'Weight loss helped tackle my diabetes' says Rugby woman

A Rugby woman who struggled with diabetes has seen her blood sugar levels return to normal after losing 10 per cent of her body weight.
Karen Cox before and after her weight lossKaren Cox before and after her weight loss
Karen Cox before and after her weight loss

Karen Cox, 49, was around two stone overweight when she was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes and placed on an array of medication to control her blood sugar levels.

With her 50th birthday looming, and following the advice of her diabetic nurse that if she losing 10 per cent of her body weight would make a big difference, Mrs Cox decided to take action.

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In July this year she began attending a Weight Watchers class in Rugby. And by September she had reached her weight loss target of which was 22lbs.

She said: “I returned to my diabetic nurse who, after running some tests, informed me that my blood sugars had now returned within normal levels. People always imagine that only people with large amounts of weight to lose can improve their diabetes by losing weight.”

Mrs Cox’s story comes alongside the marking of Action on Sugar Week, which aims to raise awareness of the health implications of consuming excess sugar.

With an average person supposed to consume no more than six or seven cubes of sugar a day.

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Sugar we consume comes in two forms. Free sugars are added to our foods in drinks, cakes, sweets, chocolates, biscuits, yogurts and cereals. Sugars found naturally in milk, fruit and vegetables are not counted as free sugars.

Sugars that come from honey, syrups, unsweetened fruit juices, vegetable juices and smoothies occur naturally but still count as free sugars. Free sugars are the sugars that we should cut back on as overindulgence can contribute to obesity and diabetes.

It is important to seek qualified medical advice before you consider altering your diet to manage diabetes.