Aiming to 'reverse my diabetes' on Tony Ferguson

[Matt77]

Hello all,

I'm 34 years old, 146kg and have had diabetes type 2 for about 3 years now. I recently went for a medical as I'm hoping to emigrate to Australia later this year and the panel doctor told me that I could 'reverse' my diabetes by following a 'starvation diet' as he called it limiting myself to around 450 cals per day. He said that he ran a private practice in Essex and had patients of his own that had done this and had succeeded.

I'd already heard news reports of such things about a year ago on the news, particularly from people that had had gastric band surgery but that's definitely not something I would have ever wanted to do myself as I consider that a complete last resort to weight loss.

So after the medical I resolved to go home and learn more about 'reversal' and hopefully reverse my own diabetes. (I really want to live a life without medication for obvious reasons)

I saw a GP in Peterborough last week and when I told her of the newcastle study she tried to brush me off and said that I was managing my condition very well on medication. Refusing to leave it at that I asked to talk to a diabetic specialist about what I wanted to do and an appointment has been made for the 25th January.

As of Monday 16th Jan, I have been trying to emulate the newcastle study under my own steam, taking 2 Tony Furguson shakes per day (210kcal each shake), and some non-starchy vegetables at intervals throughout the day plus plenty of fizzy water.

It's currently approaching the end of day 3 as I write this and so far it's pretty good. I do want to speak to my specialist on the 25th though so that she can aid me with blood monitoring as I am not very knowledgable on this subject, and I also want to know what to do about my medication as I follow this diet. Although I feel fine, I am worried that something might happen in the days ahead if I keep taking my regular pills on such a drastic dietary change.

I'll update this thread as events unfold. To all other people trying something similar to me in an effort to be free of diabetes, I wish you good health and the very best of luck.

Please feel free to reply with any comments, advice, guidance.

About me
34yr old Male
Starting Weight : 146kg
Diabetic For: 3 years

Current Medication:
Metaformin 500mg x2 Twice a day
Gliclazide 80mg x1 Daily
Pioglitazone x1 Daily
Simvastatin x1 Daily

The Diet
Breakfast = 1x Tony Ferguson shake (from Boots)
Lunch = 1x Tony Ferguson shake
Snacks = Up to 200g non starchy vegetables
Water = 2L+

 

[Grazer]

Hi Matt, here's a link to a thread with a number of people following the Newcastle diet. You'll get info there. :

viewtopic.php?nomobile=1&f=27&t=25893
Good luck!

 

[geordie90]

Matt
If you read the link provided by grazer it was me that started it and am currently on the 'newcastle diet'
You are on a number of medications and if i were you would hold off until you speak to your diabetic nurse.
I stopped my metformin before i started but thats all i was on.
On a positive note m8 ive been doing it for 2 1/2 weeks or so have last 10 lbs my bgs are excellent staying really low at all times, sleeping better, feeling much healthier, more energy, better mode, have to use smaller trousers already and in reality the diet isnt difficult, you will undoubtedly have weak moments but if you do record your bg two hours afterwards and that is motivation enough not to do it again.
I test my BG seven times a day.
When i get up
two hours after morning shake
before lunch
two hours after lunch
before tea
two hours after tea
then before bed

I have to say my results have been really positive

What i would say is though that exercise plays a key part as far as ican see so u need to incorporate an exercise regime alongside the diet.

But wait till youve seen the diabetic nurse about your meds you dont want your sugars to drop so low you have a hypo because of your meds that would be very dangerous, feel free to post on the link id love to hear how your getting on

 

[Sid Bonkers]

There have been threads on this forum now for at least 7 months and to my knowledge no one has been cured yet.

If you want to loose weight and bring down out of control bg levels then why not just stop eating so much food and so much carbohydrate, it works unlike the quick fix mega diets, unless you know different of course. This will be the third time I have asked for anyone to post who this diet has worked for and so far there have been no takers.

If you are able to abstain from eating for 8 weeks other than green veg and shakes then why oh why cant you just eat less food.

Sorry to sound so harsh, I am just sick of all the Newcastle Study type diets, I have no doubt they work as I have tried one in the past but they do not last and they will not cure diabetes.

I'm just getting bored with this now

 

[Matt77]

I'm just going by what a doctor told me was possible from his first hand experience.

 

[blacksmarty1]

This a post I put on geordie90's page the other day, I hope it helps. There are lots of links to the Newcastle info on the thread ''Defatizing with Slimfast Gunk by Bob'' from bowell.
The gastric band is not always the answer, but is a good helper with portion control.
I have never been on any medication for diabetes so can't help with that one.

This is what I wrote.
Hi All
it's been a while since I was last on here but just reading through this page made me want to reply to geordie90 about body image.
7 years ago I went in for a gastric band op of my own choosing more for the health issues I was facing at that time. I lost 4 stone in 3 months and on one hand was elated at the progress I had made following the program to the letter, but on the other hand was very scared about the rapid weight loss and how I felt and related to it. So I can totally understand how you are feeling. I was due to go for the band tightening and opted to stay with it as it was at that time. I did not loose any more weight and was quite happy with everything and how I was. My starting weight was 20 and a half stone so had come down to 16 and a half and at that point I was not diabetic. Over the next few years I pretty much stayed the same and felt ok, then I was diagnosed with T2, that was 4 years ago. I was sent away with a testing monitor and told that I would not need medication and that I did not need to follow a special diet. ''You can eat what you want but in moderation'' well off I went and truly believed that that was what I could do. I now know that it is a load of rubbish. I had no idea what the monitor was suposed to tell me and the only thing I was advised to do was may be lose a bit of weight. It took me till 18 months ago to decide I was ready to carry on with more weight loss, back to the body image and how I felt about it, so had the band tightened a little at a time over 3/4 month period. When I was weighed I had put back on 1 stone so was 17 and a half stone. I lost the stone over a few weeks and then stayed around 16 1/2 to 17 stone for about a year.
On the 1st of August last year having read all about the study I was inspired to do the Newcastle program. My starting weight was 17st 1lb and I lost 33 lbs in total, see below the stats.
9lbs week1
4lbs week2
3lbs week3
3lbs week4
4lbs week5
3lbs week6
4lbs week 7
3lbs week 8
I went back for the blood test and my Hba1c was down to 5.8 from up around 6.9 the time before.
my morning bg ranges from 4.7 to 5.5 and never has gone above 5.8 at any time of the day since I stopped the program. I have not been able to continue with the program, even though at the time I fully intended to do so. I don't know why not, but I am so pleased with how my blood is now, that I am not too worried about that. So it's almost 4 months since then and yes I have put 10lbs of the weight back on, about 6lbs in the first 4 weeks of going back to eating more and the other 4lbs over the christmas and new year period. I am on here reading everything and I have to thank everyone for their support and the knowledge shared on here, that I now feel I know more about the condition. While I am now back in the normal range for Hbac1 I do not know if it is a complete cure or just a hold on the diabetes for now. I still try not to have lots of carbs anyway and I will go on to lose some more this year. Mine is now a long term goal that I have set for myself to continue reducing steadily, there will be times when things are easy and some times when they are not. I have learned to love the body image changes that are taking place and am no longer scared ..........I love it!!
So what I wanted to say to you geordie90 is love all the thrill of the body changes you are having and bring out the new version of yourself that has been hidden for a while but was really there all the time..........You will grow to like him!!! Well done.
regards Diane
blacksmarty1

Posts: 26
Joined: August 17th, 2011, 4:32 pm
Private message

 

[Yoyodieter27]

Hi, i am trying to help my friend lose weight. They have type 2 diabetes and it is controlled by diet.

Has anyone tried this Tony Ferguson diet, i have read loads about it and also spoken to the call centre who were very helpful, although they said they cant guarantee they can cure diabetes they can help?

I just wanted to know whether someone with diabetes has tried it and what they thought of it.

Thanks.

 

[CollieBoy]

Sorry to sound so harsh, I am just sick of all the Newcastle Study type diets, I have no doubt they work as I have tried one in the past but they do not last and they will not cure diabetes.

I'm just getting bored with this now

Sid, If you are "getting bored with this" then just try not reading the posts :shock: For those that want to try this diet or have done so there is no need to check in with Mr Bonkers , lets just try to support each other :clap:
Whilst we realise that we cannot "cure" diabetes, we can at least reverse/reduce the symptoms :thumbup: :thumbup:

 

[dawnmc]

Hear hear, anything is worth a go surely.

 

[Defren]

Sorry to sound so harsh, I am just sick of all the Newcastle Study type diets, I have no doubt they work as I have tried one in the past but they do not last and they will not cure diabetes.

I'm just getting bored with this now

Sid, If you are "getting bored with this" then just try not reading the posts :shock: For those that want to try this diet or have done so there is no need to check in with Mr Bonkers , lets just try to support each other :clap:
Whilst we realise that we cannot "cure" diabetes, we can at least reverse/reduce the symptoms :thumbup: :thumbup:

Well, there is another poster just about to begin the ND and I have just ordered shakes, as I plan a week on shakes, a week off, to keep the weight loss going and my BG steady, so it might be a good idea for anyone who gets 'bored' hearing about the ND to stay away from these threads, as they could well be starting up again!

 

[joeyhudson]

I don.t know anything about Tony Ferguson, but if you google Gabriel Cousins he has a food plan where both type 1 but mostly type 2 can be reversed with diet alone, I'm type 1 and in 3 weeks my fbs went from 19.7 to 7's. It is a bit radical and quite testing, but is not diabetes that anyway, so fight fire with fire. Good luck in it all.

 

[izzzi]

Hi,



One packet of "Tony Ferguson Chicken Flavour Soup" £1.99p from Boots. That is a Reverse for me to Tesco's for fresh veg and a proper controled Diet.

Roy.

Ok I am Scottish but hopefully not completely stupid I as take a lot of advice from this forum.

 

[phoenix]

(sorry to take this off topic Matt, but I feel it's important to reply to this comment)

I don.t know anything about Tony Ferguson, but if you google Gabriel Cousins he has a food plan where both type 1 but mostly type 2 can be reversed with diet alone, I'm type 1 and in 3 weeks my fbs went from 19.7 to 7's. It is a bit radical and quite testing, but is not diabetes that anyway, so fight fire with fire. Good luck in it all.

Joey,

You were only diagnosed in September. It is very normal for treatment to bring levels down from high to more normal levels.You may also find that as this happens your insulin needs will be drastically reduced. It is called the honeymoon period, and very normal. Most people have some insulin of their own at diabetes and once the toxic high levels are reduced don't need so much injected insulin to survive
Indeed if you are eating very little that can be metabolised (and that's what happens on a raw food diet; you need far more food to absorb the same amount of calories) you might just about manage for a while without insulin BUT this wouldn't last could be dangerous and may be counter productive. Taking small amounts of insulin during the honeymoon period may help preserve some remaining beta cell function for longer .
Here's an article about the honeymoon from the Joslin clinic (probably one of the best centres of diabetes expertise in the world)
http://www.joslin.org/info/will_diabetes_go_away.html
Before insulin people used very restrictive semi starvation diets for T1. Patients survived for a while months to a few years ( largely depending on age at diagnosis) but all these diets did was to delay the inevitable , sufferers became emaciated before death from diabetic coma. http://speakingofresearch.com/2011/08/0 ... f-insulin/
Sorry the claims made by "Dr. Sir Gabriel Cousens, M.D., M.D.(H), D.D. (Doctor of Divinity), Diplomate of American Board of Integrative Holistic Medicine, Diplomate Ayurveda," are just dangerous woo for people with T1.

( There has been another thread about the diet on here, and but I would also search for it on Tu diabetes , a larger diabetes forum which has had a couple of quite long threads about it)

 

[Sid Bonkers]

Sorry to sound so harsh, I am just sick of all the Newcastle Study type diets, I have no doubt they work as I have tried one in the past but they do not last and they will not cure diabetes.

I'm just getting bored with this now

Sid, If you are "getting bored with this" then just try not reading the posts :shock: For those that want to try this diet or have done so there is no need to check in with Mr Bonkers , lets just try to support each other :clap:
Whilst we realise that we cannot "cure" diabetes, we can at least reverse/reduce the symptoms :thumbup: :thumbup:

I have as much right to read this forum as anyone else so please dont tell me what I should or shouldnt do, I am also entitled to my opinion and my opinion is that diabetes can not be cured and that obese/overweight T2's can gain better control by losing weight, if you want to try fad diets then thats your prerogative but IMO they rarely work in the long term. To the point that many long time committed low carbers like Jimmy Moore are now trying a different fad diet ie. the paleo diet as they have not managed to lose weight and sustain their weight loss by low carbing.

If low carbing was the answer as so many members here seem to think then why is there a need to swap to the paleo diet at all? Ask yourself that...


Fad diets dont work, committed dieting does work IMO, you may have your own but I'll stick with mine as it has worked for me. The proof is in the not eating the pudding, so to speak

 

[Superchip]

Diets DO work, it's the dieter who fails.
LCHF is my way to go, I would probably lose even more weight if I didn't drink so much !
Horses for courses eh ?

More High Fat Low Carb pudding anybody ?

Superchip

 

[Defren]

Diets DO work, it's the dieter who fails.
LCHF is my way to go, I would probably lose even more weight if I didn't drink so much !
Horses for courses eh ?

More High Fat Low Carb pudding anybody ?

Superchip

Of course diets work. I am close to losing 100lbs, I am at 95lbs now, yet week by week I still usually lose between 1-2lbs, so how do diets not work.

Can I have a slice of that pudding please? You are sure it's low carb - right? :lol:

 

[Superchip]

Blooming well done Defren ! 95 lbs loss is astonishing !

Now about the pudding, you just eat what is inside ( say steak and kidney ) and chuck away the carb container !

This also works with pork pies !

Keep up the good work, you must be proud of yourself.

Superchip

 

[Sid Bonkers]

Thats great Defren, the trick though is keeping it off. Good luck :thumbup:

 

[borofergie]

I am also entitled to my opinion and my opinion is that diabetes can not be cured and that obese/overweight T2's can gain better control by losing weight

It's also worth noting that you can easily get good control without losing any weight. I'd got my BG in control within the first 3 weeks of hitting a low-carb diet, before I'd lost any weight. The fact that I've lost 70lbs since (without really trying) goes to show that obesity is a side effect of hyperglycemia, not the cause.

 

[borofergie]

Stuff the "Tony Ferguson Reverse My Diabetes Diet", the "Stephen Ferguson Reverse Your Diabetes Diet" says:
Don't eat carbs. Simples.

Bit difficult to make much money out of that though, isn't it?