I was not going to give the matter a second chance! My homeopath suggested that after months of being glued to my computer whilst I wrote final course assignments that my reactions to sugar might be pre-diabetic!

Back on the daily agenda went twenty minutes pedalling!  Out went juice at lunch and dinner! In went fruit salad instead of ice-cream! Down I delved into research on reversing diabetes (Barnard,2007).  Up I emerged on a vegetarian quest, and the blog ‘Verging on the Veggie’ came forth!

In 2009 Barnard et al ‘compared the effects of a low-fat vegan diet and conventional diabetes diet recommendations on glycemia, weight, and plasma lipids’  and concluded ‘Both diets were associated with sustained reductions in weight and plasma lipid concentrations’ but ‘the vegan diet appeared to be more effective for control of glycemia and plasma lipid concentrations’.

Mc Macken  and  Shah found (2017) found ‘diets based in whole and minimally processed plant foods reduce insulin resistance and improve glycaemic control by a variety of proposed mechanisms. Plant-based diets are high in fibre, antioxidants, and magnesium, all of which have been shown to promote insulin sensitivity. ^{[7] , [17]} ’

I planned to make the transition slowly.  I saw it as a bit like giving up smoking.  Previous attempts had resulted in ten days’ worth of similar tasting quiches, casseroles and curries.  If I was going to succeed, I needed to be strategic: find, practice and for ease of recreation, write up into one collection any favourites.  With a hectic lifestyle, recipes needed to be quick, simple and flavoursome – hence the quest to revolutionise a lifetime of meat and veg into a manageable and enticing new cuisine was underway.

 I have given up eggs altogether, am eating remaining stores of meat sparingly, and have opted for plant milks but until I can find decent vegan cheese and yogurt, I will stick to goat versions. 

Previously only low carbohydrate diets worked, but there was a plateauing.  So far, despite eating potatoes, bread, rice and pasta, I have slowly lost half a stone; a small miracle, but will it be continued?  Watch this space!

Of course, if you are interested in losing weight or consider that you may have diabetes, you should consult your doctor about dietary changes.

Barnard, N. D., 2007, Dr. Neal Barnard’s Program for Reversing Diabetes, Brilliance Audio, Michigan.

Barnard, N. D., Cohen, J., Jenkins, D. J. A., Turner-Mc Grievy, G., Gloede, L., Green, A., Ferdowsian, H., 2009, A low-fat vegan diet and a conventional diabetes diet in the treatment of type 2 diabetes: a randomized, controlled, 74-wk clinical trial, American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 2009 May; 89(5): 1588S–1596S.

McMacken, M and Shah, S., 2017, A Plant Based Diet for the Prevention and Treatment of Diabetes Type 2, Journal of Geriatric Cardiology, 2017 May; 14(5): 342–354.