Many UK doctors still believe that once you've got it, type 2 diabetes is a progressive, irreversible disease and it's best to start on medication as soon as possible. But I don't. Four years ago I lost 22 lb, reversed my own diabetes and, based on research by one of the world's leading diabetes experts, have now written a book showing how others can do likewise. The key to tackling this problem is rapid weight loss, but it is also about eating the right foods. Yet there is huge confusion even in the medical community about what those foods are at a time when blood sugar (pictured bottom right) levels are rising fast in the UK. Dr Michael Moseley (pictured top right) says we should adopt a Mediterranean-style diet (main) to improve our health and wellbeing.

Singer and model Chloe Jasmine (right) - full name Chloe-Jasmine Whichello - found fame through X Factor and seemed to revel in her oddball status. But, she reveals that, despite her confident front, there was a physical toll to being on the receiving end of such vitriol. Beneath her many layers of thick make-up, her face was covered in angry, red and sore adult acne (left), triggered by the stress of her fame. After trying a range of treatments, she has found a rather unlikely solution to the problem estimated to affect half of women between the ages of 20 and 40: a cream made with mustard leaves.

Rory Godfrey, from Pewaukee, Wisconsin, was born with Beckwith-Wiedemann syndrome that affects one in 15,000 children worldwide. His parents Holly and Ben were terrified when they heard him choking while eating and stop breathing at night. Each week his tongue grew bigger, up to the point where it was twice the size of his mouth and could easily touch his nose without any straining.Two months ago he went for reduction surgery to slice off part of his tongue before stitching it back together again. Rory, now 14 months, has recovered and much to his mother's delight has said 'mama' for the first time.

Lizzie Foster, from Portsmouth, started craving baby powder when she was pregnant with daughter Ruby (inset and right, aged eight). She expected the bizarre craving to go after she gave birth but they didn't. She now munches her way through a 500g tub every week. Mrs Foster, who also has a son Billy, two, is thought to have Pica, a rare impulsive disorder causing cravings to eat non-food substances. She said: 'I thought it was an odd craving to have, and I was a bit freaked out at first, but I poured some on my palm and I liked it.It tasted soapy and I kept on eating it.' Now she worries she could be damaging her health and plans on visiting her doctor.

EXCLUSIVE: Unintended pregnancies are body hair are a concern shared among everyone, according to a survey of more than 2,000 people from Europe and the US. Men are scared about the size of their penis and ejaculating prematurely, while women are worried their partner won't want to wear a condom. In regards to orgasms, women appear to prioritise their own, while men care more for making their partner climax.

Frank Musselwhite, 39, and Danielle Manuel, 22, left, were shocked when doctors at Northampton General Hospital applied to the High Court this week to switch off Rimari's life-support machine. Rimari, pictured inset at one month old, who was born in April, severe spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), a condition caused by deterioration in the nerve cells connecting the brain and spinal cord to the body's muscles.

Gemma Nuttall, 27, from Lancashire, was first diagnosed with ovarian and cervical cancer when she went for a pregnancy scan. She was treated but was then diagnosed with brain and lung cancer. Her mother Helen Sproates (inset) has now set up an online fundraising page to raise £50,000 to take her daughter abroad for advanced treatment not available in the UK. Writing on her crowdfunding page, Mrs Sproates said: 'As a mother, I believe one of the worst things you can ever hear is " Mum, I have cancer". I have heard these words not once but THREE times and my daughter is only 27 years old.' Miss Nuttall, who has a two-year-old daughter, Penelope, was first diagnosed with ovarian cancer after she went for her first pregnancy scan. She told doctors she wanted to keep the baby and was induced at 36 weeks before undergoing surgery immediately to have the 'huge' tumour removed. But the cancer has now appeared in four areas of her body.

The secret to staying trim this summer could be just a matter of doing the chores. Vacuuming targets the core, calves and triceps and washing windows strengthens the upper body while mowing the lawn is best for cardio. Personal trainer Andrew Flint says: 'Look at the task that needs to be done and think to yourself, "What's the hardest way I could do this physically?"'

A sugar free diet has been credited with everything from extreme weight loss to healing acne - and even giving some a renewed sense of energy. Now cystic fibrosis sufferer, Jessica Bean, 28, from Queensland claims cutting out sugar saved her life. Though Ms Bean has had the debilitating lung condition since birth, when her condition took a turn for the worse aged 21 and she was left hospitalised and fighting for her life, she decided to ditch sugar and has just celebrated a year since she was last admitted to hospital.

Rebecca Hendry, 25, from Harwich, Essex, weighed 15st 3lbs at her heaviest (left) due to bingeing on nearly 6,000 calories a day. In just six months she dropped more than four stone (centre), giving her the confidence to post glamorous selfies online (right). Before her weight-loss Rebecca hardly left the house. She said: 'When I was big the walk to my daughters' school was a real struggle. Kids can be really cruel and I was scared of them laughing at me or picking on my girls, asking why their mum was so fat.'

Sadie and Gary Brittle, from Staffordshire, were devastated to lose a baby through an ectopic pregnancy - when the foetus develops in the fallopian tube. The family, including husband Gary and daughter Summer (pictured) went on holiday to Spain to help her recover. But while she was there, she thought she was 'getting big' and was astonished when a pregnancy test revealed she was expecting. Scans revealed she is expecting a baby boy, who they've named Teddy, in November. He is the result of a rare heterotopic pregnancy, where one foetus implants in the womb while another develops elsewhere. Mrs Brittle said: 'I went to see my doctor when I got back and explained my situation and he couldn't quite get his head around it. I had an ultrasound and you could hear a heartbeat.'

Laura Green, 32, from Phoenix, Arizona, has gone from 294lbs (21st), left, to 182lbs (13st), centre and right, after overhauling her diet and taking up exercise. The university administrator had a gastric band fitted but was forced to have it removed after suffering several health scares. It meant she gained the weight all over again, and then some. However after using a fitness app, she was able to curb her sweet tooth and transform her body. She said: 'I have only ever been able to successfully lose weight with diet and exercise and I wish I knew I could do it myself before ever going under the knife.'

Lucy Fowler, 25, from Nottingham, fell ill moments after using St Tropez Instant Wash Off Face and Body Spray (inset) and was rushed to hospital for oxygen treatment (right). She later discovered the spray had been recalled by its manufacturers three years earlier after other customers reported breathing difficulties after using it. The spray was taken off the shelves and should no longer be sold - but Miss Fowler claims she bought it last month from a high street shop. She said: 'I'm scared of using anything like fake tan again. I'm even frightened of using deodorant at the moment. I can't believe that I almost died - that I was nearly killed by fan tan.'

Cathryn Willson, 36, from Kent, admits she fell behind with her cervical smear screening after having first daughter, Milli. When she became pregnant with her second daughter (left), she had no idea she had cervical cancer. But during the birth doctors noticed a tumour which they initially mistook as a hand before focusing on a safe delivery. Miss Willson and partner George Matuska forgot about it until she was given the devastating news the lump was stage two cervical cancer at a postnatal check-up six weeks later. Her cancer treatment meant she missed out on bonding with baby Robyn. After getting the five-year all clear last week, Miss Willson describes Robyn as her 'little angel' She said: 'If it wasn't for her I would never have known I had cancer. She saved my life.'

The brain bank, at Imperial College London, stores the fresh, wobbling brains of people who have recently died and decided to donate their organs to science. Funded by Parkinson's UK and Multiple Sclerosis Society, its purpose is to send tissue to researchers who need it for studies into the diseases. It currently has around 1,650 specimens - and the charities hope examining live organs will one day lead to a breakthrough. Brains are cut into chunks, or sliced, and photographed before being stored in big freezers until researchers require them - usually genetic studies. Steve Gentleman, a professor of neuropathology, at Imperial College, runs the bank, and slices into the organs on a daily basis. 'It's firm, like fruit. It's like cutting into a melon,' he says.

The international team from the European Society for Translational Antiviral Research (ESAR) analysed infection data from when it arrived in America in the 1970s and the subsequent epidemic.

Owen and Donna Williams, from Bridgend, were delighted when Mrs Williams gave birth to twins Grace and Logan after their third IVF attempt (newborns are pictured left, and with their parents, right). The pair had labelled several bottles of milk which Mrs Williams had expressed to be kept in a special fridge and given to the twins at feeding times. But last week, Mr Williams discovered a nurse had been feeding the twins from the wrong bottle, and believes the blunder occurred on at least three occasions. The pair now face an anxious three-month wait for test results in screening for infections such as HIV and hepatitis B. Abertawe Bro Morgannwg University Health Board confirmed the incident at the Princess of Wales Hospital in Bridgend took place and said the matter is under investigation. Mr Williams said: 'We are obviously completely distraught. Having waited eight years for our babies, they are incredibly precious to us and we placed all our trust in the care we were being given at the hospital.'

The one-year-old, from Xi'an, Shaanxi Province, China, was rushed to hospital hours after she gulped down the metal spike. In hospital, an X-ray (main) showed one end of the needle was poking her tonsils while the other end was at the bottom of her throat. Doctors said it could cause internal bleeding or an infection, and so they pulled it out by putting a camera down her throat. After it was removed, the medic layed the needle down next to a plastic syringe to show it was around 4cm long (inset).

Anna Giles, 17, from London, has dropped from a size 10 to a six since the sickness took hold nearly three years ago. When she first started being ill age 14, her family put it down to food poisoning. But the sickness has continued and she has been treated regularly in hospital (left and right) ever since. Doctors have ruled out a host of illnesses including a brain tumour and allergies and are now baffled as to its cause. It forced the straight-A student to drop out of school and put her life on hold. She said: 'At the moment, I'm not living, I'm just existing.'

There can be vast differences in the fat and calorie content of our favourite fast foods at chains including Pizza Hut, McDonald's, KFC and Subway from country to country. Clockwise from top left: A 6in Italian BMT (Big Meat Tasty) in the UK contains 396 calories but 410 in the US; a large Pizza Hut pepperoni pizza has 2,810 calories in Britain but 3,700 in the US; a Starbucks hot chocolate has 352 calories in the UK and 440 in the US; a Krispy Kreme original glaze contains 222 in the UK versus 190 across the pond; a Hungry Jacks burger has 40 fewer calories in the UK; and a McDonald's egg McMuffin has 40 more calories in the US.

Abbie Kilbride, 18, from Renfrewshire, decided to celebrate having her braces removed by getting her teeth whitened. After being recommended someone who could do it, she went along hopeful for a gleaming smile. However, instead the teenager was left with a severely swollen lips and a series of painful blisters. She posted a warning on Facebook to others considering similar treatment.

AspireAssist is made up of a disk-shaped port valve that sits outside the body, connected to an internal tube to the stomach.Internally, surgeons connect a tube from the patient's stomach, attaching it to the port valve. After eating, the patient attaches an external connector and tube to the port valve. The valve is then opened and the stomach contents drained via the tube into the toilet. Once opened, the device takes five to 10 minutes to drain food from the patient.

Angelique 'Frenchy' Morgan asks Los Angeles-based surgeons Dr. Terry Dubrow and Dr. Paul Nassif to upgrade her implants on Tuesday night's episode of the E! reality series Botched. During her consultation (right), Frenchy insists that her breasts are too small and too far apart, however, the doctor's argue that her implants are perfect the way they are. And while she insists on getting 1,000cc implants, Dr. Dubrow tells her they can't be made that large.

The Government's guide to healthy eating could actually be causing obesity and type 2 diabetes, a nutritionist has claimed. The Eatwell Guide - created by Public Health England - is not based on evidence and was influenced by too many people with ties to the food industry, according to obesity researcher Dr Zoe Harcombe. The guide is a plate which visually represents the government's recommendations on food groups for a 'healthy, balanced diet' - and was first created in 1994. After the latest revision in March this year, it advised people to eat more fruit and vegetables, but almost half as many milk and dairy products like cheese and butter. It said 37 per cent of people's meals should be made up of bread, pasta, rice potatoes and other starchy carbohydrates - a 5 per cent rise on last year's plate. And some of the meal plans suggested containing as many as 2,250 calories a day - above the energy requirements for the average woman. Dr Harcombe is a clinical nutritionist based at the Institute of Clinical Exercise and Health Science, University of West of Scotland. She said the advice to base meals on carbohydrates and reduce fat is not based on evidence and has not been tested.

Sam Tai's memory completely wiped itself every 24 hours, like Drew Barrymore's character in the film 50 First Dates (top right). As a result of brain damage during a rugby match earlier this year, the 17-year-old from York had to relearn his entire life - including who his parents are - only to forget them again the next morning. He would work out what type of music he liked by searching his YouTube history, and could not remember doing his GCSEs. Now, the teenager has beaten his amnesia and incredibly, he has regained every single memory.

A 20-week scan revealed Isabella Grote, from North Dakota, had the rare birth defect encephalocele. The condition occurs when the neural tube, that forms the brain and spinal cord, does not close completely during early stages of pregnancy. It caused part of her brain to grow through an opening at the back of her skull (left). She was given a slim chance of survival when she was delivered by Caesarean section. At just three days old, she needed lifesaving surgery to have the sac removed and the small part of her brain placed back in her skull. There was a high chance she would have severe disabilities but she has continued to astonish doctors with her progress. Now four (right), Isabella is thriving and hitting all of her milestones. Mother Sharlotte said: 'We feel truly blessed to have our beautiful little girl with us today. She has been through more than most people have to go through in a lifetime.'

Melissa Mead, 29 (left), from Cornwall, lost her son William, one (right), after medics failed to diagnose the deadly condition. He began suffering a chesty cough, but medics failed to diagnose the deadly condition. An inquiry after his death revealed that there had been a staggering 15 failures in his care. Since, she has become an expert on the subject, campaigning to raise awareness and ensure others don't die needlessly. But only months ago, she learned that she herself had almost died from the condition. Following surgery in 2011, she became critically ill with an infection and her medical notes reveal it was sepsis. The revelation that the infection was sepsis came during a session with the psychiatrist who has treated her for depression and post-traumatic shock since William died. Now five months pregnant with her second child, she is beset by guilt that she is alive while William died. 'I'd have given my last breath so my child could live,' she said.

Jasmine Moxom, 3, (left in both photos) was born with spastic diplegia, a form of cerebral palsy, which affects her lower limbs and means she struggles to walk (right). She had scans and X-rays before being referred to Bristol Hospital to prepare for surgery. But hopes of running around with twin Summer (right) are in doubt now the NHS said it could not fund it. Her parents Sally Morton and Ricky Moxom are furious after being told they will have to raise the £30,000 themselves. Ms Morton said: 'The NHS need to realise they can't go promising children one thing and then take it away without a care, it's disgusting.'