Roy is a much valued customer who recently shared his very inspirational story with me about how he reversed his diabetes through eating a low carb diet. He's very happy for me to share his journey in the hope that it may help others who are diabetic or pre diabetic. Here's Roy's story in his own words:

Roy’s LoCarb Journey. 

I’m 79 years old and a retired illustrator and designer who worked in government publishing for the HSE until I retired almost 30 years ago. Most significantly - I’m just an ordinary bloke and not particularly strong-willed! So if I can go lo-carb, so can anyone who is really prepared to try. It’s about putting your priorities in place and unselfishly considering the consequences to others if you don’t! Before we can change our bodies we must change our mind-sets! It is a journey I had to go on - not easy but necessary!

I was diagnosed with Level 2 Diabetes in April 2019 after a routine check at my local surgery, Norwood in Southport, Merseyside. I was so lucky because Norwood is a major front runner in promoting and supporting lo-carb as a significant contributor to the prevention and treatment of Type 2 diabetes.

It was a shock wake up call for me and denial was no longer a sensible option. I was morbidly obese, physically and mentally lethargic and would vigorously refuse to accept that was the case, despite the efforts of my wife, who was to become a major contributor to my campaign. She said I was the opposite of an anorexic in that I refused to recognise obesity and was denying all the obvious potential pitfalls. She was so right! Diabetes was a predictable and dangerous outcome! My waist measurement was 44-46 inches and I was buying clothes that fitted rather than what I wanted! Much as I dislike saying it I had become fat and lazy but I never accepted what I was seeing in the mirror everyday, physically or mentally, or what I had become with the ensuing repercussions that could potentially shorten my life. I sat with my wife, Pat, in the Surgery at Norwood with the nurse and knew I had to make significant changes to my life style! 

To carry on as I was and consequently become a burden to Pat, my sons and my grandchildren, was totally selfish. How had I let myself become like this? I was believing that as you get older this was how it was - sitting watching ‘Countdown’ everyday in an armchair was ok! 

“I’m not having this” I said to Pat. A real road to Damascus moment!

The nurse recognised my commitment and apparent positivity so offered me the option of trying lo-carb as a possible alternative to medication. I leapt at the chance and we headed straight off to the Supermarket. I had dabbled in LoCarb some years earlier after a recommendation from my GP concerning problems with my legs. But this time it had to be a real commitment and life change. I still had the diet sheet and went for it enthusiastically. Pat was in charge and kept me on course. I had weighed over 18st at one time and 17st 7lb the previous year but I had lost some in a post-Christmas guilt trip but at the beginning of May I was still over 16st 7lb. Then after a routine trip to the Surgery when I was weighed and significant weight loss noted, Dr Unwin was made aware of my situation. I really didn’t realise that I had achieved anything special but after his enthusiastic intervention, the support, the mentoring and inspiring statistics, I was down to about 12st 7lbs by Christmas, 2019. Amazing!

What did I eat? Well Pat and I aren’t ‘foodies’ - classic ‘eat to live, not live to eat’ people so there had been lots of stir fries, salads, roasted vegetables, home-made soups. Greek yogurt and berries are consumed on a daily basis and thoroughly enjoyed. Obviously, all the sugary stuff and high carbs went and my dietary input had to be controlled. Lots of labels were read in the Supermarket - why do they print them in such tiny text? Something to hide perhaps? Initially the weight loss was very rapid - 2/3st over a couple of months with a consequent plateau. It wasn’t the cream cakes and chocolates I missed - more the simple things like a scone with a cup of tea in Dobbies, or a cold beer after cutting the grass, buttered toast with marmalade! Still, it was not as difficult as I expected and weighing myself daily to keep control, and losing steadily gave me the impetus to keep going. Dr Unwin’s enthusiasm was brilliant and so motivating - it still is! He is a very prominent figure in this story. He was a GP at the surgery for many years but now specialises in diabetes achieving amazing success with remissions. He is well known for his lectures, papers and cooperation in other publications (several lo-carb cook books) as well as TV appearances. Even got me on a centre spread in the Daily Mail😲! He travels the world promoting the benefits of lo-carb and my personal story and filmed interview have been shown in places as far afield as Australia, Poland and the hallowed halls of Cambridge University! He still regularly monitors my situation - has to keep me in line!!!

The change in me has been phenomenal, both physically and mentally. My diabetes is in established remission and I am fitter in every respect than since the 1990s when my records were first kept. And no medication! For me the psychological uplift was so stimulating - I was doing things again that I thought were done with and beyond me. I’m back on the drawing board now doing creative work that I had never done before and enjoying it. Feeling valued and respected as a human being. And my waist measures 34-36 ins! The charity shops have done very well from my restructured wardrobe! Life was back on again!

Perhaps the greatest result is the feeling of having done something worthwhile at my age - more so hopefully for others than me - and for my unexpected success to broaden and expand the diet all over the world but hugely, hopefully within the NHS. The financial advantages in treating diabetes in this way would be phenomenal. I hope my story will prove beneficial and helpful to many people but it’s not about me. It’s about what good food and diet can do for all of our health and well-being issues.

But now I have to adapt, not to carry on losing weight but to maintain an acceptable, maintainable diet. I’m finding this much harder - at the moment I weigh about 13st and I’m battling to get back to 12st 7lbs or beyond. When there are social gatherings or family meals then I’ll eat too much and gain pounds. How much easier it is to put weight on than to lose it. I’ll get there but it’s much tougher now than first time. I’m using a company called Keto Kitchen in Lytham St Anne’s who deliver and supply meals weekly (they may be beneficial for you too as they sell and promote other products)

If I’m really strict then I will lose what I’ve gained. I’ve done it before so I know I can do it! The joy of the Buttery Cookies is that I have those little pleasures with a cup of tea that were lost when I began dieting - a psychological lift!

The importance of this tale is that I am just an ordinary bloke and I did this not realising I was being successful until Dr Unwin took me under his wing. Anyone can do this if they come out of denial and see what is really in the mirror and not what they wish it was. I realised how selfish I was being to possibly inflict the extreme aspects of diabetes on my wife and children and not consider the detrimental effects on their family life. That wasn’t fair and I have become a better, healthier and more fulfilled person because I faced it and didn’t let things drift and deteriorate. I try not to preach to people about their weight issues because that would be hypocritical - I was in denial for a long time and watched my life floating past as if it was done! Not any more tho! I’m very much part of today🙂!

Here's the very talented sketch that Roy did of Dr Unwin and his wife.