TYPE 2 DIABETES DIAGNOSIS: WHAT IT MEANS FOR YOU

Can a ver y low calorie diet help, or even cure, type 2 diabetes?

QI am 62 and after some blood tests recently my doctor told me that I had type 2 diabetes. I feel completely fine, in fact the blood tests were for something else and I really want to avoid having to take medication. My GP said that I could try losing weight and retesting in a few months time. I have heard that really low calorie diets can cure diabetes. Type 2 diabetes is a condition where the body becomes resistant to the ef fects of the hormone insulin. This is different from type 1 where the pancreas stops producing insulin, which is then given by injections.

Type 2 diabetes tends to occur later in life and is

Aassociated with obesity, as well as being commoner in people from South Asian and Afro Caribbean backgrounds.

You mention that you don’t have symptoms and this is generally true initially, as symptoms can develop due to complications of having raised blood sugar (which occurs in diabetes) for a prolonged time. Complications of diabetes can affect the eyes and vision, the ner ves and the kidneys, and is also associated with increased risk of cardiovascular disease, such as hear t disease and strokes.

You mention ver y low calorie diets, these tend to involve eating 800-1,200 calories a day for approximately 12 weeks before going onto a healthy eating lifestyle plan. These tend to involve nutrient for tified meal replacement shakes or soups. There is some evidence that such ver y low calorie diets can help with diabetes, even causing the diabetes to go into remission, meaning that your blood sugar level returns to normal. However, they are difficult to follow and maintain, and side effects include headaches and constipation.

Do not star t such a diet without consulting a health care professional, and after the 12 week period is up you will still need to maintain a healthy diet and lifestyle.

Medications are often used to control diabetes, generally star ting with one named metformin, though you may require more than one medication.