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Interesting article in Guardian today on reversing Type 2

Re: Interesting article in Guardian today on reversing Type

I've kept my Hba1cs in the 5s for about 8 years, but I know I still have T2. It's not reversed, but it is prety much CONTROLLED
hana
 
Re: Interesting article in Guardian today on reversing Type

I guess it depends what your definition of reversed is... and we'll all have our own version, just as we all have our different ways of dealing with our personal diabetes. For me, reversed is a place where my body (and my blood sugars) can handle things when I'm eating more or less as we were designed to; as I do believe a lot of what got me 'into this mess' is the fact I was eating foods that just didn't suit my bodies design... but as I said, I do also understand that it's very personal and that some people want to be able to eat what 'joe public' eats in order for it to be deemed a reversal.

Either way, very fab and encouraging news to hear you've been in the 5's for 8 years - very good to hear! :D
 
Re: Interesting article in Guardian today on reversing Type

I have been thinking about this very topic lately but I can't seem to get all the brain cells to work together on it. What started it was a couple of posters on here saying that they were cured.

I could make the same claim since I now get fasting levels below 5.5 and all readings within spec the rest of the time. Sadly, if I started pigging out like I used to do then I would quickly discover how cured I was.

So what is the definition of cured? Is it so well controlled that your readings are all good or is it where you can eat and drink anything you like and never get a high reading. If the latter then how long would it be before it was back because you had some built in deficiency.
 
Re: Interesting article in Guardian today on reversing Type

Well... that's where I guess it's very much down to our own personal definition of 'cured' - for me it's being able to eat and drink what you'd like, within reason (ie not eating loads of carbs and sugars in one sitting, day in, day out) whilst maintaining good blood control. As for me, I don't think our bodies were designed to ever deal with the levels of carbs and sugars that are 'normal' today.

But as I said in my previous post, I do get it can feel like 'well, hang on a minute, Joe & Jane can eat like that without any probs, so why can't I - that's not fair... so unless I can eat like them, I'm not cured'.

There's two angles I would suggest are happening here:

a) I'm increasingly starting to think that Joe & Jane are unlikely to not have *any* health problems despite eating what they want. They may not have diabetes - but I'll bet that they've got some stuff rumbling away - be it high blood pressure, unexplained aches and pains, allergies, future strokes/heart attacks/cancer ad infinitum.

b) Diabetes is *by and large* just our bodies way of expressing it's not coping with what we're fuelling it with... imho. I do know that's not *always* the case; there are exceptions and sometimes genes etc come into play - but for those of us who are able to get our blood sugars to manageable levels by changing diet and exercise, then I believe that to more often than not be the case.

So that's why I think you get wildly different opnions about whether diabetes can be reversed or not - cos one group think reversed should mean we can eat and drink all the 'bad' stuff again, whilst the other feel that if you're able to eat a healthy diet with occasional indulgences, then you're cured.

I belong to the latter - and though it's early days I don't feel very deprived either. I drink red wine a couple of times a week, have three very satisfying meals a day, including a little fruit and a little honey most days - and can even have a 'normal', sugar based dessert about once a week or so without it dramatically affecting my blood sugars... to me, that's cured; though I can't say I put myself in the cured cattegory yet as it's very early days... but as long as I continue in the direction I've been going (which I very much hope I will!) then I hope to label myself thus :D
 
Re: Interesting article in Guardian today on reversing Type

I read that article too. He's living on a great deal less calories than I could. As for 'cured' I was 'cured' last year. I haven't needed to take medication to control my diabetes since last July. But as we all know, I am not cured. My body can now supply me with the correct 'thing' (ignorance here) to keep the diabetes at bay. I now weigh 12.5 stones. I do wonder at what weight my diabetes would return but I am in no hurry to find out! I would advise all type 2s to reduce their weight to see if has a positive effect.
Lee.
 
Re: Interesting article in Guardian today on reversing Type

Haha, he's on way less calories than I could cope with too! I'm on about 1,200 - 1,500 calories per day, 80g ish protein, 70 - 100g fat and 40 - 60g carbs... The fats make me completely satisfied and I'm still losing weight, plus my blood sugars haven't gone outside the non-diabetic range since I increased my fats and lowered my carbs... So I'm not pedaling this article per say; just think its really interesting how dramatically we can alter our readings through diet and exercise - what particular 'diet' we choose is a combination of personal preference and what works for our individual bodies / situations... :-)
 
Re: Interesting article in Guardian today on reversing Type

Roy Taylor defines reversal as a restoration of the beta cell function. Controlling glucose levels by diet is different. If the beta cell function is restored, it should not continue to decline, which is what the NHS always tell you, ie it is progressive.

However, restoring the beta cell function doesn't mean it is as good as it was initially. The capacity for beta cells to regenerate is diminished and the level of lost beta cell function is usually unknown. So you can get diabetes again as you will have a lower tipping point this time. What's lost is lost, but you can stop it getting worse. Keeping a healthy diet and lifestyle is an expedient even if further decline is halted. If you haven't halted it, keeping a healthy lifestyle and diet will slow down the rate of decline and as a lot of posters have witnessed, that can go on for a long time.

My own view is that the way the NHS talk just makes people think that there is nothing they can do because everything is inevitable and the drugs will sort it all out anyway, so why should they bother.
 
Re: Interesting article in Guardian today on reversing Type

Yorksman said:
My own view is that the way the NHS talk just makes people think that there is nothing they can do because everything is inevitable and the drugs will sort it all out anyway, so why should they bother.
Click to expand...

Couldn't agree more, and this specifically is what pushes me away from the medical establishment. I'm not suggesting that certain things aren't probable for some people; but I also believe that a lot more situations are possible than the NHS gives us the possibility of believing.

I actually feel really strongly about this, and have been reading lots about the 'nocebo' effect - in fact just finished reading an article here: http://www.mindbodygreen.com/0-9556/was ... hexed.html

And watched a really interesting Tedtalk on it (by same Dr) a month or so back here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LWQfe__fNbs

My own GP obviously was 'humouring' me when I said I'd like to try and manage my diagnosis through diet and lifestyle; and obviously thought I was some fluffy, silly girl... but so far I am managing to (not saying it was easy to discover how!)... I don't know how long that will last; but do firmly believe that my outlook towards it will have a part to play.

Just my tuppence worth ;-)
 
Re: Interesting article in Guardian today on reversing Type

Sunshine_Kisses said:
My own GP obviously was 'humouring' me when I said I'd like to try and manage my diagnosis through diet and lifestyle; and obviously thought I was some fluffy, silly girl... but so far I am managing to (not saying it was easy to discover how!)... I don't know how long that will last; but do firmly believe that my outlook towards it will have a part to play.

Just my tuppence worth ;-)
Click to expand...

I was reminded of just how complacent some GPs can be when I mentioned Roy Taylor's Counterpoint Study on restoring the beta cell function to my GP. 'Who's going to do that' he sneered.
 
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