Rushden nurse uses low carb diet to shift the pounds after diabetes diagnosis

A nurse has shared how a low carb diet has helped her lose more than four stone since being diagnosed with diabetes.
Gillian Crowe (pictured now and before)Gillian Crowe (pictured now and before)
Gillian Crowe (pictured now and before)

Gillian Crowe, 62, of Rushden suffers from psoriatic arthritis, osteoarthritis, prolapse vertebral discs and a host of other medical conditions so thought she was destined to be ‘forever fat.’

But after the registered nurse suspected she also had diabetes following several weeks of symptoms including extreme thirst, hot flushes and a frequent need to urinate, she went to see her GP to be tested.

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Within days the condition was confirmed and while Gillian was horrified to be diagnosed with diabetes, she was determined to put the condition into remission.

Gillian (before)Gillian (before)
Gillian (before)

Since the diagnosis six months ago, Gillian has lost 25kg by following a low carb healthy fat diet and exercising on a regular basis.

And in total, she has lost 30kg (4 stone 7lb) since being at her heaviest.

Following her diagnosis, Gillian was put on a low dosage of Metformin, which made her eyes blurry.

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This was subsequently increased but she couldn’t see to drive and ended up seeing an optician who informed her this was due to her blood sugar levels coming down.

Gillian (after)Gillian (after)
Gillian (after)

Her blood sugars over the years had caused damage.

But since cutting out rice, pasta, cakes and biscuits and embarking on a low carb healthy fat diet she has not only lost significant amounts of weight, but her cholesterol and blood fat levels have returned to normal without statins and her HbA1c (glycated haemoglobin) went down from 108 to 67 in September and from 67 to 48 in November.

As a result, Gillian has now come off Metformin completely.

Gillian now walks most days - often a mile a day - and her mobility has improved immediately.

Gillian (before)Gillian (before)
Gillian (before)

The pain is still there when she walks but it’s helped to shift the insulin in her body and helped bring her HbA1c down and get her off any medication.

She will be re-tested every 12 weeks.

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Gillian is a regular user of global diabetes community Diabetes.co.uk and uses it for reading discussions, information and help with her way of eating as she finds the information about low carb very useful.

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