At 65, Jim Bellas has lived a life many people would envy. With an Executive Leadership role of a global medical company, he travelled all over the world. For years, he spent most of his life on planes and in hotels, dining in some of the world’s finest restaurants. But behind the high-flying corporate lifestyle, years of erratic eating, long hours and disrupted sleep slowly took their toll on his health. Diagnosed with type 2 diabetes in 2010, Jim eventually developed severe pancreatitis and was told he would likely need increasing amounts of insulin. Today, after discovering the Defeat Diabetes Program, his HbA1c has dropped from 10.2% to 6.3%, his pancreatic function has improved dramatically, and his doctor described him as ‘the poster boy for diabetes!’

“I’m one of seven kids. My dad was from Greece and a cook by trade, so food was always important in our family. We grew up eating a Mediterranean-style diet with lots of vegetables, olives and fresh foods. 

“When I entered the corporate world, though, life changed completely. For about ten years, I was travelling 26 days out of every month -  Paris, New York, London - staying in incredible hotels and going out for expensive dinners with clients. It sounds glamorous, and in many ways it was, but the lifestyle was very hard on the body.

“Meals were erratic, sleep was erratic, and although I always tried to stay active, the routine just wasn’t there.

“Around 2010, I started feeling sluggish. My days felt hazy, and I just didn’t have the clarity I used to. My GP ran some tests, and my HbA1c came back at 6.6%. With diabetes running heavily in my family (four siblings have it, and both my mum and dad did too), the diagnosis wasn’t entirely surprising.

“I started on metformin, stopped drinking alcohol and focused more on my lifestyle. I’m 6’3” and have never really been overweight, but I did have a bit to lose. For years, I managed things reasonably well with medication, but my blood glucose levels kept creeping up.

“Eventually, my fasting blood glucose reached 10.2, and I was referred to an endocrinologist who discovered something even more serious was happening. I had severe pancreatitis and was only producing about five units of insulin. The normal range is 19-40.

“That meant I needed to start injecting insulin. I started at 16 units a day, and the expectation was that it would increase over time.

“Instead of accepting that, I focused on exercise. Every single night, I walked for an hour, rain or shine. If the weather was terrible, I’d even walk laps inside a shopping centre. I was covering six or seven kilometres a day.

“I started noticing the difference almost immediately. My endocrinologist told me most people aim to stay within the 3.9 to 10 range for their blood glucose levels about 60% of the time. I managed to get my readings in range 99% of the time.

“At one point, I saw a pancreatic surgeon who reviewed my scans and said, ‘Your pancreas has gone smooth. Whatever you’re doing, keep doing it!’

“I discovered Defeat Diabetes about 18 months ago, and it helped me fit the final pieces of the puzzle.

“One of the biggest realisations was how much sugar I was having in my coffee. I drink seven or eight coffees a day, and I’d always taken them with sugar without really thinking about it. When I switched to monk fruit instead, I suddenly realised I’d been consuming around 30 grams of sugar a day just from coffee alone!

“That one change made a huge difference. It also made me much more aware of how sugar hides in everyday foods, especially things like bakery items and pastries. Once you start paying attention, you realise how quickly it all adds up.

“I also started using a continuous glucose monitor, which has been incredibly helpful. It shows you instantly how different foods affect your blood glucose. Seeing that data really helps you understand what works for your body.”

“Then recently, something remarkable happened. My glucose levels started dropping too low, sometimes into the threes. I called my endocrinologist, and he told me to immediately cut my insulin in half.

“After more tests, we discovered my pancreas was producing insulin again, around 25 units. He looked at the results and said, ‘You’re basically not diabetic anymore. You’re the poster boy for diabetes.’

“My HbA1c has come down from 10.2% to 6.3%, I’ve now come off insulin completely, and the pancreatitis has cleared up. I feel clearer in my thinking, have more energy, and I’m exercising every day, walking at night, lifting weights and doing pool exercises.”

“My advice to anyone thinking about improving their health is to get a doctor who understands low carb nutrition, use tools like a continuous glucose monitor so you can see what foods affect you, and follow the structured Defeat Diabetes Program.

“When you think about the cost of medications, doctor visits and long-term complications, the program is far cheaper in the long run. More importantly, it gives you back control of your health.”