Michael Mosley blood sugar webchat Thurs 10 March 1-2pm

Sorry, didn't mean to sound dismissive of lack of vegetarian recipes, I was just thinking about how the existing ones could be adapted. Quite right to ask the question Wilma and others.

It is much harder for vegetarians. I try to have a couple of low carb vegetarian meals each week, but my reporoire is limited to about six (?) recipes which I rotate over the weeks. I'd be hard pressed to find enough to provide a really exciting menu.

Perhaps we could all delve into our veggie recipes and see if we can get enough together. Are the vegetarians willing and able (time wise) to cook from scratch?

And do you eat meat substitutes such as quorn mince, and 'roasts' and sausages?

Good idea Anya. Maybe we should move over to the low-carb thread to leave this one for MM questions?

I went to the doctor last week for my annual medication review. My blood sugar reading was up. Never happened before, no symptoms and no family incidence of diabeties. I was a bit shocked . Logged on to Gransnet after tea and the first thing I saw was the message about the Dr. Moseley web- chat. Read that and immediately ordered the book. It came on Saturday and I have started thr regime. Very timely for me as I refuse to become diabetic.

I would like to ask Michael if following 8-week blood sugar diet will be detrimental to kidney function. I am pre diabetic and keen to get blood sugar under control but after blood test was told that kidneys are not functioning very efficiently, which is apparently normal as one ages?

Hi Michael

i was very interested to watch your brave programmes: do you think though that the doom and gloom you encountered in terms of finding out about your 'heredity' is more to do with the pessimistic culture of 'scarce resource' we are living in rather than any objective 'truth'?

Just wondering.

Kind regards

Paula

As I posted above I am trying to lower my blood sugar as I may be?pre-diabetic. My husband would like to join me and we thought to do the Mediterranean diet. However he has slight IBS with tomatoes and onions. How can we get around this? I can eat most anything.

Michael I have digestive issues, so reducing my calorie intake to 800 would cause me difficulties.

I have a fatty liver, so I know I have to cut back on carbs. I've been reducing my carbs since last August and I have lost two stone. I know from the weight around my waist, that I should lose more.

The question I want you to answer is:

Can I follow a similar diet, eat a few more calories, and have the same results but over a longer period?

A question for Michael.....do you think people realise just how dangerous diabetes is? Or, because type 2 in particular, is becoming so common, they see it as just that - a commonplace condition which is easily managed by insulin. End of.

I had a friend who firstly nearly lost her eyesight, then she had a leg amputated, then she was on dialysis, and finally during a dialysis session she suffered heart failure and died. Another friend has just started down the same path...being treated for retinopathy. I've tried to 'warn' her and tell her about the friend I lost but it's as if she simply won't listen.

She tells me she can eat what she wants so long as she injects her insulin. Exactly like my other friend

My blood sugar is at a healthy reading. I am successfully maintaining my weight by intermittent fasting, from your previous book. Would you recommend changing the carb content of my diet ( I love bread and potatoes) or is that only aimed at those who need to reduce their sugar levels?
I have bought your new book, but not sure whether to change regime or stick with what I know and love!

Don't knock it until you've read it, it is based on exhaustive medical research and highly recommended. I discovered this book by accident when looking for ways to reduce sugar consumption and I give thanks every day. My husband has been a type 2 diabetic for eleven years and I have recently been diagnosed pre-diabetic. Initially it has proved expensive as although we thought that we ate reasonably healthily before, we have now cut out bread, potatoes, flour, pasta and rice as well as sugar and sweeteners but many of the things that we have bought will last for a long time. We have also given up alcohol so two or three bottles of wine a week between us, will probably cover the cost of the extras. My fruit and meat bill is vastly reduced and we are enjoying what we do. The freedom from always being hungry has been worth it alone. I have lost 6 Kgs in the first four weeks (81 Kgs to 75 Kgs so still a way to go) but I am so happy. For the first time in 30 years I really believe I can be within a healthy BMI range eventually.

I thoroughly agree Anya until I read this book I was unaware of what a dangerous and life threatening condition it is - despite being relatively and having sat through several 'seminars' at diabetic clinics.

Good for you Dragonfly - stick with it

Well done Dragonfly, I hope to follow in your footsteps.

I've now read Michael's book. There are many suggestions and recipes that include dairy, especially ideas for eating full fat dairy yoghurt. There are no non-dairy alternatives given in the book, so all those who either choose not to eat dairy or who cannot eat it, will be struggling to follow this diet.

Two (sort of related) questions.

1) I struggle with eating less than about 1200 calories a day - I find that I get nauseous, even light headed and I don't feel on top form at all which makes it impossible if I am working or looking after children. I have tried but to no avail - so how can anyone survive on 800 cals for any length of time? Surely it would diminish your faculties?

2) I put on a stone over the last year and have been trying to lose it in the way that I have found successful in the past. Healthy eating with approx 1200 cals a day and plenty of walking and exercise. It has been very effective in the past. Less so this time after the initial 4 or 5 pounds (fluid I presume) at the start. I've pretty much plateaued for about a month. However a couple of weeks ago, when I was eating more (lots of chocolate) and had hardly any time to exercise (half term - GC to look after) I dropped 2 pounds. So my question is how much does exercise actually help (I realise without diet restriction it's pointless) and can eating too little actually impede weight loss? I know that at a certain level one's body goes into starvation mode, but would have thought that 1200 cals was enough to stop this.

I am 55 and 5 foot 6

I am another who struggles on very low calorie diets. However I am keen to do all I can to avoid diabetes, having previously been told I was at risk of prediabetes.

If I can't follow the 800 cals a day diet what else can I do to help myself? Are there foods (other than the obvious sweets, chocolate, biscuits, refined carbs) that I should limit or cut out altogether?

Michael Mosley, can you say for absolute certain that eating full fat will not clog the arteries. And if so, how come all the other scientists say it will?

Especially with people on a website such as this who may be elderly and therefore not move around quite as much as they used to do.

I thought that Jings. I would struggle to do anything like 10,000 steps a day

Same here!

Question for Michael Mosley

Hi,

In the BSD you say that pasta is best avoided. However, following your advice, I now cook pasta, cool it and reheat it so that it's a resistant starch. Surely that could have a place in the BSD?

Also, what do you think about peanut butter (without added sugar)?

why does my blood sugar drop so I feel shaky and weak if I go more than 2 hours without food. I have just been tested and have high blood sugar but not diabetes,