The Hidden Killer. Type 2 Diabetes.

tim2000s said:

Except that it's not. After bariatric surgery, they are told what they can eat. Those who are morbidly obese still struggle to eat small amounts and there are a fair number who still overeat and eat the wrong things. It still requires a mindset change to not try and beat what your body is telling you.

Click to expand...

I agree there will always be someone for whom it does not work and they gradually eat more and more

I know nothing of making a TV program, as a collective here we must have some members who do? Can we not make a non-panorama special in reply to this appalling 'show'.

We watched this last night.

My husband is now asking me about my lower-carb approach to eating. There is talk of him swimming again. He has just had two boiled eggs and a mug of tea for breakfast, rather than porridge. This evening we will have homemade curry, and we will both have it with the same (my favourite!) accompaniment of cauliflower whizzed with salt, pepper and fresh coriander. Usually I have this and he has basmati rice - lots of it. Strawberries and cream for pudding.

Changes to lunch will also be forthcoming, but today's for him will be a sandwich.

His BMI is within the acceptable range, but at the very top end. He's not in excellent shape physically (although he's gorgeous).

It's a start. I was absolutely horrified by many things shown in the programme (my jaw dropped to the floor, for instance, when the surgeon crassly described the lady's imminent leg amputation to the patient herself as 'a big step') BUT it was an excellent wake-up call for me (as a type 1 of 30 years) to jolly well keep going with as optimum control of the condition as possible. The complications are absolutely shocking. Despite being warned of these things many, many times over the years, I had no clue of their sheer bleak grittiness.

And if my until-last-night carb fiend of a husband is on board with this for the sake of his own health too, then Panorama I applaud you. I make no apology for that applause.

On the other hand, on being diagnosed as T2 back in Dec 2013 I substantially reduced the amount I ate, followed the NHS guidelines and adopted a balanced diet, and within three months and ever since thereafter my HBa1C levels have been in the none diabetic range. O

Element137 said:

It's almost as no one will admit that the general dietary advice to the general population for the last 30 years is simply wrong, and probably contributed to the epidemic levels of T2 we are seeing

Click to expand...

Food industry is big money - money talks

As far as I could see, the patients featured on last night's Panorama had NOT been following the NHS dietary guidelines and were or had been over consuming food or drink. There is no NHS dietary guideline to the effect that you must eat copious amounts of milk chocolate with or after every meal.

I thought that the object of the program was to show that T2 Diabetes was an illness of epidemic proportions, which for its sufferers had potentially serious consequences and in that regard it achieved its object. Whenever a program such as this is shown there is the usual complaints that 'it's too negative' etc. If Panorama made a program showing a group of trim, well-controlled T2 Diabetics enjoying life, then it would not be negative but it is hard to see what good it would do anyone by way of warning. The sub-text of last night's program was that T2 Diabetes can be controlled, and indeed can be avoided, but over consumption of food and/or drink will in some cases lead to T2 and in some cases the results will be catastrophic.

The patients shown (the male nurse and the lady who had bariatric surgery) did not seem to have been following NHS dietary guidelines, so how can their condition can be blamed on that? They had not been following any form of disciplined diet nor any form of exercise regime, this resulted in weight gain and T2.

A program intended to shock and one that achieved its purpose.

Stuart5646 said:

Surely hope is the thing we all need to keep us on the straight and narrow to keep in control, I do hope that there is some positives from the program

Click to expand...

There's few places that will give a T2D more positives than this link
http://www.diabetes.co.uk/forum/category/success-stories-and-testimonials.43/

VinnyJames said:

Probably true as low carbing takes a lot of discipline.

Click to expand...

You may be surprise how little discipline is required...when you actually enjoy the food you eat...

Just to let people know, I have started a new thread showing how it is possible to avoid the NHS costs and reduce the complication risks that this programme mentions.

This is the thread
http://www.diabetes.co.uk/forum/thr...ike-that-panorama-programme-suggested.108923/

It lists the various options open to us Type 2s, that I think are MUCH better than Eatwell Plate carb eating, bariatric surgery and complications.

Tabbyjoolz said:

Dismayed and furious. Why were there no T2s on the programme who were managing their diabetes with some success? Why did they not look more deeply into the flawed diet advice being dished out?

Click to expand...

Well if you thought the Beeb was independent.................

catfan said:

No, but a lot certainly do.

Click to expand...

But most people are fat!

So is the increase in diabetes just coincidental to the increased bmi of the population?
I don't know but it would be interesting to look at the figures.

Thank you @Tipetoo for posting that video. I did notice that the only thing told to the young boy was eat less. I also noticed the 1000 calorie pre surgery diet started the day with oatmeal and apples. The whole thing is tragic and these professionals talking about the problem don't know they are in a large part helping in creating it. The patients seemed completely lacking in any knowledge of their condition. They knew what complications were possible but had no idea why or how to stop it. Unfortunately this is a reality around the world, not just in the UK. I also noticed that many of the doctors and nurses telling people what to do were very overweight themselves. Hard to take it serious when someone bigger than you is telling you what your diet should look like.

Syd said:

. . . . . followed the NHS guidelines and adopted a balanced diet, and within three months and ever since thereafter my HBa1C levels have been in the none diabetic range.

Click to expand...

I'm very pleased that following NHS guidelines works for you and if you're not taking any medication to help with your HbA1c, that's even more pleasing.

However, from a personal point of view, although I expect there will be several other forum members in the same boat, if I was to return to the NHS guideline of 1/3 calories in form of carbs, I would have to take gliclazide and januvia again, then progress to injecting insulin (I was at that point when I low carb'd to lose weight) because my pancreas had become knackered with producing excess insulin. My weight would have increased because gliclazide did that before (I didn't even have to change my diet, thanks NHS). So no brainer, eat what's recommended and take more drugs or just cut my carbs. Simple!

In a radio interview early yesterday the doctor from the programme featured in connection with children started off by remarking that his patients would have be born with a genetic predisposition towards T2 and it would be the other factors such as diet that had triggered it especially early. If he made that point to the TV crew it never made it to the screen.

The big guy was boasting that he didn't self medicate with alcohol but he stole his kids chocolate to self medicate his sugar levels. Rather ironic?