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Mercy internist Dr. Dana Simpler

Mercy Internist Dr. Dana Simpler Discusses "Woman's Health Myths," Patient Cures Type 2 Diabetes With Lifestyle Changes, Diet

Millions of Americans have type 2 diabetes, and many more are at high risk for the disease, according to the American Diabetes Association.

But some are saying the old adage that you have type 2 diabetes for life is a myth, and one woman says she's living proof of it.

Several years ago, Karen McRae was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes and thought she was stuck with it for life.

"I felt pretty bad about it. I thought there was no other way to beat it and that I would just have to deal with it the rest of my life," she said.

According to Mercy Medical Center internist Dr. Dana Simpler, that's just not accurate.

"You can cure it, in many cases, with diet and exercise, and I have patients who have done that," Dr. Simpler said.

McRae is one of them. She said her numbers have continued to look good. It's been six years since she was first diagnosed, and she's completely in remission.

She credits her father, who also had diabetes, as her inspiration.

"As soon as he was diagnosed, he came home and put a diet that the doctor had given him up on the kitchen wall, and he followed that diet to a T," McRae said.

Besides improving her diet, McRae said she walks as much as she can.

"I don't have a car, so I walk a lot, and I have a dog that I walk three times a day," she said.

"I'm so proud of Karen because she really took to heart the advice that, if she exercised and she lost weight and she dieted, her diabetes could go away, and it did," Dr. Simpler said.

Dr. Simpler also noted that the Mediterranean diet is a good diet to follow to lose weight. To view Dr. Simpler’s interview with WBAL-TV11, click this link: http://www.wbaltv.com/womansdoctor/27909696/detail.html.