Ground-breaking diet gives diabetic new lease of life
PETER Scott from Preston in Lancashire had been suffering under the weight of type 2 diabetes for ten years – until he started following a unique new diet aimed at combating the disease. The D-Diet, which has the power to reverse diabetes, introduced by the UK’s leading health and nutrition charity, Viva!Health, is helping diabetics across the country reduce their medication and shed the excess weight. Peter, 55, says: “After being diagnosed, I became a typical example of metabolic syndrome – fat around the middle, high BMI, high cholesterol and high blood sugar. I had no energy, would cough a lot despite not smoking, and didn’t sleep well. But then I heard about the D-Diet.” Viva!Health say the scientifically proved D-Diet, which is balanced, plant-based and low fat can cure type 2 diabetes and stabilise type 1 – without any calorie restriction. “After four weeks on the diet, my blood pressure started to fall towards normal levels. All my blood readings were approaching or within normal ranges. After eight weeks on the D-Diet, I’ve lost 1.7 stone. I feel fitter, I sleep well, I wake up more quickly even without coffee and I’ve stopped the coughing probably because I stopped drinking milk,” he says.
The D-Diet is tailored specifically for the needs of diabetics, and it has helped people who tried it for the initial period of four weeks not only reduce their medication, but also lose weight. Peter adds: “I still have a way to go but I expect to be no longer obese within the next two weeks. I’m enjoying the new diet and look forward to staying on it for a very long time – it is changing my life!” The D-Diet keeps you well-nourished and sated while it makes your cells burn the fat that is standing in the way of insulin sensitivity. It also reduces cholesterol levels, blood pressure and protects the kidneys from further deterioration. Because the D-Diet champions foods with a low glycemic index, it protects the body’s vital organs from damage caused by blood sugar rising too high or dipping too low. Viva!Health health campaigner, Veronika Charvatova, says: “There are 2.5 million diabetics in the UK and current medication and diet recommendations are not doing enough to treat the condition and save lives. The D-Diet can actually reverse type 2 diabetes and significantly improve the health of type 1 diabetics. But don’t take our word for it, try it for four weeks and see the results for yourself.” Viva!Health claims the D-Diet does not only treat diabetes, it can also prevent a number of health conditions that commonly occur in diabetics such as heart disease, kidney disease, eyesight deterioration and neuropathic pain. The charity is looking for diabetes sufferers to come forward and try the diet for themselves.
A guide, The Big-D: defeating diabetes with the D-Diet is available for £2.90 and a scientific report, The Big-D: Defeating Diabetes through Diet, for £5, by calling 0117 970 5190 (Mon-Fri 9am-6pm) or order online at http://vivahealth.viva.org.uk/diabetes. The guide includes a seven day meal planner, recipes and shopping and cooking tips. A summary fact sheet is also available.
For more information, visit http://vivahealth.viva.org.uk/diabetes or email info@vegetarian.org.uk or call 0117 970 5190. Please note: this is not an advertisement and the diet does not require patients to subscribe or pay for any service. It is a free diet plan with advice given on a charitable basis. For more information call press officer Helen Rossiter or report and guide author, health campaigner Veronika Charvatova on 0117 970 5190 (Mon-Fri 9am-6pm) or email vvfpress@vegetarian.org.uk or veronika@vegetarian.org.uk. A picture of Peter Scott is available upon request.
The following papers all support the D-Diet principles: Barnard, R.J., Jung, T., Inkeles, S.B., 1994. Diet and exercise in the treatment of NIDDM: The need for early emphasis. Diabetes Care. 17 (12) 1469-72 Barnard N.D., Cohen J., Jenkins D.J., et al., 2006. A low-fat, vegan diet improves glycemic control and cardiovascular risk factors in a randomized clinical trial in individuals with type 2 diabetes. Diabetes Care. 29 (8) 1777-83 Turner-McGrievy, G.M., Barnard, N.D., Cohen, J., et al., 2008. Changes in nutrient intake and dietary quality among participants with type 2 diabetes following a low-fat vegan diet or a conventional diabetes diet for 22 weeks. Journal of the American Dietetic Association. 108 (10) 1636-45 Barnard, N.D., Cohen, J., Jenkins, D.J.A., et al., 2009a. A low-fat vegan diet and conventional diabetes diet in the treatment of type 2 diabetes: a randomized, controlled, 74-wk clinical trial. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 89 (5) 1588S-96S Liu, E., McKeown, N.M., Newby, P.K., et al., 2009. Cross-sectional association of dietary patterns with insulin-resistant phenotypes among adults without diabetes in the Framingham Offspring Study. The British Journal of Nutrition. 102 (4) 576-83 American Diabetes Association: Standards of medical care in diabetes – 2010. Diabetes Care. 33 (Suppl. 1) S11-S61
About the author
Dr. Justine Butler
Justine joined Viva! in 2005 after graduating from Bristol University with a PhD in molecular biology. After working as a campaigner, then researcher and writer, she is now Viva!’s head of research and her work focuses on animals, the environment and health. Justine’s scientific training helps her research and write both in-depth scientific reports, such as White Lies and the Meat Report, as well as easy-to-read factsheets and myth-busting articles for consumer magazines and updates on the latest research. Justine also recently wrote the Vegan for the Planet guide for Viva!’s Vegan Now campaign.
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