‘Life Without Diabetes’ by Professor Roy Taylor

[Toucan]

‘Life Without Diabetes’ by Professor Roy Taylor
I found the book easy to read and informative, and it changed my perspective of the ‘Newcastle Diet’, as well as several other pre-conceptions.
It can be used as a guide to the ‘Newcastle Diet’ – just start reading at Chapter 7, but there is also some interesting information in the rest of the book.

There is an explanation of what Type 2 diabetes is, and how glucose and fat are handled in the body, and Professor Taylor describes his theory on the genetic input to diabetes. This leads to challenging the link between obesity and diabetes, and an explanation of why a large number of obese people are not diabetic, and many outwardly thin people are diabetic.

He defines a ‘personal fat threshold’, if exceeded this means that there is too much fat stored internally particularly around the liver and pancreas, which disrupts the production of insulin.

He concludes that the solution is a significant weight loss to seriously diminish the fat around the liver and pancreas. For most newly diagnosed Type 2 sufferers he suggests as weight decrease of around 15kgs, and a permanent decrease in food consumption on average by 25%. How this is achieved is not so important as the end result of weight loss, and sustained new eating habits.

The ‘Newcastle diet’ is one way, but it is more important that the individual finds the way that is right for them e.g Low Carb ,Mediterranean, intermittent fasting etc. Either rapid weight loss or slower weight loss over a longer period is an acceptable way to achieve the goal. The various approaches are all outlined. There is no ‘one size fits all’.

The Newcastle Diet arose as part of his research, when he needed a group of Type 2’s to lose weight rapidly, so that he could analyse the effects. Hence the milk shakes etc were just a simple way of doing this. The group however were so overwhelming happy with the result that the idea spread and the ‘Newcastle Diet’ evolved.

There are clear instructions on the 3 phases of the diet in the book, plus some useful recipes. Milkshakes aren’t essential in the first phase, and it can be any nutritious daily food intake of 800cals. Phases 2 and 3 provide a gradual move to sustainable healthy eating.

I particularly enjoyed Chapter 9 ‘Don’t be fooled’, which discusses the plethora of health stories that are always around. It put forward ideas on how to sort out solid information from misleading observations or baseline opinion.

All in all a surprisingly informative, good read.

 

[Wirrallass]

That's very interesting Neens, thank you for sharing. I did it the slow way with diet & exercise and reduced my HbA1c from 53 at dx in *2016 to 33: then 31 in 2019.
WL

Edited to add*

 

[Toucan]

Thanks @wirralass
Yes I also did it the slow way, - and am still doing! - as I hope to get below the 40 threshold eventually, as you have.
I can see though that the crash diet described in the book would appeal to some people, as long as they follow through and end up with eating habits that they can sustain - but the plan described in the book does have a final phase that leads to this.
It is the usual case that 'no one size fits all' and some people are having success with this method. I guess it is the destination that matters, more than the route taken to get there.

 

[Wirrallass]

Hi @Toucan. The only reason I elected to reduce my HbA1c by diet & exercise alone was coz I just couldn't tolerate 'Metfartin' or 'Metfartin' SR (Sukarto) After a few months of being housebound due to the $%@¥#$₩ awful side effects that made me feel so exhausted, I took myself off this medication then explained my decision to my GP at my next appointment. He was happy for me to continue to manage my Diabetes without medication.

My more recent HbA1c was 41mmol/mol (Still in range) but I was very ill back end of last year and was prescribed Steroid meds and Antibiotics which impacted my bgls, so I wasn't at all surprised at the result. Even so I'm still in non-diabetic range ~ or as some say, in remission and I continue to manage my Diabetes with a low carb diet best I can ~ with the occasional treat ~ just occasionally! Its not easy I hasten to add as I still have a sweet tooth!

You WILL achieve what you're aiming for Toucan with determination & tenacity. It's a headache sometimes trying to find a happy balance but it CAN be done. Sending you lots of good luck wishes.
WL

 

[Nielh123]

I'm reading this now. Amazing how such a dry subject can be communicated in such an entertaining way. I'm still laughing at the line-up of suspects for the mass murder of beta cells (you'll have to read the book!)

 

[Sticksman]

The key message I got from the book was to “lose 15kg” if you weigh more than 80kg or “lose 15%” of your body weight if you weigh less than 80kg. This will help you avoid type 2 or be rid of it. Prof’ Taylor’s research shows that how you lose the calories from your diet is not important, just lose the 15kg and then maintain your new weight at that level or lighter. This really does it for me as a newly diagnosed pre-diabetic. I was floundering with the complexity of advice about diet and the dogmatic evangelising of the “doctor gurus“ on youtube and elsewhere. As a sufferer from reflux, choosing foods is particularly difficult with the many conflicts of ideal eating for diabetes. I am currently half way to the 15kg target having adopted a very bespoke diet that I feel I could adopt for life if it works. Fingers crossed.

 

[Gwynn]

Sticksman, yup, keep it going and hopefully you will be rewarded with better health and no diabetic issues.

 

[helli]

My reading was to lose 15 percent .of your weight, not 15kg.
This could be significantly different. For example 15kg would be about 25 of my weight and put me in the underweight BMI category.

 

[Sticksman]

My reading was to lose 15 percent .of your weight, not 15kg.
This could be significantly different. For example 15kg would be about 25 of my weight and put me in the underweight BMI category.

It is 15kg if you weigh over 80kg or 15% if you weigh less.

 

[Deleted member 33972]

‘Life Without Diabetes’ by Professor Roy Taylor
I found the book easy to read and informative, and it changed my perspective of the ‘Newcastle Diet’, as well as several other pre-conceptions.
It can be used as a guide to the ‘Newcastle Diet’ – just start reading at Chapter 7, but there is also some interesting information in the rest of the book.

There is an explanation of what Type 2 diabetes is, and how glucose and fat are handled in the body, and Professor Taylor describes his theory on the genetic input to diabetes. This leads to challenging the link between obesity and diabetes, and an explanation of why a large number of obese people are not diabetic, and many outwardly thin people are diabetic.

He defines a ‘personal fat threshold’, if exceeded this means that there is too much fat stored internally particularly around the liver and pancreas, which disrupts the production of insulin.

He concludes that the solution is a significant weight loss to seriously diminish the fat around the liver and pancreas. For most newly diagnosed Type 2 sufferers he suggests as weight decrease of around 15kgs, and a permanent decrease in food consumption on average by 25%. How this is achieved is not so important as the end result of weight loss, and sustained new eating habits.

The ‘Newcastle diet’ is one way, but it is more important that the individual finds the way that is right for them e.g Low Carb ,Mediterranean, intermittent fasting etc. Either rapid weight loss or slower weight loss over a longer period is an acceptable way to achieve the goal. The various approaches are all outlined. There is no ‘one size fits all’.

The Newcastle Diet arose as part of his research, when he needed a group of Type 2’s to lose weight rapidly, so that he could analyse the effects. Hence the milk shakes etc were just a simple way of doing this. The group however were so overwhelming happy with the result that the idea spread and the ‘Newcastle Diet’ evolved.

There are clear instructions on the 3 phases of the diet in the book, plus some useful recipes. Milkshakes aren’t essential in the first phase, and it can be any nutritious daily food intake of 800cals. Phases 2 and 3 provide a gradual move to sustainable healthy eating.

I particularly enjoyed Chapter 9 ‘Don’t be fooled’, which discusses the plethora of health stories that are always around. It put forward ideas on how to sort out solid information from misleading observations or baseline opinion.

All in all a surprisingly informative, good read.

As you probably know I’m doing SW and I’ve lost about 25 lbs in about 16 weeks now. I never lost anything yesterday and gained a pound. There’s lots of groups on Facebook and recipes on YouTube For SW. The Facegroup SW posts from users were an eye opener. They were using slim fast and dieting. this might be ok for people like myself who are obese but a lot of these young women are very thin and want to fade away to be like the modern models. There’s a threshold fir weight loss groups before you can join them. A combination of shakes and slimming diet would never have entered my head. It’s OK under medical supervision. I’m glad you said that his study says any way you lose the weight. I’m getting worried because I’ve read there’s a tIme period for losing it to go into remission . 12 weeks and 16 weeks at the most after diagnosis. I might have to rethink what I’m doing shortly and my subscription ends soon. I’ve known people finish the NHS courses, not Oviva, and join SW after to lose more weight. I’ve to go on a course because I’ve got obstructive sleep apnoea and had it for years. I was recently told I should have been referred when I was diagnosed, although in fairness my weight has gone up and done for the last 20 years. I also don’t want a set back as I had infusions for osteoporosis when I was 49 as I took it early. I’ve gained 14% bone density through Allendronic acid infusions over a 3 year period and I don’t want to lose it because of bad diet and lack of calcium.

 

[Chris Hobson]

I came to the forum hoping that there would be a thread about this book. I am about two thirds of the way through it and I'm just up to the part where the rather drastic diet is discussed. I have a few thoughts that I would like to share and possibly get some feedback on.

Firstly I am approaching my tenth diaversary and, up to now, I have managed my diabetes pretty well by doing lots of exercise and just being fairly sensible regarding diet. I have used Linagliptin on and off when my glucose levels have strayed a little but, up to now I feel that I've coped pretty well.

Having said all that I am aware that, now at the age of 64, I may not always be able to exercise as much in the future. I have already had to give up on running and the longer bike rides because my knees are no longer up to it, I now concentrate on the swimming.

Mentioned in the book is the fact that people tend to put on weight gradually during their adult life. At the age of 21 I weighed 75 kilos. That stayed constant for maybe about twenty years, I was very active with martial arts, a ten mile cycle commute and swimming. When I became less active my weight went up to about 85 kilos. Upon diagnosis I got a grip on things and got back down to 75 kilos again. I have occasionally dipped below 70 kilos when doing particularly hard physical challenges, I'm now at around 71.5 kilos. So for me my starting point would be actually weighing less than I did as a young adult. People that I know are in agreement that going down to 61 kilos would leave me looking like a stick insect.

If this method is effectively a cure for diabetes I think that it could still be worth doing. My final thought is, if you embark on such a restricted diet aren't your glucose levels going to plummet anyway? Presumably the MMR scans and other tests are demonstrating a return to normal liver and pancreas functions in addition to the normal glucose readings?

 

[Deleted member 21371]

I came to the forum hoping that there would be a thread about this book. I am about two thirds of the way through it and I'm just up to the part where the rather drastic diet is discussed. I have a few thoughts that I would like to share and possibly get some feedback on.

Firstly I am approaching my tenth diaversary and, up to now, I have managed my diabetes pretty well by doing lots of exercise and just being fairly sensible regarding diet. I have used Linagliptin on and off when my glucose levels have strayed a little but, up to now I feel that I've coped pretty well.

Having said all that I am aware that, now at the age of 64, I may not always be able to exercise as much in the future. I have already had to give up on running and the longer bike rides because my knees are no longer up to it, I now concentrate on the swimming.

Mentioned in the book is the fact that people tend to put on weight gradually during their adult life. At the age of 21 I weighed 75 kilos. That stayed constant for maybe about twenty years, I was very active with martial arts, a ten mile cycle commute and swimming. When I became less active my weight went up to about 85 kilos. Upon diagnosis I got a grip on things and got back down to 75 kilos again. I have occasionally dipped below 70 kilos when doing particularly hard physical challenges, I'm now at around 71.5 kilos. So for me my starting point would be actually weighing less than I did as a young adult. People that I know are in agreement that going down to 61 kilos would leave me looking like a stick insect.

If this method is effectively a cure for diabetes I think that it could still be worth doing. My final thought is, if you embark on such a restricted diet aren't your glucose levels going to plummet anyway? Presumably the MMR scans and other tests are demonstrating a return to normal liver and pancreas functions in addition to the normal glucose readings?

Yes, your levels will initially plummet.
It's a calorie restricted diet, and by the restriction some argue it's low carb as well, so win-win.
But, the restriction soon ends.
It's when you start your "maintenance", which is a normal healthy amount of food and calories, you know how it's worked out.
The trials did run a lot of tests to confirm how it seemed to happen, and what effects it had on the bodies.

 

[harbottle]

If this method is effectively a cure for diabetes I think that it could still be worth doing. My final thought is, if you embark on such a restricted diet aren't your glucose levels going to plummet anyway? Presumably the MMR scans and other tests are demonstrating a return to normal liver and pancreas functions in addition to the normal glucose readings?

I believe the original research that was done by the Professor did indeed use MMR scans to look at the organs and also monitored the first phase and second phase insulin responses, as in T2 diabetes the first phase is often missing or reduced (And it's believed this is important as it signals the body to become insulin sensitive.). First Phase response returned quite early after weight loss. Over time the second phase returned to normal levels. The scans may have also shown the pancreas changing shape as well as it recovered (Although from what I've read, the decrease in pancreas seen in T2s does not account for the loss of insulin secretion.)

 

[42istheanswer]

Mentioned in the book is the fact that people tend to put on weight gradually during their adult life. At the age of 21 I weighed 75 kilos. That stayed constant for maybe about twenty years, I was very active with martial arts, a ten mile cycle commute and swimming. When I became less active my weight went up to about 85 kilos. Upon diagnosis I got a grip on things and got back down to 75 kilos again. I have occasionally dipped below 70 kilos when doing particularly hard physical challenges, I'm now at around 71.5 kilos. So for me my starting point would be actually weighing less than I did as a young adult. People that I know are in agreement that going down to 61 kilos would leave me looking like a stick insect

If your weight at diagnosis was 85kg then that might be the relevant weight to consider rather than your current 71.5kg. i.e. you may not need to lose 15% from your weight now but just a small amount more. Also there was the ReTune study (I think I have the right name for that, someone will be along to correct I'm sure if I have remembered it wrong) which Prof Roy Taylor subsequently did with people who were less overweight to normal weight (BMI 21.5-27 or similar?). As I recall it, for that he got them to do 4 week periods of 800 calories with 8 weeks of stabilisation and found that on average they needed 6 months (2 cycles) and to lose 8% of bodyweight to reach remission.

If you are interested in trying it but worried about losing too much weight, you could potentially try that way with shorter low calorie periods and monitoring whether that weight loss seems to have brought sufficient control, then deciding whether to try a further very low calorie period.

And of course there's always the factor that weight loss did not reverse/put diabetes into remission for everyone in his studies.

 

[42istheanswer]

(I also suspect both @Chris Hobson and @harbottle meant MRI scans...)

 

[Windy]

I've read both of Prof Taylor's books (one is an abridged version of the other) and they were the main reason that I lost weight and got into remission. I've given them both away to people - one to a friend who was prediabetic, and the other to the diabetes nurse at my GPs, as she'd told me she was skeptical about the Newcastle diet, just after it had been introduced to the practice. I don't know if she read it, or if it changed her mind, but I also told her I would have done the Newcastle diet in a heartbeat if it had been offered when I was first diagnosed, so hopefully that swayed her a bit.

I'm also impressed that he's donated all the proceeds of his books to Diabetes UK, what a lovely chap!

 

[Chris Hobson]

I had intended to return to this thread after having my review, my blood test and my meeting with the specialist nurse. Unfortunately there was a rare **** up with my blood sample going missing. The specialist nurse took further blood samples and has promised to email me regarding the results. While I have been waiting for this information there have been some interesting developments, I am breaking these down into bullet points in order to more clearly express my thoughts about their significance.

1) Professor Taylor's theory emphasises returning your weight to where is was when you were a young adult.

2) After performing a charity swim challenge involving swimming 500 miles in a year, my weight has dropped to 70 kilos which is 5 kilos under my weight as a young adult.

2a) Edit. The weight loss occurred a couple of months into the swim challenge so I've been weighing in at around 70 kilos for over a year now.

3) I am currently using Linagliptin as my glucose levels were a little high on my last review. Linagliptin is a fairly mild diabetic treatment. Although the blurb that comes with it states that hypos are a possibility, they are extremely rare. I had just one hypo, many years ago, after doing a Duathlon in the morning and, after a very light lunch, doing some gardening in the afternoon.

4) Recently I have been helping my daughter move house. During a week of humping furniture around and having meals at slightly irregular times I have had two hypos.

I was holding off posting about all this because my blood test results are still pending and would presumably add significant further information. As soon as I have the results I shall be posting an update.

 

[Chris Hobson]

I have now received an email about my test results. My HbA1c score has gone down from 55 to 48. I have booked another appointment with the specialist nurse as I want to discuss the issue of the hypos and whether I should keep taking the linagliptin. It will be a few weeks as Lynne seems to be very popular.

 

[SB2015]

I have now received an email about my test results. My HbA1c score has gone down from 55 to 48. I have booked another appointment with the specialist nurse as I want to discuss the issue of the hypos and whether I should keep taking the linagliptin. It will be a few weeks as Lynne seems to be very popular.

Well done Chris. Very encouraging
I hope that you get your hypos sorted. Hypo treatment to hand even when they are rare.
Keep us updated

 

[Chris Hobson]

I was sure that I had posted my update yesterday, copied from the thread from the In The News section on the same subject. Now I can't find it here so apologies if it ends up being duplicated.

My update as promised. I have been to see my specialist nurse. She said that I was correct to stop taking the linagliptin when the hypos occurred. I am now off the meds for four months after which I will have another blood test to see how that is working. I have put a slight amount of weight back on, I'm still under 75 kilos, just. I have been too busy to go swimming. For the last couple of months or so. My plan is to get back to swimming and cycling to see if I can get down to 70 kilos again and see how it works out.