Charissa, 40

Symptoms

The only symptom I had was fatigue. I'd had some weight gain but I thought that was just my body type because I was very fit and active.  It is only after I improved my health and felt so much better, and had more energy, that I could look back and see how tired I felt before my diagnosis.

Diagnosis

 I can't recall my numbers at the time, but my A1C had been increasing steadily and that suggested T2D. I then had a glucose tolerance test, where you drink a sugary drink and test your blood sugar levels after the drink. That was positive for T2DM, so I started to take metformin at that time.

Why did you try remission?

I wouldn't say that I purposely set a goal to achieve remission. I moved to a new town and my new doctor suggested that I make some changes to my diet to try to improve my health. He caught me at the right time for me to actually want to take up that challenge.

What did you do?

We discussed the paleo diet and I agreed to give it a try to see how I felt about it. I recall trying to focus more on what was allowed in that diet rather than on the things that I needed to avoid.

What happened?

I fully embraced the change and was shocked with the results. I had been exercising regularly (hiking and karate mainly) prior to starting the diet with very little change to my weight for a couple of years. I lost about 15lbs in the first month after starting the diet and felt significant gains in my energy and exercise tolerance. With that kind of positive feedback, I continued to strictly adhere to this diet for about 2 years and lost close to 45lbs overall. I even started running and I would never have thought that I'd become a runner in my 30s and 40s. We continued to monitor my A1C and cholesterol. When my A1C got to 4.5%, we decided to discontinue metformin and my cholesterol medication. I continue to monitor both and they continue to be below target. My last A1C was 5.3%.

What are you doing now? 

At this point, I am just trying to maintain a healthy balance of all food groups while controlling portion size. My weight fluctuates a bit more, but I have maintained my increased activity levels and my labs continue to be in a healthy range.

What is your favorite "go-to" meal?

I like to prep enough food for several meals at once. My favourite is to roast a chicken along with some carrots, cauliflower and sweet potatoes. I'll package it up into several portions that I can reheat for meals over the next few days. I try to use herbs and spices to add flavour rather than sauces.

What do you want others to know?

It is possible to turn back the clock and take out a new lease on life and it is worth the effort!

Top tips?

I cut up a bunch of vegetables like fresh peppers, cucumber and carrots ahead of time and store them in the fridge to grab when I'm feeling like I need a quick crunchy or healthy snack. Storing them in an airtight container makes them stay fresh longer.

Charissa is the sole pharmacist in the small remote town of Tumbler Ridge BC, in Northeastern BC. She was a guest on the IPTN "At the Helm" podcast in March 2025 to talk about how that small town of 2700 has been creating a unique, community based program for type 2 diabetes remission. It is a fascinating listen! Find it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6AyCoMTUxtA&t=257s