I have struggled with diabetes for some years now, and to get my blood count to be less than 6, the top line for me. I have a regular 3 monthly check up and 6 months ago my count was 7.85, too high! I found this diet book in my book case, the Fast Metabolism Diet by Haylie Pomeroy which advocates eating from different food groups during a weekly span for 4 weeks. The blurb on the book front says you can lose up to 20 pounds in 28 days and I thought, really? okay, I will try it, why not, I have tried everything else. I found phase 1 and 3 of the diet easy to follow, despite having to eat every 3-4 hours, no calorie counting; eating 3 meals a day plus 2 snacks. Phase 2 was more spartan and I found egg white omelettes hard to swallow, but managed it. In fact, I became sick of eating! you can eat as much as you like from different fats, proteins, carbohydrates BUT no wheat, dairy, alcohol, tea or coffee which initially, I found hard to do. You have to drink water amounting to half your body weight, 3 litres a day for me!, You are encouraged to weigh and measure yourself at weekly intervals and I found in the first 2 weeks, I lost 4 inches from my ankles, formerly swollen.After 4 months following this diet, I have gone from 75 kilos to 55 kilos in weight, my blood sugar is now 4.80 and my blood pressure has returned to normal levels. I hope that I am now at reset mode and my body will continue to manage the odd glass of wine or bar of chocolate adequately. 55 kilos (8 stone 8 ounces) is a weight that I formerly was very comfortable with and the diet programme encourages you to go to your former weight, if you can. I still take Amaryl but no other drugs. I formerly worked as a journalist and during the course of my work, I had several conversations with Dr. Alberic Fiennes, bariatric surgeon. I wasn't overweight at this time and when he told me how he had several people in his practice, deeply upset that they couldn't lose weight, I didn't understand this but I do now, having been in this position myself. He also said our bodies need to get to reset mode, where we can then function well, regarding weight, blood sugar and blood pressure. He said in his experience, this was possible. and I think I have now reached this point. I also work out at the gym, exercise classes 3 times a week and go horse riding weekly. I have to say that the riding lowered my blood pressure by 20 points per session, so that is the magic of a horse, what it can do for you! The exercise classes never lowered my weight significantly but do help tone me up. What I am really saying is, don't slide into despair over your blood sugar count. I am convinced that being overweight led to my having diabetes in the first place and I was kidding myself into thinking it would go away. I think it does go into remission, but perhaps may never go away entirely. So take courage! There is a way forward for everyone! Do not be afraid of eating whatever you like, but use food as a medicine. Fat is good for you, there are healthy fats to eat and calorie counting is not the only way forward for type 2 diabetes!
