a number of health professionals as well as individuals seeking assistance with health issues.

Since the seminar, a support-team list has been circulated, offering lifestyle phone and e-mail support from health professionals who attended, and blog input from a Toronto dietician who attended the seminar prior to coordinating RDOH seminars in Canada. A promotional blog shifted immediately afterward to receive participants’ posts. Early blog and e-mail response revealed strong enthusiasm for practicing seminar principles: “I have been practicing the vegan lifestyle, and my sugar has never been lower,” wrote Cathy. “More importantly, I discontinued the medication I was taking to lower the blood sugar (with a doctor’s OK) and made a decision to try harder to keep it under control with the right foods and exercise. I walk as much as I can, and now that I know why I got diabetes, it’s easier to stay on track”

“I can now walk seven city blocks with ease, and I walk seven blocks each day after work. I now eat a complete breakfast and very little dinner,” Beverly e-mailed. “I have a lot more energy and can breathe deeply. The seminar is a ‘must continue.’”

Milton Teske, M.D., depicted how diabetes and heart disease occur, then detailed how disease processes can be reversed by following the seminar’s two key principles. Lorayne Barton, M.D., presented examples illustrating how good food choices can result in a satisfying dining experience as well as better nutrition. Presentations on fitness by Don Hanson, president of Weimar College, had the added influence of Hanson’s own active lifestyle. Rolene Hanson and the couple’s granddaughter, Tayler Hanson, provided mouthwatering cooking demonstrations.

To access the RDOH blog, visit lifestylenut.wordpress.com. For further information, e-mail bcooney818@sbcglobal.net.