DR UNWIN'S GOLDEN RULES

 

 

Dr Unwin a GP from Southport in the UK who is an expert on Type II diabetes and low carbs and low sugar.  Below is a list of his golden rules. 

 

If you really want to get your figures down quickly this is the way to go.  It is personal choice whether you follow this and whether it fits in with your family, but this is pretty much a good summary of what you need to do even if you only take up some of the pointers.

 

Having said that, we still say a treat now and again will be okay, so long as you plan ahead, but overall this is a really good guide.

​

 

1.     Sugar – cut it out altogether, although it will be in the blueberries, strawberries and raspberries you are allowed to eat. Cakes and biscuits are a mixture of sugar and starch that make it almost impossible to avoid food cravings; they just make you hungrier.

​

​2.     Reduce starchy carbs - these digest down into surprising amounts of sugar. Cut out ‘white stuff’ like bread, rice, pasta, potato, and cereals. All green vegetables and salads are fine. Eat as much of these as you can and turn the white green.

 

​3.     Fruit is tricky - some tropical fruits like bananas, oranges, grapes, mangoes or pineapple have too much sugar and can set carb cravings off. Blueberries, raspberries, strawberries, apples and pears are better.

​

​4.      Eat healthy protein - try to base meals on non-processed meat like chicken or red meat, eggs, and oily fish like salmon and mackerel.

​

​5.      Healthy fats are fine in moderation - olive oil is very useful, butter may be tastier than margarine and could be better for you, and coconut oil is great for stir fries. Four essential vitamins A, D, E and K are only found in some fats or oils. But avoid margarine, corn oil and vegetable oil. 

​

​6.     Beware of ‘low fat’ foods - these often have sugar or sweeteners added to make them palatable. Full fat mayonnaise and pesto are definitely ok but cheese - a very calorific mixture of fat, and protein - should only be eaten in moderation.

​

​7.     Avoid snacking because it becomes habit forming - unsalted nuts like almonds or walnuts are fine to stave off hunger and the occasional treat of strong dark chocolate is also acceptable in a small quantity.

​

​8.    Alcohol is full of carbohydrates – beer is almost liquid toast hence beer bellies. The odd glass of dry white, red wine or spirits is not too bad if it doesn’t make you hungry afterwards – or just plain water with a slice of lemon. Sweeteners can trick you into being even hungrier, making weight loss more difficult. Drink tea, coffee, and water or herbal teas but remember 100ml milk is one teaspoon of sugar. 

​

​