The Masked Singer UK: Snow Leopard unveiled as Gloria Hunniford
We use your sign-up to provide content in ways you’ve consented to and to improve our understanding of you. This may include adverts from us and 3rd parties based on our understanding. You can unsubscribe at any time. More info
The 81-year-old star has been in the showbiz industry since the 1970s and 80s where she appeared as a presenter of Good Evening Ulster. Since then she has appeared on popular ITV shows This Morning and Loose Women as well as BBC classics The One Show and Rip Off Britain. It was during the filming of another show Food: Truth or Scare back in 2016 that Hunniford revealed the extent of her own health troubles, and the lengths she went to cure them.
Writing in The Mirror after the release of the show, Hunniford said: “It was during an annual blood test in 2013 that my doctor said I was pre-diabetic and told me to take my life in my hands.
“That meant cutting out croissants, chocolate and biscuits – for, like my late sister Lena who struggled with diabetes, I had a sweet tooth.
“I’d dieted before but going on a medical diet gives you determination. I cut out all the sugar I could.”
Originally, Hunniford had been to the hospital for a wound on her knuckle that had become infected, but when she came out of hospital, she was in “huge shock”.
The star confessed that she had always been “nervous” of the condition due to her sister’s diabetes, so was even more determined to adapt her diet and prevent a full diabetes diagnosis.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) explain that prediabetes is a serious health condition where blood sugar levels are higher than normal. Crucially however they are not high enough for the person to be diagnosed with type 2 diabetes.
Diabetes UK reports that currently there are 13.6 million people that are at an increased risk of type 2 diabetes in the UK, but with the right support up to 50 percent of cases of type 2 diabetes can either be prevented or delayed.
Speaking on her own experience and the drastic changes she made to cure her prediabetes, Hunniford said: “I adjusted my diet as soon as I left hospital and, thankfully, my blood readings soon fell into line. Also, two stone dropped off me within weeks – I’m 8.5 stone now and I don’t want to lose any more.”
“For breakfast, I have anything from scrambled egg and smoked salmon to Lizi’s Granola. I can have bacon, egg and sausage because it’s protein.
“For lunch, I might choose soup or a chicken or fish salad. In the evening, it’s anything in terms of fish or meat, with extra vegetables to replace the carbs.
“Of course, if my family are coming for Sunday lunch and I’m cooking roast potatoes for them I’ll have just one.
“For dessert, I opt for lots of berries and Greek yogurt, which can also act as a good snack.
“When it comes to drink, white wine is full of sugar so I might have the occasional glass of red. But I’m not a big drinker.”
The presenter also gave a stark warning about the hidden sugars that are in fruits: “Grapes are ridiculously high in sugar and so is melon, which many people think consists mostly of water,” she added.
“The only fruits my doctor likes are berries, such as blueberries, blackberries and raspberries, and pears and apples.”
As well as watching her diet, Hunniford tries to exercise regularly, although she claimed this can be hard to fit into her busy working schedule.
She added: “For breakfast, I have anything from scrambled egg and smoked salmon to Lizi’s Granola. I can have bacon, egg and sausage because it’s protein.
Diabetes UK explains that prediabetics will typically never suffer from any symptoms, so getting a blood test is the only way to check if you are pre-diabetic or have type 2 diabetes.
The most common test will be checking your HbA1c levels which is your average blood glucose (sugar) levels for the last two to three months. If your HbA1c level is between 42mmol/mol (six percent) – 47mmol/mol (6.4 percent) this means it is higher than normal and you are at risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
Like Hunniford demonstrated, by making changes to diet, increasing physical activity and losing weight, about half of type 2 diabetes cases can be prevented or delayed in some people.
Source: Read Full Article