Northampton man lost six stone...and diabetes

[Northerner]

A man from Northampton lost six stone in five months and also got rid of his diabetes.

Ryan Griffiths, of Swale Drive, Kings Heath, was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes 18 months ago.

Despite this, he ignored doctors’ advice and continued with his unhealthy lifestyle.

It was not until Ryan saw a friend’s picture of him following a night out in Northampton, that he realised how bad he had let his health get.

After stepping back on the scales for the first time in more than a year, he found he had ballooned to 22 stone and vowed to join a gym.

http://www.northamptonchron.co.uk/news/local/northampton-man-lost-six-stone-and-diabetes-1-5732782

Misleading again - he has not 'got rid' of his diabetes, he has brought it under control...🙄 Great achievement, nonetheless!

 

[Charliewatch]

l am abit confused about this topic,l would love to be clear of the big D and my hopes rise when l see the free of diabetes headlines in the media.To most diabetes sufferers am l right in believing it will not happen or am l being pessimistic.

 

[Redkite]

If you lose excess weight and stick to a low carb diet once the weight has been lost, it is perfectly possible for someone with type 2 to have the BG levels of a non-diabetic. But it doesn't mean your diabetes will have gone away, just that it is very well controlled. You wouldn't be able to get away with going back to old eating habits!

 

[Northerner]

l am abit confused about this topic,l would love to be clear of the big D and my hopes rise when l see the free of diabetes headlines in the media.To most diabetes sufferers am l right in believing it will not happen or am l being pessimistic.

The headlines love to use words like 'cure' and 'reverse' diabetes, but as Redkite says, these people have made sufficient modifications to their diet and activity levels to control their blood sugar levels well without the need of medication. They haven't been cured, if they returned to how they were at diagnosis their levels would become poorly-controlled again. What also needs to be borne in mind is that diabetes is more of a 'spectrum' than the over-simplified condition as it is popularly represented. This means that some people might have to be very overweight before becoming diagnosed, some only slightly, and others (like yourself, having met you!) not apparently overweight at all. Some (most) overweight people don't get diabetes, so it's not a simple equation of fat=diabetes, lose fat, lose diabetes. Also, fr many people they might only get a diagnosis after unknowingly suffering poor levels for years, by which time their ability to produce insulin might have been damaged and they therefore need additional support from medication. It's unhelpful of the media and other organisations to imply that everyone could 'cure' themselves of Type 2 diabetes if only they made the effort. Of course you need to make the effort, but for some people this may mean that they can manage on a reduced level of medication than they would otherwise require.

Try not to think of the future as bleak. From what you have told us, your levels are already improving and you are learning more every day.