Read it on here and it was mostly about the Newcastle diet and I read the Professor Tayors link where he said the diet was done for 8 weeks People had lost loads of weight on this diet and some here said their diabetes had been reversed so what happened when they stopped the diet did the weight and the diabetes come back. It would be interesting to know if those here who had done it were still diabetes free. Can anyone ever truly be cured just by loosing loads of weight when we are told there is no cure for diabetes
My personal understanding is that we can bring our levels right down to genuine non-diabetic levels by losing weight or other means. However, if we then sit down with a non-diabetic and both of us eat the same very high carb and sugary meal, we will spike to unacceptable levels whereas the non-diabetic person won't. That is very simplistic, but it's my way of looking at it.
I think I would be happier if you stated "most people", rather than a blanket "we". I think @Pipp and @Andrew Colvin would fly in the face of your statement. whilst I haven't seen anything nearing diabetic levels, at any time, for an age, I must say I haven't pushed the envelope on carb consumption quite as much as certainly Andrew has. I know Pipp had a carb-fest sabbatical at one stage (Sorry, Pipp, don't mean to make it sound uber-flippant), and whilst she gained a little weight, her bloods were not materially affected. Of course, I may interpreted or remembered that wrongly.
Just for completeness, I don't think of myself as having reversed or cured my condition, but I am negotiating with my GP practise that, for things like statin recommendations, that a a less rigid line is taken, considering I have only ever had one HbA1c at diabetic levels, and that was the diagnostic one. The GP I was talking to at the time, considered a less binary approach would probably be fairer to me.
(I'll educate her in time.)
Sorry Bluetit, that wasn't meant to be a rant at you.
I think I would be happier if you stated "most people", rather than a blanket "we". I think @Pipp and @Andrew Colvin would fly in the face of your statement. whilst I haven't seen anything nearing diabetic levels, at any time, for an age, I must say I haven't pushed the envelope on carb consumption quite as much as certainly Andrew has. I know Pipp had a carb-fest sabbatical at one stage (Sorry, Pipp, don't mean to make it sound uber-flippant), and whilst she gained a little weight, her bloods were not materially affected. Of course, I may interpreted or remembered that wrongly.
Just for completeness, I don't think of myself as having reversed or cured my condition, but I am negotiating with my GP practise that, for things like statin recommendations, that a a less rigid line is taken, considering I have only ever had one HbA1c at diabetic levels, and that was the diagnostic one. The GP I was talking to at the time, considered a less binary approach would probably be fairer to me.
(I'll educate her in time.)
Sorry Bluetit, that wasn't meant to be a rant at you.
@AndBreathe, I don't think it sounded flippant at all. In fact, I am quite flattered that you read and took notice of the points I made regarding 'reversing diabetes' in earlier posts.
The carb fest, was a few months ago, and was triggered by nay-sayers and doubters on forum. Not pleasant, and very hard to stop wanting more of the addictive carb ****** food when you start. So much so, that I am still struggling to get over it. The result of indulging in such bad habits is that I am not able to lose the weight I need to to avoid getting to the sort of weight I was when I tipped over the limit into T2 blood glucose levels.
The good news as far as I am concerned is that I have now notched up three years of non-diabetic blood glucose readings. This is despite still being around 5-6 stones too heavy. As you have put in the links to threads I won't go into too much detail, other than to say that Newcastle diet seems to have worked for me. As I get older, and if I do not get weight under control, I may find myself in trouble again. However, no matter what amount of carb junk I consume, so far my blood glucose does not get spiked. If this had not happened to me personally, I too would be sceptical about it, because it does sound like one of those 'miracle cures' we see in tabloid press a lot. I know that it took me a while to convince myself to try it when I first read about it. Having read all of the academic papers I realised that I had nothing to lose, (except perhaps the diabetes and a few stones) by investing 8 weeks of my life in an experiment that could literally give me years back of healthier life. I am glad I did.
I suspect (and this is just my opinion) that age has a lot to do with it too.
I mean, if someone in their 40s and 50s gets diagnosed type 2, diets, de-fatifies their liver, and 'reverses' their diabetes, then they may stay diabetes free for years, but for how long?
Time will pass. Age affects us all, reduces our resilience. Hips wear out, so why not pancreases? Surely these people have an increased likelihood of developing the symptoms again.
But really, we none of us know. I am sure there will be some? Many? A few? Who stay symptom free for ever. And I will be delighted for them.
Thanks for posting Pipp.
I didn't realise you are still struggling with the aftermath of your dodgy phase. I have to admit, it's that prospect that scares me when I consider pushing the carb envelope.
Thanks @AndBreathe,
I had a harsh lesson about complacency. Although I actually prefer the taste of the healthy veg and low carb foods, the addictive nature of carbs got a grip of me. Having admitted that is a help. I no longer have the fear of high blood glucose levels as a motivation to stay off the carbs, so need to perhaps look instead at the fear of diabetes levels returning.
I seem to have my HbA1c, and my fasting level back into a normal range, and a massively unscientific test with a lot of chinese type carby nibbles only took me into about the pre diabetic range.
I also find it reasonably easy to get levels down into normal very quickly again with exercise, (they don't rise that high if I'm exercising, just sitting around)
So although not 'cured' I know I can eat carbs, of most types, and if I exercise afterwards, my BS is normally fairly good.
@AndBreathe I haven't found any desire to keep eating carbs when I push the envelope.
Maybe it's because I eat low GI/GL, so bad carbs don't really do that much for me, and I've also gone off the taste of junk food.
But that was by a slow weight loss.
As @Pipp said, there is nothing to lose by trying the Newcastle diet, I intend to give it a shot in November, and see if I can improve anything.
My only problem is it'll be just after I'll have back into the sessions at the gym in earnest, so it could give interesting effects on my BS initially.
Douglas, I'm not sure what point you are trying to make there.
I don't want to rain on your BBQ, but returning your numbers to non-diabetic ranges whilst continuing to take Metformin and Sitagliptin surely couldn't be any comparator to anyone considering a reversal or "cure". Of course, it's none of my business, but it does concern me that you are abusing your pancreas, if you are eating sometimes significantly higher carbs whilst taking a drug to stimulate insulin production. Forgive me if I misunderstand Sitagliptin's purpose.
A few months ago, I had a conversation with one of the few people with whom I shared my diagnosis. Coincidentally, her daughter is a research scientist whose last large piece of work was developing such a medication. When my friend told her I had been diagnosed, she voiced concern about taking such drugs because of the potential to burn the organ out, due to feeling of false security, and the message she sent to me was to avoid them, in a plague like manner, if I had any other options. When I read of your carb-fests it concerns me, on that basis.
I take my hat off to those brave enough to push the envelope further than I have. Thus far, I have rarely been in a situation where could not eat, and I have spent most of my diagnosed life in third world countries, including on dive boats, and socialising with carb-loving Americans. That you find yourself "forced" to eat pot noodle or pasties when, by your own example, out diving is merely a lack of consideration for your own well-being.
That probably reads quite angry, but I can't deny I am a bit. I hope your confidence doesn't come back and bite your derrière any time soon.
I apologise to anyone else taking this class of drug. I had deliberately not shared this before today, but I'm afraid it's out there now.
Sorry, still don't understand.As @AndBreathe says, there is little point being able to eat carbs, if medication is keeping them in check, hence as I keep saying, I have a phased reduction planned, and should be off the Sitagliptin entirely at the next review, Maybe cutting entirely is seen to be better for some, we decided to cut meds slowly, and review every three months.
'That you find yourself "forced" to eat pot noodle or pasties when, by your own example, out diving is merely a lack of consideration for your own well-being'
I scuba dive, I am thinking of learning to ski, one of my daughters dives with me, the other like skydiving. Lots of things can be a lack of consideration for our own well being.
I don't really see a low GI/GL diet as a carb fest, I see it as I diet that suits me, allows me to reduce my meds, with the aim to be off them entirely, and still keep my blood within a normal range. But also keeps my options open.
@Pipp
As to the newcastle diet, as you yourself said, what is there to lose by it?
I'm not entirely back into the normal range, unless I do watch what I eat.
That doesn't mean I will switch back to a diet that got me into trouble, I like my diet now. My previous eating pattern is gone forever.
I like fresh food, I like cooking, I cook low GI, I eat a controlled amount. I can't see it changing.
Even after my chinese pig out, I made up for it in calories the next day.
But I would to have the option of a pot noodle, and not then swim for an hour under 25m of water, in a dry suit at 9C knowing I have normal BS either way.
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