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Diabetes complications are triggered by impaired insulin production, which raises the spectre of dangerously high blood sugar levels. While it’s no secret that you can tame the threat posed by high glucose by adjusting what you eat, Dr Mosley shares that a “new diet” could even reverse the condition.
While diabetes is usually considered to be a life sentence, Dr Mosley suggests a “new diet” from the NHS could switch things up.
The diet programme which consists of 850 calories a day, mainly provided from soups and shakes, means “great news” for the diabetic community, according to the doctor.
Dr Mosley penned for the Daily Mail: “While rapid weight-loss plans have a bad reputation, large trials have shown that done properly, they’re far more effective at helping people lose weight — and keep it off — than standard diets.
“They’re particularly effective at helping people with type 2 diabetes reduce their blood sugar levels without medication.”
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What’s more, the doctor has even met one of the scientists pioneering this approach to type 2 diabetes treatment.
Roy Taylor, a professor of medicine and metabolism at Newcastle University, explained to the doctor that type 2 diabetes is triggered by a build-up of fat in the liver and pancreas.
This fat accumulation impacts your body’s ability to control blood sugar levels – one of the main problems of diabetes.
Dr Mosley said: “He said the solution was to lose about 10 percent of your bulk, ideally with a rapid weight-loss diet.
“And despite widespread scepticism, an early trial of his approach showed that people with type 2 diabetes who followed an 850-calorie a day plan lost an average 10kg over 12 weeks — while nearly half managed to reverse their diabetes.
“Other, larger studies have since had similar results.”
The food regime, which could be dished out as early as next year, consisted of sachets of powder that were added to water to make shakes and soups.
The regimen was designed to be followed for three months, with the NHS planning to keep this timeframe when it’s rolled out nationwide.
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After following the soup and shake diet, a “carefully managed” plan will help to reintroduce other healthy and nutritious foods to participants’ regimes.
Sadly, not everyone will be able to take part in this “fantastic” diet as GPs will need to refer patients.
The diet will be open to people between the ages of 18 to 65 diagnosed with diabetes.
Eligible Britons must also have a body mass index over 27, or over 25 if they are from black, Asian or minority ethnic groups.
The diet is planned to be fully rolled out nationwide between 2023 and 2024, according to the NHS.
However, that timescale could change as the nationwide roll-out has not yet formally been announced.
The doctor added: “When I spoke to Roy a few days ago, he was delighted that the NHS is now fully on board, but is concerned that the funding for the programme ‘is not yet secure’.
“My fingers are crossed.”
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