Fast fix for diabetes?

[galexinda]

Indeed there has been a great success in recent years eg The 8 Week Blood Sugar Diet (Michael Mosley), a clinical trial at Newcastle University and last week there was a programme which highlighted the positive effect patients following the advice of a GP in Southport (Dr David Unwin) are having not only with diabetes but with other health issues. My main concern is that in this television programme the use of vitamin and mineral shakes to provide the 800 calories is very restrictive from a lifestyle aspect and it will be interesting to see the outcome a year or two later.

[mikesjn]

This is the rapid version, just look up Dr Aseem Malhotra, he wrote the Pioppi Diet and is a sugar tax advocate in the UK, also a consultant heart surgeon. I read about what he was saying about 31/2 years ago (before his book came out.) and it is all about reducing carbs, refined ones in particular. I personally went cold turkey, cut out crisps (a staple for me), bread, added sugar, virtually all convenience food and all fizzy drinks except fizzy water. I am not a great drinker, had a few glasses of wine a week ago and nothing else since the new year. I now do a lot of walking and cycling and I have lost 7 stones, 10 inches from my waist and I have had a total lifestyle change. I have gone from borderline T2 diabetic (I actually was but managed to persuade the doctor to give me a few months before medication.), high cholesterol, very high blood pressure to everything is in the normal range. Now I wouldn't dream of eating and drinking the rubbish I had before, a fizzy sugared drink tasted foul last time I had one, like a mixture of citrus Flash and sugar.
It works and it is that simple, my weight gain was caused by a long term bad diet and lack of exercise, that put strain on my body. My doctor still keeps going on about statins, which when I say "Why?" his answer boils down to the fact I am over 50.

[Firefly]

Mike

Surely if you're fit and well, maintaining your weight, and have a healthy diet, why would your G.P. put you on statins ? I cannot take them it makes me ill, MOH was on statins, he had bad side effects as well, so he no longer takes them. I think they are pushed too much personally.

Jackie

[Anarita John]

5x heart bypass. Suspected heart attack which turned out to be a very bad angina attack which would not go away. Blue lighted to Local Hospital in Wales on New Years Eve, 2016. I then waited till after the bank holiday for an angiogram where they found blockages. Initially was supposed to have a triple heart bypass but ended up having 5.

Big wakeup call. From being a heavy smoker, and I mean heavy, I quit. Also, from being a heavy drinker, I only now drink socially, perhaps once a week in Cyprus and almost never in UK. When I came out of hospital I slowly walked a little bit more each day, from to the end of our drive, to the promenade and then the golf club which is 1 mile away and eventually to the little church at Rhos.
I also started cycling again. Physios said I did not need rehab, as I was doing more myself. Last summer, which was still the 1st year after my op, I walked around the North Wales Coast, from Chester to Beaumaris on Anglesey. I also cycled the same distance, one day from Llandudno to Chester and the next from Llandudno to Anglesey. This year I have already started my walk around Anglesey.

When we are in Cyprus, I walk daily and, when it is cooler, combine this with rides on my bike, and during the warm weather, swims in the pool.

My blood sugar levels have now come down to pre diabetic levels. I am still on metformin but only 2, 500g tablets daily. I take statins, a high dose because of my history, but the doctor is going to revue these. I have never felt as fit or been as light, having lost around three stone. I just wish now I had looked after myself when I was younger. I regard myself as being very lucky and am very thankful to the doctors at Liverpool Heart and Chest Hospital (Broadgreen) for giving me a new lease of life, which I am determined to make the most of.

[smudger]

Well done John and keep it up!!

[darrow]

This is not new. "Traditional medicine" are only just waking up to restricted diets and how they can reverse health issues but they are well known in "alternative, ho!istic, natural" circles. As I understand it, there is no need to stay on the restricted diet once your liver and pancreas start working properly. However You do need to eat healthily! When the pancreas has an overload of fat in and around it, it is unable to control insulin. That is what I have read, and people have been well years down the line. Good to see modern medicine opening the doors to alternatives to pills and potions!

[PaphosAL]

Congrats, John! You are a shining beacon for others to follow!

Are you sure your Metformin dose is really 2x 500g tablets, though?

AL

[Anarita John]

Al, should be mg, sorry. Imagine what my luggage bill would be on sleazy with a supply of metformin for 2 months, at 1kg a day

Swam almost a mile today at Ladies Mile Beach. I could not have done that before my operation. In fact, I had to take my spray before even getting in the water as the strain of walking in water used to bring on my angina.

I am no super athlete but just do everything slowly. I can maintain a speed of 3mph walking on the flat for a few hours now, whereas a year ago I struggled at 2mph and had to keep resting because of muscle pain. Even after a mile walk I used to struggle getting back into the car.