Newbie with questions on Newcastle study

[Gourmande]

Hi there, I am a newbie who has not yet been formally diagnosed as a T2. Although I am British I have been living in France for the past year. I recently went to have a general health check up and the doctor told me that the results of my blood glucose levels were at diabetic levels. This was after one fasting blood glucose test.

I have been instructed to go away for three months, cut out the sugar, minimise the carbs, eat generally well and exercise, then return after three months and have another test.

I was asked if I wanted any ‘help’ and was given metformin and a drug called ‘crestor’ which turned out to be a statin because I also had raised cholesterol.

I have been very disciplined and have lost about 4kg in the last 4/5 weeks. I hope to have lost considerably more when I go back to the doctor in August.

I have been reading about Prof Roy Taylor and the Newcastle Diet. My question is that I don’t understand why it is necessary to lose the weight very quickly and with a very low calorie diet. Would I not be able to achieve the same result by taking a bit longer on a more normal, reduced calorie diet? I don’t think I could do the extreme version used in the study, and I don’t want to live on diet shakes. But I desperately want to reverse my (not formally diagnosed) diabetes.

Can anyone enlighten me?

 

[Gourmande]

By the way, sorry I forgot to introduce myself properly! My name is Pauline and I am 55 years old. I love my food, and especially love chocolate (sigh)

 

[AndBreathe]

Hello Pauline.

The Newcastle initial study was designed to mimic gastric band surgery; after which many T2s found their diabetes "resolved", but also by its nature the patients would be eating a very low calorie diet.

Professor Taylor confirms here: http://www.ncl.ac.uk/magres/research/diabetes/documents/Diabetes-Reversaloftype2study.pdf, under "Practical advice", that the weight loss is import, not its pace. I don't know where you have been doing your reading, but I have found this site to be extremely informative: http://www.ncl.ac.uk/magres/research/diabetes/reversal.htm

There has been a great deal of dialogue on here about the Newcastle Diet, and indeed we have both past and current users of the regime, who may comment in due course. I haven't used it myself, and I found out about it when I had already started making progress in my own way.

There are many knowledgeable, and generous people participating on this site, who are keen to share ideas support in an informal way. We also have a number of ex-pat posters currently living in France.

Have a search around, and keep asking questions. That tends to be how we have made progress.

 

[Gourmande]

Hello Pauline.

The Newcastle initial study was designed to mimic gastric band surgery; after which many T2s found their diabetes "resolved", but also by its nature the patients would be eating a very low calorie diet.

Professor Taylor confirms here: http://www.ncl.ac.uk/magres/research/diabetes/documents/Diabetes-Reversaloftype2study.pdf, under "Practical advice", that the weight loss is import, not its pace. I don't know where you have been doing your reading, but I have found this site to be extremely informative: http://www.ncl.ac.uk/magres/research/diabetes/reversal.htm

There has been a great deal of dialogue on here about the Newcastle Diet, and indeed we have both past and current users of the regime, who may comment in due course. I haven't used it myself, and I found out about it when I had already started making progress in my own way.

There are many knowledgeable, and generous people participating on this site, who are keen to share ideas support in an informal way. We also have a number of ex-pat posters currently living in France.

Have a search around, and keep asking questions. That tends to be how we have made progress.

Thank you, that is reassuring that I don't have to starve myself. Thanks also for the general information and your quick reply

 

[andcol]

Hello. I also didn't "do" the Newcastle diet per se but I did reduce my calorie intact substantially and did a lot of exercise which had the effect of reducing them further. All I will say is that I had normal fasting levels within a month. I am now 5 stone down and eat normal food again. The Blackwell tart and ice cream at lunch was so good and it took me to just 6.8. Even after eating chips. So it has been worth doing for me. Hopefully the weight reduction will be for you too. Good luck with either the fast or slow. BTW I did the first two stone fast and the rest slower

Sent from the Diabetes Forum App

 

[Gourmande]

Hello. I also didn't "do" the Newcastle diet per se but I did reduce my calorie intact substantially and did a lot of exercise which had the effect of reducing them further. All I will say is that I had normal fasting levels within a month. I am now 5 stone down and eat normal food again. The Blackwell tart and ice cream at lunch was so good and it took me to just 6.8. Even after eating chips. So it has been worth doing for me. Hopefully the weight reduction will be for you too. Good luck with either the fast or slow. BTW I did the first two stone fast and the rest slower

Sent from the Diabetes Forum App

Thanks. I have had a further read of the links posted above by AndBreathe and think I understand it a bit better. I shall carry on with my current regime which involves cutting down on carbs and trying not to eat between meals. So far I am losing weight so I am happy with that. The mention of the Blackwell tart and ice cream has now made by mouth water - better go and prepare some dinner!

 

[this is too difficult]

I also lost a lot of weight very quickly, 3 stone in 2 months ish 4 stone in 4 months. I don't have Andrews ability to eat carbs but my HbA1c has gone from 67 to 38. Cut the carbs out and increase fat to the point where you feel well. I would hate to go back to France and not eat bread though.

 

[Gourmande]

I also lost a lot of weight very quickly, 3 stone in 2 months ish 4 stone in 4 months. I don't have Andrews ability to eat carbs but my HbA1c has gone from 67 to 38. Cut the carbs out and increase fat to the point where you feel well. I would hate to go back to France and not eat bread though.

Congrats on your weight loss!
I don't particularly mind not eating the baguettes - it's a nice English granary loaf that I really miss. What has been my downfall since moving here is the lovely patisseries - a tarte au citron is hard to ignore when shopping. People don't seem to scoff chocolate like the Brits. I have been allowing myself one square of 80% chocolate in the evenings and I take a long time to eat it.