Type 2 diabetes

[nick]

Just a heads up for any other type 2's on here.

 

Not being one who likes to take what the quacks say to me at face value I decided to do a bit of digging around to see how to deal with too much sugar in my blood.

 

I suspect that like me many other type 2 diabetics will have been fed the it's a life time condition, with no "cure" and just eat a healthy diet high in fibre, fruit and vegetables and low in fat, salt and sugar and take the meds for the rest of your days.

 

Well there is some very interesting research from Newcastle University that fundamentally disagrees with just about all the normal advice and says that Type 2 can be cured!

 

As I'm not a doctor I most certainly do not offer any advice to anyone regarding their health, but thought I would share the link to the Newcastle website and research. http://www.ncl.ac.uk/magres/research/diabetes/reversal.htm

 

Just six weeks ago after ignoring another piece of advice from my doctor that type 2's don't need to use a meter to check their blood glucose levels I bought a meter and started checking what was flowing through my veins.

 

My average reading at that time was 24mmol/L which horrified me so in addition to the exercise regime I mentioned in another post four weeks ago I started on the "Newcastle diet" too.

 

Since then I have lost a stone, my 90 day avg blood glucose is now 12.7mmol/L 30 day is 10.4mmol/L 14 day is 9.3 mmol/L and 7 day average is 8.2 mmol/L.

 

Regular pre-meal levels and around 5mmol/L.

 

As I am still on the diet I have on a few occasions tried a carb rich meal just to test what happens. The blood glucose does a bit of a spike, typically by about 4mmol/L one hour after eating, but then is usually back to within 1mmol/L of the pre-meal reading after 4 hours.

 

I actually feel well in a way I haven't done for over ten years.

 

So take a look at the research, talk to your doctor, and if you think it's for you, the very best of luck.

[Steve Walker]

There has been some controversy about the resident doctor on the US reality show The Biggest Loser describing formerly morbidly obese contestants as having "cured" their diabetes with radical lifestyle change and massive weight loss. No doubt "cured" is a loaded term, but it certainly does appear that in many cases these people have become asymptomatic.

 

Interview with the doctor from that show here;

 

http://www.dietsinreview.com/diet_column/03/biggest-loser-cures-diabetes-ahead-of-what-standard-medicine-can-achieve/

Edited May 24, 2013 by Steve Walker

[Newt]

Good news indeed Nick and happy to hear its working for you.

 

The article speaks of it being reversed though, rather than cured, which means if you put the weight back on the condition will probably show up again after a while.

 

"I actually feel well in a way I haven't done for over ten years."

That has to be exciting. High sugars lead to some level of acidosis (blood pH being too acidic) which among other effects tends to slow the body down a bit and some long time diabetics have become so accustomed to the slow down that getting back to normal makes them feel uncomfortably "jazzed up" for a while until they adjust. Glad that wasn't the case with you and that "normal" makes you feel good.

[Sportsman]

Interesting stuff Nick

I am a type 2 sufferer as well. my problem is that disability means exercise is difficult. The other problem is that the medication I take (metformin) makes me want to eat. I'm not particularly overweight (14 stone 4 pounds at 6 foot) so substantial weight loss is difficult.

By being careful with my diet and monitoring my glucose levels regularly I have actually reduced the amount of medication I take each day.

I know that increasing exercise would be a good idea and I looking at ways that I can do this. Maybe more work is needed on the diet, very difficult with all the patisseries around here.

[Phone]

Nick,

 

The psychological confidence in any new human endevor is critical. I'm glad it is working for you.

 

Newcastle University study, funded by Diabetes UKcopy, examined 11 people with diabetes who slashed their food intake to 800 calories per day for 8 weeks.

 

I an a type II diabetic and if I lost 1 stone in a month my Dr. would put me in the hospital. Equally I consume 2200 calories a day (with the addition of suppliments) just to hold my own.

 

Phone

 

OTOH Wednesday I had a colonoscopy and lost 1 stone 1 pound in one day. Dr. said he always knew I was full of CHIT!!

[Colin Brett]

Sounds great, but my problem is I am always, that's always, hungry.

 

 

The more exercise I seem to do the hungrier I feel. I'm thinking of hypnotherapy.

 

I take metformin as a supplement to my supposed diet but the Doctor wants to put me on Insulin which I don't want to do. I was put on something extra to the metformin but immediately suffered hypos.

 

There's no hope.