A fast(ing) way to beat diabetes -- and high blood pressure

Usain Bolt holds the record for the fastest sprint at 27.78 mph. And while that might not seem so fast compared to the cheetah (75 mph), it’s fast enough to defeat all challengers.

Fast enough is just what you want when it comes to defeating diabetes and its frequent companion, high blood pressure. You want to do it fast -- using semifasting to launch your victory run.

The challenge: Around 85% of folks with diabetes develop high blood pressure, increasing their risk for stroke and heart attack. Unfortunately, some antihypertensive medications make it harder to control blood glucose levels, and some anti-obesity diabetes meds raise blood pressure. Losing weight, reversing diabetes and getting off blood pressure meds is like winning a three-legged race. (Let’s see you do that, Mr. Bolt-o-lightning!)

A solution: The Diabetes Remission Clinical Trial (DIRECT) diet promotes weight loss by serving up low-calorie soups and shakes for 12-20 weeks and then helping people eat a healthy diet to maintain weight loss. The most recent DIRECT study published in Diabetologia found that achieving and maintaining around a 33-pound weight loss allowed 80% of participants to become diabetes-free without meds for at least two years. Around 28% were completely off their high blood pressure medication two years out.

Interested? Work with your doctor and diabetes educator or nutritionist to get long-lasting results by adopting a fast-start weightloss diet and healthy eating plan. For help, check out DIRECT at www.directclinicaltrial.org.uk, Dr. Oz’s 60-Day Diabetes Take Charge Challenge Food Plan and the “What to Eat When Cookbook.”