From injecting insulin every day to running the risk of having amputations and heart issues, it’s a condition that no one chooses to have.

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But it’s also a condition that many people don’t need continue living with.

Because it is possible to reverse the symptoms and put it into remission.

There’s no specific “diabetes diet” and as with any kind of weight loss, what works for one person might not suit another.

But some people who have put their diabetes into remission have done so following the Mediterranean diet or by following a low-carb approach.

Losing as little as 5 per cent of your body weight, or 15kg, can have a massive impact on the condition.

1. Eat like the Italians

The Mediterranean diet is one that has existed for centuries.

It’s how the Italians and Greeks eat – whole grains, oily fish, olive oil, lots of fresh fruit and veg and very little processed grub.

Although diabetes is a disease concerning blood sugar, it’s not just sugar we should be concerned about.

You want to be eating to bring down blood pressure and cholesterol too – and the Mediterranean diet has been proven to be one of the most heart-healthy ways of eating out there.

A review of 17 studies found that a Meditteranean-style diet was found to improve fasted glucose levels for people with type 2 diabetes far more than a low-fat diet.

A 2008 study found that people who eat a Meditteranean diet have an 83 per cent lower chance of developing diabetes.

Two trials concluded that eating like the Italians reduced cardiovascular issues and risk of early death.

2. Go low-carb

A low-carb Med diet (where half of daily calories came from fats like avocados, hummus, olive oil, cheese), has been found to have an even greater benefit than a higher carb one.

For some people, it might be easier just to ditch the carbs completely for a while, to kick-start their weight loss.

Reversing diabetes is a long-term project – and hopefully, a lifetime result.

So, by all means, start off with something dramatic but bear in mind that you’ll have to transition to something sustainable.

The keto diet has been proven to decrease blood glucose levels.

A 24-week study looked at the effect of a low-carb diet on type 2 diabetics.

Scientists found that by the end, the patients had seen massive improvements to their glycemic control and medication reduction compared to others.

And a 2017 study found that the keto diet outperformed a conventional, low-fat diabetes diet over 32 weeks when it came to weight loss and glucose levels.

Keto may also work for women who have developed diabetes as a result of having polycystic ovarian syndrome.

PCOS survivors have a heightened risk of the condition due to the fact that up to 80 per cent of them have some kind of insulin resistance.

Clare Goodwin, the PCOS Nutritionist, previously told The Sun: “Weight gain in PCOS is usually caused by something called insulin resistance (or pre-type 2 diabetes), and up to 80 per cent of women with PCOS have some insulin resistance.

Failing to regulate blood sugar is what causes intense sugar cravings.

“Insulin is your ‘storage’ hormone. When you eat, your body releases insulin to store that food (glucose) in your cells for later use.

“Insulin acts like a key in a lock, to let the glucose in. But insulin resistance is when the key doesn’t fit into the lock properly anymore. In response, your body produces more and more insulin – hoping that more insulin will be the key that finally fits the lock.”

Clare says that the consequence is two-fold: Your body stores food as fat rather than energy, and insulin stays high – stopping the body from burning fat as energy.

And that’s why it’s so hard to get rid of body fat – because your body is actively working against you to store up any food you consume, rather than burning it.

That high insulin can also cause the body to over-produce testosterone, and it’s that which is responsible for PCOS sufferers to have irregular periods, acne, hair growth or loss, and also makes the insulin resistance worse.

3. Try intermittent fasting

If you’d rather not think about what you eat rather than when you eat, fasting might be a good option.

The 16:8 fast (where you eat all your food within an eight-hour window) has been proven to be a good way of lowering blood glucose and shifting body fat

A recent study found that fasting from 2pm improved insulin sensitivity in a group of pre-diabetic males.

And that could be down to the fact that we’re better able to regulate blood glucose levels effectively in the morning, due to daily variations in metabolism.

So having hearty meals during the day and skipping dinner could be key.

Another small study looked at three type 2 diabetic men.

Two were asked to fast for 24 hours every other day and one was told to fast for three days a week.

At the end of the 10-month trial, they had all lost weight, lowered their blood glucose and had been able to stop using insulin after a month.

In one case, the person stopped having to use medication after just five days.

4. Get running

There’s no getting away from it – exercise is key in reversing type 2 diabetes.

Being sedentary is known to be a risk factor for type 2 diabetes so you’ve got to get moving.

You don’t have to be an athlete to get started.

“Eating healthily and doing regular physical activity like running can help you manage your weight and ultimately lower your risk of developing Type 2 diabetes,” Douglas Twenefour, Deputy Head of Care at Diabetes UK, told The Sun.

“Nobody is expecting you to become a marathon runner overnight but running regularly benefits the body in a number of ways which will ultimately help prevent or manage the condition.

Why not follow our 12 easy tips to start running? They include power walking and treating yourself, so there’s no excuse not to lace up and get out of your door!

Douglas explains why running is so good:

Using insulin more effectively
When you’re living with type 2 diabetes, the insulin your body produces can be less effective at processing the glucose in your blood, which can lead to glucose building up in your bloodstream.

Running can help your body use the insulin it produces more efficiently, meaning your body becomes more effective at processing the glucose in your blood.

This helps keep blood glucose levels in the short-term healthy range (4-7 millimoles per litre).

Lowering short-term glucose level

Exercise like running can increase the amount of glucose your body’s muscles use for energy, which in turn can help to lower blood glucose levels in the short-term.

This is important because a short-term rise in blood glucose levels can lead to symptoms such as the need to urinate more; thirstiness; and tiredness.

Maintaining a short-term blood glucose level of 4-7 millimoles per litre lowers the risk of developing such symptoms.

However, different people could be given different blood glucose targets depending on how their diabetes is treated and their personal circumstance.

Lowering long-term glucose levels

Running not only helps keep glucose levels low in the short-term.

More effective processing of the glucose in your blood helps it stay within the healthy long-term range too.

Having high long-term blood glucose levels (HbA1c) of more than 48 millimoles per moles over time has been associated with life-changing complications of diabetes such as sight loss, kidney disease and amputations.

Running regularly will keep your long-term glucose levels in check, which in turn can prevent damage to the blood vessels supplying blood to your eyes, kidneys and nerves.

If you hate running, find another exercise that you do enjoy.

Dancing, swimming, cycling – anything that gets your heart rate up.

Just remember to check with your GP before you start so they can give you tips on how to stay hydrated and healthy while you get fitter!

Simplyhealth has partnered with Diabetes UK for the 2019 Simplyhealth Great Run Series. For expert tips and training advice visit www.greatrun.org/training-simplyhealth

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