A county nurse has been able to come off her diabetes medication and has lost four stone thanks to a low carb diet.
Gillian Crowe, 62, is a registered nurse and lives in Northamptonshire and was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes on June 12 this year. She also suffers from psoriatic arthritis, osteoarthritis, prolapse vertebral discs and a host of other medical conditions. She thought she was destined to be “forever fat.”
But in just six months, Gill has lost 25kg by following a low carb healthy fat diet and exercising on a regular basis. In total Gill has lost 30kg (4 stone 7lbs) since at her heaviest.
Gillian said: “I was horrified when I was told I had diabetes and was determined to put the condition into remission. I ignored the NHS instructions regarding diet and medication and instead opted to follow a low carb healthy fat diet and I started losing weight straight away. Not only have I lost significant amounts of weight, but my cholesterol and blood fat levels have returned to normal without statins and my HbA1c levels have come down so much that I have come off metformin completely”.
“I am a regular user of global diabetes community Diabetes.co.uk which helps with my new way of eating and I find the information about low carb invaluable.”
Gill suspected that she had diabetes with symptoms such as extreme thirst, hot flushes and a frequent need to urinate. She asked her local GP to test her and within days the condition was confirmed.
At first, she was put on a low dosage of metformin which made her eyes blurry, this was subsequently increased but she couldn’t see to drive. An optician informed her this was due to her blood sugar levels coming down. Her blood sugars over the years had caused damage.
Since cutting out rice, pasta, cakes and biscuits etc and embarking on a low carb healthy fat diet she has not only lost significant amounts of weight, but her cholesterol and blood fat levels have returned to normal without statins and her HbA1c came down from 108 to 67 in September and in November from 67 to 48!! As a result, Gill has come off metformin completely.
Gill now walks most days, often a mile a day and her mobility improved immediately. The pain is still there when she walks but the exercise has helped the insulin in her body to work and helped bring her HbA1c down and get her off any meds. She will be retested every 12 weeks.
Gill is a regular user of global diabetes community Diabetes.co.uk and uses it for reading discussions; information and help with her way of eating as she finds the information about low carb very useful.
