The saving Australia diet: Final check-up
Three months ago, Tasmania's Tony Benneworth, NSW mum Cassandra Floyd and Perth resident Jack Merolla volunteered to trial three separate diets in an attempt to reverse type two diabetes.
Incredibly, their results show Australians can do just that — removing the need for medication and medical intervention.
Tony, Cass and Jack all suffered from varying degrees of type two diabetes and are faced shortened life expectancy and risk of amputations, stroke and heart disease.
Dr Michael Mosley, Chef and author Pete Evans and Dietician Alex Parker — along with medical physicians — guided their new diets with three very different approaches.
Pete Evans coached Tony in the ways of low-carb-healthy-fat eating, known as LCHF, while Alex Parker taught Cass and her family to eat the Dietician's Association recommended diet, a high-fibre and low-GI approach.
Dr Mosley's 800 calorie diet was prescribed for Jack, a fast-track diet designed to achieve rapid weight-loss in those diagnosed as pre-diabetic.
CASSANDRA – DIETICIAN'S DIET
Before: 102KG
After: 92kg
Sydney single mum of three, Cassandra Floyd is considered young for a Type 2 diabetic at just 36 but incredibly she has lost 10kg.
"[I feel] great, really great. A lot of energy…I feel like a million dollars."
She knew her fast-food and sugar-heavy diet was marching her to an early grave and took action.
"I had no idea, It is only just since being diagnosed as a diabetic that I am learning how much sugar is in everything," Cassandra told Sunday Night.
Managing a healthy diet and three kids is a challenge faced by millions of Australian every day and for Cass, she had no idea where to start.
Her Doctor Vishal Verma has been trying to get her to change her ways for years but it was daughters Isabelle Gabby and Shenay who made her take action.
"My girls are also now putting me first to and telling me, "mum you need to take time for yourself... mum you need to get yourself better'."
"If I don't change that now for them to become accustomed in their life, then they are only going to fall down the same path that I have fallen down"
Dietician Alex Parker lay down the law for Cass' new routine, based on the current guidelines by the Dietitians Association of Australia.
She has educated her on how to eat healthy carbohydrates and incorporate vegetables into her daily routine.
"If you're having rice we want to keep it to about half a cup of cooked rice, or if we're having pasta it's about the same…then there's plenty of room on the plate to add vegetables and also get some of that lean protein."
TONY - LCHF DIET
Before: 121kg
After: 109kg
When Tony Benneworth was first diagnosed with type two diabetes almost eight years ago, like a lot of men his age his response was to ignore it.
But at 65, he has taken action.
With the help of Dr Gary Fettke and Pete Evans, he’s gone on a low carb, healthy fat diet, and four weeks in the results are already incredible.
Tony's diet has resulted in a remarkable 12kg weight loss and, most importantly, his blood sugar level is back in the health range.
It has allowed him to eliminate one of his diabetes type two medications entirely.
"This is what I love about this way of eating because by about anywhere from week three to week six, your body will stop being a sugar burner and change to being a fat burner," coach Pete Evans said.
Tony has admitted to having several 'cheat days' at the football, resulting in an obvious blood sugar spike, but overall he has improved his health markedly.
For Tony's wife the biggest change has been seeing him in the kitchen preparing meals. The former cricketer even whipped up a healthy stir-fry for MKR judge Pete Evans.
"I'm just I'm actually looking forward to the next 20 years if I could get that far I reckon I'm going to be a lot healthier."
JACK - 800 CALORIE DIET
Before: 91kg
After: 72kg
Three months ago Jack weighed 91 kilos and had a higher than normal blood sugar level of 8.2
After the Michael Mosely diet he’s lost a whopping 18 kilos and his blood sugar level is a very healthy 4.7
The former binge eater was assigned the 800-calorie 'blood sugar diet', the most extreme of our chosen diets.
Mosley hoped it would cause the rapid weight loss Jack needed to escape the diabetes danger zone.
After eating less than a third of the calories he’s used to Jack lost 12.6 kilos in the first six weeks.
"The first three weeks of my diet, I'll be very honest here, was not easy. That was big change and I struggled."
"It has changed my life."
"I feel like a 22 year old now which is great you know you really do get that energy back.
Dr Patrick Garratt delivered the amazing results.
"You have shown you can reverse your blood sugar. You’ve done the hard work you’ve turned it around that is fantastic".
More information about the diets can be found in the links below:
The Dietitians Association Smart Eating guidelines and recipes:
www.DAA.asn.au
www.eatforhealth.gov.au
Dr Gary Fettke — Orthopaedic surgeon
www.nutritionforlife.healthcare
www.nofructose.com
Pete Evans
www.peteevans.com
Dr Michael Mosley
Medical Broadcaster
www.thebloodsugardiet.com
Dr Patrick Garratt
www.thebloodsugardiet.com.au
