I was diagnosed in July as type 2 following a blood test for an unrelated issue. My HbA1c was 69.
The diabetic nurse wanted to get me started on metformin immediately. Now I’m not anti-medication or anti-modern medicine in any way, shape or form, but I do not believe that it should automatically be the first resort in any situation. In my case I weighed 14st (90kg) and my BMI was 29.7, just bordering on obese. So I politely decline the offer of medication and agreed to review the situation in 3 months after I had the chance to alter my diet and lose some weight.
At the beginning of November my weight was down 11st 4lb (72kg) and my BMI 23.7, down to the healthy range. My HbA1c? Well that was down to 42.
To achieve this I have not been fanatically calorie counting or carb. counting. What I have done is cut out snacking, especially biscuits, crisps, cakes, buns and the like, and to go on a diet loosely along the lines of the 5-2 diet, that is 2 days a week keeping down to about 500 - 800 calories (as I say not cal. counting, just a guesstimate) and the other 5 days eating a fairly normal diet but keeping a strict eye on portion size, particularly anything with carbs. So I guess you could say it was a low carb diet but with no measuring or counting involved; having said that I still managed steak and chips occasionally. I’ve never been a big drinker but I also keep the alcohol down to the occasional glass of wine with Sunday lunch, around 1 unit per week.
I found Professor Roy Taylor’s book “Life Without Diabetes” a great source of information and guidance and would recommend it to anyone with an interest in diabetes, whether they are sufferers or not.
This is my own journey, I am certainly not suggesting that this will cure anyone, nor will it be approprate for everyone. I accept that I am now a diabetic, but if diet and life style can keep me off the medication and in remission then that can only be a good thing.
In addition I should say that a side effect, presumably of losing over 2 1/2 stone, is that I am also now off my blood pressure medication which I had been taking for about the last 8 years!
The diabetic nurse wanted to get me started on metformin immediately. Now I’m not anti-medication or anti-modern medicine in any way, shape or form, but I do not believe that it should automatically be the first resort in any situation. In my case I weighed 14st (90kg) and my BMI was 29.7, just bordering on obese. So I politely decline the offer of medication and agreed to review the situation in 3 months after I had the chance to alter my diet and lose some weight.
At the beginning of November my weight was down 11st 4lb (72kg) and my BMI 23.7, down to the healthy range. My HbA1c? Well that was down to 42.
To achieve this I have not been fanatically calorie counting or carb. counting. What I have done is cut out snacking, especially biscuits, crisps, cakes, buns and the like, and to go on a diet loosely along the lines of the 5-2 diet, that is 2 days a week keeping down to about 500 - 800 calories (as I say not cal. counting, just a guesstimate) and the other 5 days eating a fairly normal diet but keeping a strict eye on portion size, particularly anything with carbs. So I guess you could say it was a low carb diet but with no measuring or counting involved; having said that I still managed steak and chips occasionally. I’ve never been a big drinker but I also keep the alcohol down to the occasional glass of wine with Sunday lunch, around 1 unit per week.
I found Professor Roy Taylor’s book “Life Without Diabetes” a great source of information and guidance and would recommend it to anyone with an interest in diabetes, whether they are sufferers or not.
This is my own journey, I am certainly not suggesting that this will cure anyone, nor will it be approprate for everyone. I accept that I am now a diabetic, but if diet and life style can keep me off the medication and in remission then that can only be a good thing.
In addition I should say that a side effect, presumably of losing over 2 1/2 stone, is that I am also now off my blood pressure medication which I had been taking for about the last 8 years!
