Dr Ellen Fallows of Welbeck Health Partners champions a transformative approach to type-2 diabetes, promoting evidence from Newcastle University that intensive lifestyle and dietary interventions can enable medication-free remission for many patients, signalling a major shift in diabetes management.
Dr Ellen Fallows of Welbeck Health Partners is at the forefront of a transformative approach to managing type-2 diabetes, championing findings from a pivotal study conducted by Newcastle University. This research, led by Professor Roy Taylor, presents intensive lifestyle modifications, particularly weight loss through dietary changes, as a route to achieving medication-free remission for many individuals affected by this chronic condition. Professor Taylor described type-2 diabetes as potentially resulting from “chronic food poisoning” due to excessive consumption of ultra-processed foods and sugary drinks, underscoring the critical role diet plays in the disease’s progression.
The prevalence of type-2 diabetes in the UK is striking, with over 5.6 million individuals diagnosed, including approximately 60,000 in Oxfordshire alone. This statistic is alarming, especially considering that those with type-2 diabetes are significantly more likely to experience severe health complications, such as cardiovascular disease, stroke, nerve damage, and vision impairment, attributed to prolonged high blood sugar levels.
Dr Fallows has identified a multifaceted approach to tackling this issue, advocating for comprehensive support that combines dietary improvements, physical activity, stress management, and lifestyle changes. In her practice, this all-encompassing model has shown promising results, with patients experiencing improved blood sugar levels. She noted, “With the right support, it’s possible for some people to achieve medication-free remission of type-2 diabetes,” emphasising that younger patients or those who haven’t been on insulin for long tend to respond better. However, encouragingly, she also indicated that patients on insulin can, with bespoke support, gradually taper their medications.
The Welbeck Oxford centre, set to open soon, is envisioned as a hub for personalised lifestyle medicine, scheduled to offer a structured five-day medically supervised diet programme aimed at patients with various conditions, including type-2 diabetes. As part of this initiative, Dr Fallows remarked that tailored lifestyle interventions can be “incredibly effective,” allowing for significant reductions in long-term medication use, thus reshaping the narrative around diabetes management.
The prospect of remission through weight loss is supported by various studies. Research demonstrates that participants who achieve a 10% weight loss in the initial years post-diagnosis have a significantly higher chance of experiencing remission. In one groundbreaking study, nearly half of the participants who lost an average of 30 pounds were able to attain remission, a finding echoed by several health institutions advocating for lifestyle interventions as a primary method of treatment.
Additionally, the NHS has initiated the Diabetes Path to Remission Programme. Early findings suggest promising outcomes, with approximately a third of participants achieving remission after significant weight loss through a structured diet plan. This reinforces the growing consensus that lifestyles significantly influence diabetes management.
Ultimately, these developments herald a potentially revolutionary shift in the management of type-2 diabetes, a disease that has long been approached primarily through medication. By focusing on lifestyle medicine and personalised care, healthcare professionals are now offering patients a pathway to reclaim their health through informed dietary choices and proactive lifestyle changes.
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Source: Noah Wire Services
- https://www.oxfordmail.co.uk/news/25184616.oxford-gp-achieve-drug-free-type-2-diabetes-remission/?ref=rss – Please view link – unable to able to access data
- https://time.com/6158372/type-2-diabetes-remission/ – This article discusses how significant weight loss through diet and exercise can lead to remission of Type 2 diabetes. It highlights the story of Anthony Wilson, who achieved remission after losing 60 pounds, and emphasizes the importance of ongoing vigilance and lifestyle interventions. The piece also notes that while remission is possible, it requires continuous management to prevent recurrence.
- https://time.com/5048653/weight-loss-diabetes-diet/ – This article reports on a groundbreaking study led by Dr. Roy Taylor at Newcastle University, which found that nearly half of participants with Type 2 diabetes achieved remission after losing an average of 30 pounds through a strict diet plan. The study suggests that weight loss can reactivate insulin-producing cells in the pancreas and liver, offering a potential non-medicative treatment for those recently diagnosed with diabetes.
- https://www.cam.ac.uk/research/news/type-2-diabetes-remission-possible-with-achievable-weight-loss-say-researchers – This article from the University of Cambridge reports on a study indicating that individuals who achieve a weight loss of 10% or more in the first five years following a Type 2 diabetes diagnosis have the greatest chance of seeing their disease go into remission. The findings suggest that remission is possible without intensive lifestyle interventions or extreme calorie restrictions.
- https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/professionals/diabetes-discoveries-practice/achieving-type-2-diabetes-remission-through-weight-loss/ – This blog post from the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases discusses how significant weight loss, through either metabolic surgery or calorie restriction, may lead to remission in some people with Type 2 diabetes. It defines remission as having blood glucose levels revert to a non-diabetic range and staying there for at least six months without taking diabetes medications.
- https://www.england.nhs.uk/diabetes/treatment-care/diabetes-remission/ – This page from NHS England details the Type 2 Diabetes Path to Remission Programme, a joint initiative with Diabetes UK. The program provides a low-calorie, total diet replacement treatment for people living with Type 2 diabetes and obesity or overweight. Early outcomes data show that 32% of participants achieved remission, with an average weight loss of almost 16kg.
- https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7155116/ – This study published in the journal Diabetic Medicine examines the association between behavior change, weight loss, and remission of Type 2 diabetes. It found that weight loss of 10% or more in the first few years after diagnosis was strongly associated with remission at a five-year follow-up, achieved without intensive lifestyle interventions or extreme calorie restrictions.
