NHS bosses are too focussed on “spending pounds”, when they should be concentrating on helping people to “shift pounds”, according to a high-profile GP.
Dr David Unwin, otherwise known as the Low-Carb Doctor, said the solution to preventing and reversing type 2 diabetes is as simple as ditching pasta, potatoes, cereals and sugary snacks and eating more fish, meat, eggs and green vegetables.
The Southport GP, who has successfully managed to put more than 60 people into remission after their type 2 diabetes diagnosis, has also saved thousands on his surgery’s drugs budget since he started to promote the low-carb approach.
He said: “I am so passionate about drug-free diabetes remission and for most of my career I thought it was a chronic, deteriorating condition. However, now we know it is possible to address the actual dietary causes of many peoples’ type 2 diabetes it has given so many people hope, empowering them to make the necessary lifestyle changes.
“It’s a complete no-brainer and there’s been a plethora of research to support how effective the low-carb approach can be. But despite this, the NHS is still promoting the Eat Well Plate, which recommends starchy food should make up just over a third of what we eat everyday.
“We all know how stretched NHS funds currently are, so I think the health service should stop spending the pounds and start concentrating on helping people to shift the pounds by embracing the low-carb approach before this obesity and type 2 diabetes epidemic takes further hold of this country.”
Dr Unwin has been lined up to talk about his dynamic approach at the UK’s largest diabetes conference for healthcare professionals.
He will present ‘Carbs, how to explain their effects on the body to improve clinical outcomes’ at Diabetes Professional Care 2019 (DPC2019) on 29 October, the first day of the two day show.
He has also been lined up to chair a panel with innovative speakers Dr Nicola Guess, Lecturer from the Department of Nutritional Sciences, Kings College London, Dr Kesar Sadhra a GP helping his Asian population and Tara Kelly a dietician practicing in the field, to discuss ‘how to personalise the low carb diet’.
Since he discovered the health benefits of a low-carb approach, Dr Unwin, who is National Champion for Collaborative Care and Support Planning in Obesity & Diabetes at the Royal College of General Practitioner (RCGP), has helped develop the Diabetes Digital Media’s award-winning Low-Carb Program.
Dr Unwin added: “Thousands of people across the world are going low carb and educating their doctors about the benefits. It’s about time the healthcare profession starts taking their patients and the research we’ve done seriously. We’re seeing amazing results and if we can get everybody completely on board to agreeing low carb is a viable option, just think how wonderful that would be.”
Maggie Meer, who launched DPC in 2015, said: “In the last few years we’ve seen a definite shift among people with type 2 diabetes. They want to take control over their condition and the low-carb approach is allowing them to do that.
“Dr David Unwin’s work has become world renowned and we’re honoured to have him at DPC2019 to further discuss the benefits of the low-carb approach and how healthcare professionals can empower the people they treat to reverse their type 2 diabetes diagnosis.”
Healthcare professionals can attend this CPD-accredited session for free. To register for DPC2019, please register online now.
For the full agenda and information about the other conference theatres, clinics and practical workshops available, view the conference programme here.
