Remission

[WalkerWarwick]

Having read the article on remission in the latest "Balance", I thought I would share my recent experience. I am a 77 year old male with a number of years' warnings of pre-diabetes. In September 2023 at my annual check up blood tests I was recorded at well past the 48 mark and a second test hit 54. I saw a nurse specialising in diabetes and followed her advice on carbohydrate reduction. I bought the Carbs & Cals book and with the help of my wife set a target of 120 carbs per day. In 12 weeks I went from 103kg to 90kg without too much stress. I was last at that weight when I left the Army 30 years ago, so was pleased and more so as a persistent nagging osteoarthritis in my left knee and hip no longer kept me from exercising. I sleep well, feel better and was delighted to achieve a reading of 42 at the most recent blood test. I will stay on a low carb diet; there are a few foods I miss, but I'm getting over that! I realise that weight loss alone is difficult for many people. Any diet I've tried in the past has tended to last for only short periods. This time, the incentive to prevent the health complications that can come with diabetes was and will remain uppermost in my mind. I'm lucky not to have to take medication and would urge anyone new to Type 2 to try out carbohydrate reduction before any other treatment becomes necessary.

 

[Vonny]

Well done! What a great achievement. Like you, my carb reduction is the only way of eating (I don't like to call it a diet) which has worked and is easy to maintain. And you've done it without medication as well.

Keep up the excellent work! 🙂

 

[Leadinglights]

Having read the article on remission in the latest "Balance", I thought I would share my recent experience. I am a 77 year old male with a number of years' warnings of pre-diabetes. In September 2023 at my annual check up blood tests I was recorded at well past the 48 mark and a second test hit 54. I saw a nurse specialising in diabetes and followed her advice on carbohydrate reduction. I bought the Carbs & Cals book and with the help of my wife set a target of 120 carbs per day. In 12 weeks I went from 103kg to 90kg without too much stress. I was last at that weight when I left the Army 30 years ago, so was pleased and more so as a persistent nagging osteoarthritis in my left knee and hip no longer kept me from exercising. I sleep well, feel better and was delighted to achieve a reading of 42 at the most recent blood test. I will stay on a low carb diet; there are a few foods I miss, but I'm getting over that! I realise that weight loss alone is difficult for many people. Any diet I've tried in the past has tended to last for only short periods. This time, the incentive to prevent the health complications that can come with diabetes was and will remain uppermost in my mind. I'm lucky not to have to take medication and would urge anyone new to Type 2 to try out carbohydrate reduction before any other treatment becomes necessary.

That was much my thoughts when I crept over that threshold, a combination of worry because my daughters work in the NHS and the thought of them coping when Covid hit and retiring meant I was getting less exercise as my job was very active, and of course the piece of cake with the afternoon cuppa. I reduced carbs to 70g per day and used my trusty Carbs and Cals as well as following the principals in the Freshwell program (https://lowcarbfreshwell.com/) I reduced my HbA1C from 50 to 42 in 3 months and to below that in another 6 months. Like you I find that regime enjoyable, I don't miss anything and feel it is a sustainable new way of eating. There was no way I was going to take meds if diet would do the trick. I acknowledge that for some people it won't.
Made a point of upping the exercise until an accident scuppered that with a knee injury which still is giving problems 2 and a half years on.
So well done on sticking with it and it does pay off.

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

Thanks for sharing your story @WalkerWarwick

I’m sure it will be an encouragement and inspiration to others.

Great to hear you found a method that worked so well for you 🙂