UK man cures his diabetes in 11 days with 'starvation diet'

Image
Press Trust of India London
Last Updated : Aug 07 2013 | 5:18 PM IST
A 59-year-old UK man claims that he has cured his diabetes in just 11 days after following a miracle 'starvation' diet developed by scientists from a British university.
Richard Doughty, from London, was shocked when a routine health check revealed he had Type 2 diabetes.
"I was stunned. I have always been a healthy weight, 5ft 7in and 10st 7lb. I had no family history of diabetes, ate a healthy diet, never smoked and I did not have a sweet tooth," Doughty said.
While researching on the internet, he found Newcastle University scientists had devised a low-calorie diet said to reverse diabetes in eight weeks.
It involved eating 800 calories a day - a man's recommended intake is 2,500, the 'Daily Express' reported.
This was made up of 600 calories from meal replacement shakes and soups and 200 calories from green vegetables, plus three litres of water a day. The diet was devised by Roy Taylor, professor of medicine and metabolism at Newcastle.
The diet is based on the fact that Type 2 diabetes is often caused by fat clogging up the liver and pancreas, which are crucial in producing insulin and controlling blood sugar.
Taylor's studies found that drastic dieting causes the body to go into starvation mode and burn fat stores for energy - and the fat around the organs seems to be targeted first.
This leads to the liver and pancreas becoming unclogged and insulin and blood sugar levels returning to normal.
With the consent of his general practitioner (GP), Doughty followed the diet, setting a target weight of 8 stones and 12 pounds.
"I stuck to the diet for 11 days and reduced my blood sugar to a healthy non-diabetic level. It has remained that way for the past year and I have kept to just under 9 stones," Doughty said.
*Subscribe to Business Standard digital and get complimentary access to The New York Times

Smart Quarterly

₹900

3 Months

₹300/Month

SAVE 25%

Smart Essential

₹2,700

1 Year

₹225/Month

SAVE 46%
*Complimentary New York Times access for the 2nd year will be given after 12 months

Super Saver

₹3,900

2 Years

₹162/Month

Subscribe

Renews automatically, cancel anytime

Here’s what’s included in our digital subscription plans

Exclusive premium stories online

  • Over 30 premium stories daily, handpicked by our editors

Complimentary Access to The New York Times

  • News, Games, Cooking, Audio, Wirecutter & The Athletic

Business Standard Epaper

  • Digital replica of our daily newspaper — with options to read, save, and share

Curated Newsletters

  • Insights on markets, finance, politics, tech, and more delivered to your inbox

Market Analysis & Investment Insights

  • In-depth market analysis & insights with access to The Smart Investor

Archives

  • Repository of articles and publications dating back to 1997

Ad-free Reading

  • Uninterrupted reading experience with no advertisements

Seamless Access Across All Devices

  • Access Business Standard across devices — mobile, tablet, or PC, via web or app

More From This Section

First Published: Aug 07 2013 | 5:18 PM IST

Next Story