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War on diabetes newsletter 1st September 2025

Welcome to the twelfth War on Diabetes newsletter, your weekly tips and ideas from someone who has had diabetes for five years and learned a lot about it. It's a practical and actionable guide to details your doctor probably won't have time to tell you about.

I went exploring a new pathway from Moses Gate Country Park which took me over the river Irwell on my longest walk so far, clocking up over 7 miles and 17,000 steps.

I've made some excellent progress in getting back to normal glucose levels after a bad couple of weeks. Fasting for one day a week seems to have been the extra tactic that has allowed me to get to where I want to be. The exercise regime is also paying off.

I didn't realise that libreview.com gives you daily average glucose levels. You can really see the significant drop in the last few days.

I'm officially no longer obese. I've still got some weight to lose but getting down to 14 stone from around 20 stone five years ago has taken a complete reprogramming of how I think about food. It's been so frustrating having to deal with contradictory advice that has made it difficult to follow a sustainable regime.

As someone who has been obese for most of their life, getting into the overweight range is a good achievement.

Million step challenge

I've now passed the 800,000 step mark and well ahead of schedule to get to one million steps by the end of September. It's been an amazing health boost for me and I'd recommend it for anyone wanting to improve their fitness, lose weight and/or to keep their diabetes in check.

Ducks coming over to say hello and touting for food. Don't look at what's for dinner guys!

Progress Update

I finally breach the 5.7 mmol/L wall and I'm confident that I am now in remission from type 2 diabetes. I'll be getting my HbA1c blood test results back in a couple of weeks which will hopefully provide confirmation.

My in-depth 12 week review

What I learned this week

If you want to start a row on the internet state an opinion on oil vs butter. After years of trying to figure out the truth, I'm sticking with butter. I'm still undecided on olive oil but other seed oils are out. A study that showed why, was buried in the 1970s because it didn't suit the low-fat narrative that was being pushed by Ancel Keys.

Updated analysis of the Minnesota Coronary Experiment

New Recruit Tip

Starting out on your diabetes journey can feel totally overwhelming at first. There is so much to figure out, and advice on drugs and diet are often contradictory and confusing. One thing that will really help you to grab some sense of control is food logging. However you monitor your glucose levels, it's helpful to know what dietary patterns contribute to your outcomes. It also helps to build a disciplined food routine.

How to go about food logging

Diabetes Veterans

Bite back and ask why a 2-egg limit makes any sense

This week's food heroes

Smaller portions of yoghurt, nuts, seeds and berries with dark chocolate and natto

I've found yoghurt and nuts can have a higher glucose impact than I'd like so I've started having slightly smaller portions. I tend to have this before going to the gym so I've got a small amount of protein in before starting weight training.

Hotel Chocolat do a nice 100% dark chocolate so I often include one piece on most days.

Tuna, cottage cheese and egg salad

I've been trying to pack in a decent amount of post-gym protein with earlier lunches. This rather hefty salad was filling and didn't put my glucose much above 5.0 mmol/L. I've finally figured out my timings for soft boiled eggs (bring to boil for 40 seconds and then turn the heat off and leave them in the hot water for another 90 seconds).

I've learned to be careful with pickled onions as they're higher in carbs than you might think.

Roast duck with vegetables

This was a nice change on the roast dinner theme. Including a small amount of carbs with an evening meal can help you sleep better so it can be the best time to have them. I'd say I have about a quarter of the potato portions that I would have had before having diabetes. I'm also mindful of having small portions of carrots and onions. Anything that grows below ground needs limiting for type 2s.

Having frozen green vegetables such as this cabbage makes it easier to include plenty of greens whilst avoiding waste.

I'm walking a million steps this summer to help Diabetes UK fund research and support for people living with diabetes in the UK. If you're able to make a donation, I'll be made up and have one more reason not to back out 😅

Did you know that Bolton has been making shoes for Olympic athletes for over 100 years? In 1961, Norman Walsh left J W Foster & Sons (the precursor of Reebok), to boldly establish his own brand. You can still buy performance footwear designed and made in Bolton from Walsh today.

Shop normanwalsh.com

Released in 1981 for harriers competing in the New York Marathon, the Ensign quickly became known for its durable performance and minimalist design. While many brands were experimenting with new technological materials, Norman Walsh stuck to his “less is more” approach. Featuring a Vibram Moreflex outsole with a thick wedge in the midsole for a cushioned heel strike, the Ensign provided both comfort and flexibility. The lightweight upper offered full-foot support, making it ideal for marathon training and races.