By Steve, on Virta for 4 months
I have been employed by SAIC as a Senior Modeling/Simulation Engineer for 20 years, and for over 15 of those, I have had type 2 diabetes. I describe my daily dealings with my blood glucose numbers as a “silent mystery.” Even though I was able to maintain my A1c below the diabetic level for years through diet and exercise, diabetes constantly hovered in the background. Then about 5 years ago, everything changed.
My diet and exercise routine seemed to lose its touch, and in order to maintain the same numbers, I had to add a number of medications, including metformin, Trulicity, and Jardiance. I also took some statins and other preventative medications, all adding up to a “cocktail” of eight pills every morning, and I hated having to take every single one. I felt very “blah” most days, and I hated seeing myself turn into a grumpy old man.
At the beginning of 2021, SAIC announced that Virta’s type 2 diabetes reversal treatment was being added as a 100% covered benefit for employees, and while I had never heard of Virta, the idea of reversing diabetes got my attention. I began to do my research and learn what Virta was all about and what I would have to do to achieve “reversal.” I was honestly surprised to learn that I could teach my body to heal itself by essentially doing the opposite of what I have previously thought “healthy eating habits” to be.
It took me a bit of time to think about it and process the fact that I may need to give up beer and bread. In the end, though, after a few weeks of self-reflection, I decided it was worth it to improve my health, so I signed up.
Once I got started, I met my Virta health coach, Adan, and he has walked alongside me during this journey, providing guidance on food, activities, and offering continuous support when I needed to talk through my progress or vent about cravings. But even before I made any adjustments to my diet, Adan introduced me to the extensive library of articles and information through Virta’s app, which gave me step-by-step guidance on how to make these adjustments in a way that will keep me satisfied and sticking with it.
The positive results definitely help me stay the course. Within just a week on Virta, I had already started to see meaningful changes. Two months later, my blood glucose numbers, which used to sit around 120-150 mg/dL, had stabilized to an average of 95. And because I did this naturally by learning how to make the right food choices, I stopped needing some of the medications I had been on, including Jardiance and Trulicity. I was even able to cut my metformin dosage in half!
Since I started, I’ve lost over 12 pounds, which has improved the inflammation in my joints and helps me sleep better. I have a better outlook on things, and my attitude has improved. I just simply feel good daily! Though I started Virta with the intention of improving my physical health, I certainly appreciate the “side effect” of a happier life all around.
I won’t say that doing Virta is necessarily easy, as nothing could be easier than doing nothing. However, if you have type 2 diabetes and want to make a meaningful change that will profoundly improve your health, give Virta a chance. The results you can achieve will be well worth the effort.
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