Current figures suggest there are 3.9 million people living with diabetes in the UK. By 2025, this figure is expected to hit 5 million. Of these 3.9 million Brits, 90% have type 2 diabetes – a metabolic disorder that results in high blood glucose levels and is often cause by lifestyle choices. Over time complications may include heart disease, stroke, kidney and eye disease, and nerve damage.
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Type 2 diabetes often requires the use of anti-diabetic medication or insulin to keep blood sugar levels under control. However, in some cases it may be possible to 'reverse' type 2 diabetes through lifestyle changes.
What does diabetes 'reversal' mean?
According to Diabetes.co.uk, diabetes reversal is a term that usually refers to significantly reducing insulin resistance in people with type 2 diabetes. By doing so, it may be possible to reduce dependency on diabetes medicine – some people can get blood sugar levels down without the use of any medication.How can you reverse diabetes?
The book Reverse Your Diabetes: Take control of type 2 diabetes with 60 easy-to-prepare recipes, by Dr David Cavan, reveals how a person with type 2 diabetes can modify their day-to-day diet in order to help stabilise blood glucose levels, control diabetes and potentially reverse the diagnosis.
His theory is based on the latest scientific research that shows weight loss (in particular reducing visceral fat) when combined with an increase in physical activity has the potential to reverse type 2 diabetes. Research indicates that effective ways to 'reverse' diabetes include very low-calorie diets, low-carbohydrate diets, exercise and weight-loss surgery. Talking about research Dr Cavan says:
"If you have recently been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes then, by reducing your calorie intake and weight, there is a chance you could become free from diabetes. The fact diabetes may return in association with later weight gain emphasises that this is not a permanent 'cure' for diabetes."Dr Cavan adds that even partial reversal associated with modest weight loss and lower glucose levels will significantly improve the long-term health outlook for many people.
Having said this, it is obviously incredibly important for people with type 2 diabetes to consult their doctor or a specialised medical professional to work out the best course of action for them. But three people reveal how lifestyle changes have altered their diabetes diagnosis for the better:
"It took about eight months to reverse my type 2 diabetes" says Julian, 53, from Southampton: "My diet before I was diagnosed was poor. I'm a photographer and always ate rich food at weddings and events, and thought I could go home and do the same. I ate lots of curries, takeaways, as well as beer and sweets most evenings. I walked quite a bit, but very slowly – I assumed this was enough."
"I found out I had type 2 diabetes during routine blood tests for low blood pressure. I was devastated. Ironically, the week before I had photographed an assignment for Diabetes UK, which was about a man who had lost a leg because of the condition. I changed my diet that very day. Everything from that point on became home-cooked, I ditched the takeaways, sweets and cut down on the beer. I started walking five miles a day until, eventually, I ran – a bit like Forrest Gump!"
"It took about eight months to reverse my type 2 diabetes. I was told it was for life, so didn't ever expect to be free of it. Now I cycle about 250 miles every week, so that keeps me healthy (my doctor loves me for it) and I check my bloods now and then, but they're pretty stable now. I've lost a total of eight stone and feel epic!"
"My diabetes diagnosis ended up being a positive experience for me" says Marie, 49, from Scotland: "For the most part my diet was pretty healthy – except for my weakness of sweet things. I also felt too tired to be active. I thought I was going through the menopause. I was having lots of hot flashes, a lack of concentration and fatigue, especially in the afternoons. I was warned that I was at risk of diabetes, but stuck my head in the sand."
"When I got the diagnosis, I knew I had to get things sorted, so spoke to a dietician, but my symptoms persisted. I looked at a diabetes forum and read that people had success with reduced carbohydrate diets and blood sugar testing. Diet-controlled diabetics are often not provided with a glucometer, but the next day I bought one and tested my levels before and after eating. The results showed that what I thought were blood sugar dips were blood sugar spikes!""I reduced my carbohydrate levels, increased my fats, exercise and the rest is history. I don't like the word 'reverse' as I control my diabetes with diet, activity and hard work. This might sound daft, but my diabetes diagnosis ended up being a positive experience for me. I'm fitter and healthier than I have been in years."
"Because of my symptoms, I was thought to be type 1" says Craig, 37, from Edinburgh: "Prior to being told I had diabetes, I had a sweet tooth and drank sugary fizzy drinks. Symptoms included excess urination, a fuzzy head, increased thirst and weight loss, but the scariest indicator was blurred vision. Over the course of three days, my vision deteriorated so much that I had to stop driving."
"I read about the low-carbohydrate/high-fat diet in a forum and thought it I'd try it. I'm also more conscious of being physically active and have lost three stone since being diagnosed. Because of my symptoms, I was initially thought to be type 1 but, after four months, my insulin intake was reduced to practically nothing and then stopped entirely. Sometimes the symptoms of both types can blur. I got the news I was 95% likely to be type 2 diabetic four months later.""I still have diabetes – my blood glucose would go out of control if I ate what I want – but immediately after I switched to a low-carb diet, my levels dropped to normal. My last HbA1c (a test of the average level of blood glucose over the preceding three months) was normal without taking any medication. I still test my blood glucose about once a day and will continue to do so, as it helps me feel in control."
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