[Albion] I've done it, i've reversed my diabetes

[thedonkeycentrehalf]

Congrats to [MENTION=12283]GM98[/MENTION]

I had put on a load of weight after my knee replacement. Didn't realise quite how much until I went for a check for something minor at the doctors and he did a quick health check as I hadn't been in for a while.

Although not diabetic, he said if I didn't lose some weight then it was highly likely that I would become diabetic. At the same time, we had something at work asking for volunteers to join and NHS backed pilot for a new programme - https://www.ourpath.co.uk/

I had heard that a seriously overweight colleague had lost over 5st on this so thought I would give it a go. To start with it is a bit Atkins like but the main thing is to try and get rid of the addictive habits often linked to food - primarily sugar. When the initial diet week tells me I can have bacon and scrambled eggs for breakfast and the snack of choice are pork scratchings it didn't seem so bad. They then teach you to balance your meals so you can still have carbs but understand what works well and what you should avoid. It is not just diet based - it is also about lifestyle changes as well.

I have been following this for nearly four months now and have lost 2st 6lb so far and that includes the Christmas period. This is a steady weight loss so more sustainable and I am down one size in jeans and about to go down to a second. I know of a few others who have followed this and all have had decent results about not only losing weight but sustaining it.

The key for me has been the sugar. It was hard at first but I have always had sweet things since being a kid - a penguin or similar in my school packed lunch, a treat here and there. Having no sugar for a week was hard - especially when you see how much food has added sugar - but after that first week, the cravings were gone. I have a little dark chocolate (85% cocoa) as a treat but have no desire to eat the sweets and cakes around the office.

Different plans work for different people but this was great for me. I know people who have tried Slimming World but the concept of treats doesn't help everyone and can lead people back into bad habits rather than breaking the cycle.

 

[GM98]

My doctor told me that I shouldnt go to less than 1600 per day as it would cause a possible heart attack.

Well stick to 1600, I reckon it would have the same results but would take longer. From what I understand the pancreas stops supplying enough insulin when covered in fat, this normally happens when you put on weight around your waist.

Visceral fat is body fat that is stored within the abdominal cavity and is therefore stored around a number of important internal organs such as the liver, pancreas and intestines. ... Storing higher amounts of visceral fat is associated with increased risks of a number of health problems including type 2 diabetes.

It might be worth having a read of the following. If you do decide to do it, do it with medical supervision, I did.

https://www.diabetes.co.uk/body/visceral-fat.html

 

[Garage_Doors]

Nowhere near as good, but i was diagnosed last year as borderline diabetic with a count of 47, 48 is type 2 diabetic so was termed pre diabetic which knocked me for six, completely changed my diet, basically stopped eating anything with sugar in and lost 3 stone in just a few months, next test 3 months later has a count of 42 and 6 moth after it got down to 39 which is classed as normal.
But still regards myself as being diabetic and eat/ drink accordingly.

 

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

Isn’t this remission?

I have type1 diabetes, and my doctor tells me there’s only one cure.

Type 1 and type 2 - different beasts.....sorry.

 

[BRIGHT ON Q]

Great effort.
What are your diet plans from now on?

 

[Wardy's twin]

Hi all, especially those with type 2 diabetes. I was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes 3 and half years ago. 9 months ago on my annual check up the diabetes nurse suggested I start to take statins. I said no I would look for an alternative, I read a lot and came across an article from Newcastle University which said a group of 11 people under medical supervision did 600 calories a day for 12 weeks using a powder similar to Slimfast meal replacements. 8 of the the people reversed their diabetes.

Later I found a 2nd study using the same meal replacement powders, this time Newcastle University increased the calories to 800, but only over 8 weeks, all subjects reversed their diabetes.

I decided to give it go after talking to my GP and started on 1st January 2018, as you can't really do it over Christmas, I did the powders for 3 days and decided it wasn't for me, so I just ate 800 calories per day (well most days) I've lost 2stone 5lbs.

I had my diabetes test yesterday, and today I had a call from my doctor who was really excited to tell me I had reversed the diabetes.

If anyone wants any info to help them or someone they know I'm here to help.

What a day, no diabetes and Albion 10th

Well done ....this is a good news story that the NHS really should be pushing.I for one would be interested in details of your diet over that period as although I don't have diabetes my father developed it later in life and I am overweight which means I am in the likely to probable range.

 

[GM98]

Great effort.
What are your diet plans from now on?

It's odd I've changed from wanting to eat to needing to eat (a bit like when you are a child). I'm no longer hungry all the time, I'll have to increase the calories otherwise I'll keep losing the weight, I had a cheese sandwich tonight and had planned to have a few drinks, although in the end I didn't feel I needed or wanted to.

 

[GM98]

Well done ....this is a good news story that the NHS really should be pushing.I for one would be interested in details of your diet over that period as although I don't have diabetes my father developed it later in life and I am overweight which means I am in the likely to probable range.

Interesting you mention the NHS, my doctor has asked me to give motivational talks with the "Desmond Team" who help newly diagnosed diabetes patients, something I'm really looking forward to doing.

 

[GM98]

Well done ....this is a good news story that the NHS really should be pushing.I for one would be interested in details of your diet over that period as although I don't have diabetes my father developed it later in life and I am overweight which means I am in the likely to probable range.

Hi, I'm more than happy to have a chat with you and let you know what I've learnt etc, only thing I've just finished one long call on the subject, so if you could send me a private message with your phone number I'll try and call you on Sunday.

 

[Shropshire Seagull]

Just to be clear - we need to clarify some key diabetic facts here ....

It's carbs and not calories that are the diabetic's main concern - carbs come from all the 'oses - sucrose, maltose, glucose, lactose & fructose
Calories - 1 gram of carb contains 4 calories - 1 gram of protein also contains 4 calories - 1 gram of fat contains 9 calories. If you look at the food label [I spend my life doing this] and do the maths, you'll see how the KCal adds up close to the above formula.

Insulin converts glucose in the blood [from carbs eaten] to enter in to the muscles and liver to store as glycogen. Without insulin the glucose remains in the blood stream = high blood sugar and all the long term diabetic complications that may arise from this.

Here's the important bit - the difference:

A type 1 diabetic's pancreas has irreversibly and completely stopped producing ANY insulin - they need to inject insulin or they will die from ketoacidosis. I inject insulin at least 4 times per day - once with a slow release background [basal] insulin and then a fast-acting [bolus] insulin every time I eat carbs. The insulin dose is calculated on a grams of carbs per unit of insulin each time - so I have to know how much carb there is in everything I eat to try and control my blood sugar level with the required insulin dose.

Type 2 diabetes is very different - these peeps are still producing their own insulin but their bodies have become resistant to its effects causing glucose to remain in the blood stream. The cause of the resistance is the key and most commonly this is a combination of poor diet [too many carbs], overweight [BMI over 25] and lack of exercise. Fix all of these and there is every chance the insulin will once again be able to process the carbs to maintain a normal blood sugar level. This is not really remission as the problem is fixed, but the diabetic symptoms could return if the diet / weight / exercise becomes poor again - but the wake-up call may prevent this.

So, if you go on a zero carb diet [like Atkins] as a type 2 diabetic you will be able to [potentially] reverse diabetes but zero carbs for a type 1 can be lethal. This is because when there are no carbs in the system the body turns to fat burn for its energy [great for weight-loss] and in fat-burn mode ketones are created as a waste product. For a type 2, their own insulin will usually manage the keytones, for type 1's, without any insulin in their body, the ketones will build up as a poisonous toxin in the body eventually leading to death by ketoacidosis (KDA).

Sorry to have waffled on a bit - hope some of you found this useful. I have recently completed the STILE course on type 1 diabetes so happy to share some of my newly acquired knowledge on top of the 27 years of living with type 1 diabetes with NSC chums.

 

[RM-Taylor]

Lucky bugger - I'm still cursed with Type 1 and have been now for 26 finger-pricking & injection stabbing years ....

You mentioned a low calorie diet - specifically for diabetics, it's not calories that are critical, its the carbohydrates.
So low or no carbs means low or no insulin requirements - which for type 2 diabetics is not a problem - for type 1's this simply doesn't work as the only insulin we get must be injected and if we stop taking any insulin, Keytoacidosis will quickly kill us.

So, I'm very envious ....

Isn’t this remission?

I have type1 diabetes, and my doctor tells me there’s only one cure.

T1D here also, 18 years in May. Have either of you got or been on the trial for the Libre?

 

[DJ NOBO]

If you want to lose weight, give up the booze.

 

[GM98]

If you want to lose weight, give up the booze.

Very true I've had no alcohol since I started the diet as this was stated on the original Newcastle University diet.

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

Very true I've had no alcohol since I started the diet as this was stated on the original Newcastle University diet.

Congratulations on a great achievement. Can I ask what you do for vitamins? Can't see any mentions of fruit/veg other than rice in your posts.

 

[GM98]

Congratulations on a great achievement. Can I ask what you do for vitamins? Can't see any mentions of fruit/veg other than rice in your posts.

I ate a lot of fruit and veg as it's low in calories and fat and high in vitamins. I also had one high level of vitamin c tablet per day 1000mg from Asda. Also one Red Kooga Korean Ginseng with multi vitamins from Holland & Barrett this seems to have everything I need. Careful if you buy It, there are 2 versions, the cheaper version has all the multi vitamins whereas the more expensive one dose not.
One thing I also did was to eat a lot of the food with crushed Chillies, for some reason I always felt more full when doing this.

 

[DJ NOBO]

Very true I've had no alcohol since I started the diet as this was stated on the original Newcastle University diet.

Good work . Great news to hear you’re getting well. You’ve earned it.

 

[deslynhamsmoustache1]

Just to be clear - we need to clarify some key diabetic facts here ....

It's carbs and not calories that are the diabetic's main concern - carbs come from all the 'oses - sucrose, maltose, glucose, lactose & fructose
Calories - 1 gram of carb contains 4 calories - 1 gram of protein also contains 4 calories - 1 gram of fat contains 9 calories. If you look at the food label [I spend my life doing this] and do the maths, you'll see how the KCal adds up close to the above formula.

Insulin converts glucose in the blood [from carbs eaten] to enter in to the muscles and liver to store as glycogen. Without insulin the glucose remains in the blood stream = high blood sugar and all the long term diabetic complications that may arise from this.

Here's the important bit - the difference:

A type 1 diabetic's pancreas has irreversibly and completely stopped producing ANY insulin - they need to inject insulin or they will die from ketoacidosis. I inject insulin at least 4 times per day - once with a slow release background [basal] insulin and then a fast-acting [bolus] insulin every time I eat carbs. The insulin dose is calculated on a grams of carbs per unit of insulin each time - so I have to know how much carb there is in everything I eat to try and control my blood sugar level with the required insulin dose.

Type 2 diabetes is very different - these peeps are still producing their own insulin but their bodies have become resistant to its effects causing glucose to remain in the blood stream. The cause of the resistance is the key and most commonly this is a combination of poor diet [too many carbs], overweight [BMI over 25] and lack of exercise. Fix all of these and there is every chance the insulin will once again be able to process the carbs to maintain a normal blood sugar level. This is not really remission as the problem is fixed, but the diabetic symptoms could return if the diet / weight / exercise becomes poor again - but the wake-up call may prevent this.

So, if you go on a zero carb diet [like Atkins] as a type 2 diabetic you will be able to [potentially] reverse diabetes but zero carbs for a type 1 can be lethal. This is because when there are no carbs in the system the body turns to fat burn for its energy [great for weight-loss] and in fat-burn mode ketones are created as a waste product. For a type 2, their own insulin will usually manage the keytones, for type 1's, without any insulin in their body, the ketones will build up as a poisonous toxin in the body eventually leading to death by ketoacidosis (KDA).

Sorry to have waffled on a bit - hope some of you found this useful. I have recently completed the STILE course on type 1 diabetes so happy to share some of my newly acquired knowledge on top of the 27 years of living with type 1 diabetes with NSC chums.

My daughter is type 1 and her teachers at school just don't get it. As this is by far the best layman explanation I've ever read I will print it off(with your permission) and will be giving them a copy - kind of reverse homework
Thank you.

 

[Franks Wild Years]

Nice one fella, good work.

 

[withdeanwombat]

T1D here also, 18 years in May. Have either of you got or been on the trial for the Libre?

Ah, the Libre. It’s a system sort of like a bar code stuck to the skin which allows one to scan for blood sugar level and tell whether it is rising or falling. The pin pricking monitors don’t do this, so it’s a big improvement. Sadly, it’s expensive, and my health authority told me the hoops I’d need to negotiate ( number 1, I have to ask for it!). The hoops continued until I failed so I was told to ask the hospital specialist if I could be made an exception as I only failed on my bmi being a smidgeon too high.....though as an insulin dependent diabetic of 45 years standing, I’ll probably get the equivalent of the Gallic shrug, or computer says no when I get the chance to ask. I’ve reached my three score years and ten, as well, so I’m willing to accept that there are probably needier patients, and continue to be a total prick-er.

 

[SeagullDubai]

Well done.. The timing of your post could not have been better for me as I have just been diagnosed with type 2 on Thursday. This came completely out of the blue and had only been discovered due to a blood test for Cholesterol. Thanks for the inspiration. Its good to know this illness can be reversed.

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