‘I feel better than ever’

For a long time, Wim Tilburgs suffered from diabetes and obesity, and had no quality of life. That is, until he decided to turn his life around. Now he’s founded Stichting Je Leefstijl als Medicijn (Your Lifestyle as Medicine Foundation) to help others battle these diseases. He believes that healthy eating, passion and motivation are essential.   

‘I’ll never forget the day my son came to me and said: “Dad, if you keep going like this, you won’t be around to see me graduate.” Those words felt like a punch in the gut. I’d had diabetes for a while, suffered from obesity, was struggling with a burnout and had post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) following a UN mission in Lebanon. I could barely walk 500 metres. 

‘That was the moment I decided to drastically change my lifestyle, even though six years ago I had no idea that you could conquer diabetes. It didn’t matter to me right then. I had a conviction, a goal and a mission. I’d had enough of the misery I’d been in for the past ten years.

‘In 2005 I had to resign from my job due to a burnout. Partly as a result of participating in the peace mission to Lebanon, I suffered from PTSD. I also had type 2 diabetes. I had to take insulin several times a day, so I gained more and more weight. Despite exercising three times a day, I ended up weighing 125 kilos. My quality of life was gone.

‘After hearing my son’s words, I decided to investigate how the body manages energy, and started studying the online literature on how your lifestyle influences your health. Partly due to this exploration, and to contact with leading doctors and scientists, I discovered that my condition was caused by a combination of extremely high stress levels, chronic lack of sleep and a poor diet full of refined carbohydrates and sugars.   

‘Wherever possible, I did away with bread, pasta, potatoes and rice, and replaced them with meat, fish, eggs, cheese and leafy vegetables. Within just a few days I decided to stop taking insulin. I also noticed that my energy levels were way up, and I felt the need to get moving in order to expend that energy. I started going for walks, and got on my bike instead of using the car. It seems almost impossible, but within three months I’d lost 40 kilos. 

‘I can now say that I feel better than ever, and feel it’s my responsibility to share my story. A million people in the Netherlands suffer from diabetes, and I can help them through Stichting Je Leefstijl als Medicijn. I’ve also worked with Ancora Health to develop a programme aimed at conquering diabetes. I’m the living proof that it’s possible.

‘A healthy diet is a key component. When I started, I looked at everything I ate to see what it contained. I don’t need to do that any more, because I basically no longer buy any food that is processed or comes in packages or packets. I live by the motto ‘eat real food’. And after hearing my son’s words, I knew why I was doing it.

‘My diabetes is gone, and now I want to help others banish theirs too. No matter how hopeless your situation seems, you can do it, as long as you are passionate and motivated. Look at me. It was late, but never too late.’

Author: Wim Tilburgs, personally experienced specialist, founder of Stichting Je Leefstijl als Medicijn and Ancora Health E-consultant
Editing: Guus Peters