Blackpool grandmother’s low-carb diet helps reverse diabetes diagnosis

So now the 56-year-old is carrying out a presentation in the community and working with her GP surgery to spread the word about how a low carbohydrate diet helped her reverse her diabetes.

She has given a talk at the local diabetic group which meets monthly and her story has been featured in national magazines and newspapers.

Debra’s wake-up call came when she was diagnosed with type two diabetes in 2017. She read as much information as she could and credits a low carbohydrate diet – which she read about on the diabetes.co.uk forum – with helping her shed 3st and reversing her diabetes diagnosis – without medication.

The Gazette told her story last year of how she went from 14st 7lbs to 11st 6lbs in just six months. She is now 10st 10lbs and well into the non-diabetic range with her blood readings.

Debra said she started walking instead of being inactive, but has never been interested in exercise. She did not like the idea of counting calories, but found the low carbohydrate, high (healthy) fats diet suited her. After investing in a glucose meter, she could see which foods her body was struggling to cope with.

She said: “When I did my Gazette article I was buzzing, helping people who left comments. Then it died down. So I thought, how about lots of us who have reversed their diabetes and lost weight get together and tell our stories. Diabetes.co.uk even helped us, sent their PR team and did videos of us individually. They have been posted on social media and we had a great response.

“It’s about getting back to basics, eating as we did before there was medication to help 100 years ago.

“I’m in an amazing place healthwise. I’m working with my surgery – Adelaide Street and Harris Medical Centre – helping other patients with diabetes and weight issues. It’s amazing how supportive they’ve been. The practice manager at the surgery is backing my presentations in the community.

“What a year it’s been, I’ve found my vocation – to help others on similar journeys.”