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Diabetes:canyoureallyeattobeatit?
RichardDoughty Saturday23April201610.30BST

Justoverfouryearsago,myGPgavemeunwelcomenews:Ihadtype2diabetes.Iwasshocked.Ididnt
matchthestereotypicalpatientprofileofanoverweightcouchpotato.Aged59,Iwasthin,fitand5ft7intall,
drankfrugally,wentrunningeveryweekandweighedjust10st7lb.Theoutlookwasnotgood,withtherisk
ofheartattacks,strokes,blindness,amputationsanda36%greaterchanceofdyingearly.Ithought,this
cantbehappeningtometherehastobeawaythrough.Istartedtrawlingthewebforinformationand
unearthedareportaboutaresearchtrialatNewcastleUniversity,ledbyProfessorRoyTaylor.

Theresultssuggestedyoucouldreversetype2withadaily800caloriedietforeightweeks,dependingon
howquicklyandhowmuchweightyouneedtolose.Taylorsteamdiscoveredthattype2iscausedbyfat
cloggingupthepancreas,preventingitfromproducingsufficientinsulintocontrolbloodsugarlevel.They
calculatedyouneedtoreduceyourprediagnosisbodyweightbyasixthtostarveyourbodyintousingup
theroguefatlodgedinyourpancreasandallowittofunctionnormally.Thebodydoesnotlikeanyfatlying
aroundinthepancreas,soitconsumesthatfirst,saysTaylor.Thedaily800caloriedietcompriseseither
three200gliquidfoodsupplementsofsoupsandshakes,and200gofnonstarchyvegetablesorthetastier
800gequivalentofcalorieshymealsyoumeasureoutyourself,plus23litresofwater.

Itsoundedtough,butwhatcouldIlose?Ichosethesupplementroute.ItwaslikealeapinthedarkId
alwayslovedmyfood.Aftergivingintoanormalmealaftertakingmyfirstsupplement,Ibeganinearnest
thenextday.Iwouldaccustommymindtowhatwasonofferandlookforwardtothenextmeal,savour
whatIateandenjoyitforwhatitwas.Iblankedoffthoughtsoffavouritemealsandbegantotakeeachday
asitcame.AndIfollowedTaylorsadviceondrinkingwatertostaveoffhunger,whichwasrarelyaproblem
mybodyjustseemedtogetusedtoit.

Arounddaysix,myglucosewas4.1,thelowestyet.ThenextdayItreatedmyselftoachocolateshaketo
celebrate.Twomonthslater,mydoctordeclaredthediabeteshadresolveditself.Myglucoselevelwas
5.1mmol/l,wellbelowthediabetesmarkof6.Iwasfreeofit,butInowhadanotherequallyimportanttask
maintainingmynewbodyweight.HowmuchshouldIeat?Abouttwothirdsofwhatyouwereusedto
beforethediet,saysTaylor.

Weallknowthatdietsarenotoriouslyhardtosticktounlesstheincentiveispowerful
enough.Inmycase,itis

WhichiswhatIvebeenaimingforandachievingeversince.Iweigh8st6lb,gorunningonaverage
threetimesaweek,attendagym,eathealthilyandburnaround1,750caloriesaday.Iamnotdiabeticany
more.

TheresearchIfollowedisnowthesubjectofabestsellingdietbook,The8WeekBloodSugarDietbyDr
MichaelMosley.Publicationcouldnotbemoretimely,givenaWHOreportlastmonthreportingthat422
millionadultsnowhavediabetes,fourtimesthatof1980.

So,nearlyfouryearsdowntheline,ismydietstillsuccessful?Yesbutittakesclosemonitoringand
willpower.Weallknowthatdietsarenotoriouslyhardtosticktounlesstheincentiveispowerfulenough.
Inmycase,itis.

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Whatkeepsmereligiouslycountingcaloriesonsupermarketlabels,runninginallweathersandreducing
theamountIeatanddrink(andsadlyIdomeanalcohol)isknowingthatmyhealthcouldotherwisebe
seriouslyatrisk.Infact,dietandexercisehaveleftmemuchhealthier,withlowerbloodpressure,fewer
achesandpains,andamoreactive,alertmind.AswellaseatinghealthilyIaimforthree30minuteruns,
twovisitstothegymincludingweights(Ibuildupforearmmusclesthatsoakupexcessenergybeforeit
getsstoredasfat)and15minutesessionsofintervalbiketraining,pluspressups,situpsandtheplank(an
exercisetohelploseexcessfatroundthestomach).

ItsoundstougherthanitreallyisIvelearnedtoenjoymyshiftinlifestyle,andIlikeawholerangeoffood
Ididntknowaboutbefore.Ipositivelylookforwardtomymuesli,Icancookstews,grillmeat,appreciateall
typesoffish.Treatsareallowedjustcompensatebyeatingfrugallyinthedaysafterparticularlyat
Christmastobalanceupyourcaloriecount.

ExerciseisbasicallysurvivalIcantaffordtotakeincalorieswithoutsheddingthemaswell.Itdoestake
effortbutIfeelsomuchbetterafterwards.Regardlessofonessituation,tenacity,focusandsingle
mindednessarekeytoreversingtype2diabetes.Withoutsupport,manypeoplewillfailtosticktothediet
andachangeinlifestyle.Oneoftheburningquestionsbeingresearchednowiswhetherourdoctorsand
nursescandeliverthatsupportandifso,how?
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Ipositivelylookforwardtomymuesli.Photograph:Alamy

Howtoloweryourbloodsugarlevel:Richards800caloriedailydietfouryears
ago
BreakfastDoublechoc,chocmint,bananaorwildcherryfoodsupplementshake(powdermixedwith
water).

LunchChickenandvegetableorcurryflavouredsoup.

SupperHomemadepea/carrot/onionsouporroastednonstarchyvegetables,vanillashake(myfavourite
ittastedlikeicecream).

Plus23litresintakeofwater/herbalteadaily.Strictlynotreats,alcohol,pasta,riceorpotatoes.

andthe1,750caloriediethefollowsnow
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BreakfastHomemademuesliuncookedporridgeoatsmixedwithsultanas,blueberries,plumsorother
berries.Plusalmondsandskimmedmilk.ToastedryebreadwiththinlayersofBenecolspreadandjam.
Occasionalscrambledeggsoveragiantgrilledtomato.

LunchMainmealofthedayfromachoiceofchicken,tinnedtuna,freshoilyfish,steamednonstarchy
vegetablescookedaldente,just50gofbrownriceorwholegrainspelt/spinachpasta.OrgoGreekwith
olives,hummus,fetacheeseandsalad.Freshfruit(berries,apples,oranges,etc,withfatfreeyoghurt),
cremefraiche,quark.

SupperThick,homemadesoupsuchascarrotandcorianderormushroom.OrGreekorchickensalad,
followedbyfreshfruit.

PlusSeveralglassesoffresh/flavouredwaterorherbal/fruitteadaily,plusordinarytea,decafcoffee.