How to reverse type 2 diabetes
Diabetes is a disease that is caused when blood sugar (glucose) levels are too high. There are two types of this disease; type 1 diabetes which is when your body is unable to make insulin, and type 2 diabetes which occurs when your insulin does not work very well.
Insulin is a hormone that is produced by the pancreas and it enables your body to process the glucose in the food you eat into energy. It also manages your blood sugar levels by storing it in your liver until you need it.
What type of diabetes can you get rid of?
There is nothing that you can do to reverse type 1 diabetes yourself. This is a serious auto immune disease which causes your body to attack itself. And because your body is unable to manufacture its own insulin you need to take insulin injections in order to control blood sugar levels.
Type 1 diabetes is usually diagnosed in childhood or early adulthood and although it cannot be cured, sufferers usually manage to live normal lives supported by daily insulin injections and close monitoring of diet.
Type 2 diabetes is also a serious medical condition, however it can be reversible. The condition occurs when the insulin that your body produces is insufficient to manage blood the sugar levels in your body.
Type 2 diabetes usually occurs later in life and is often a result of eating too many carbs and sugars which overloads the insulin production and stops it from working. However some people are more at risk than others. Age, race and family history can make developing the condition more likely but in general, being overweight and physically inactive can be the major causes of type 2 diabetes.
Type 2 Diabetes is a global epidemic.
If you have recently been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes or prediabetes, you are not alone.
Type 2 diabetes has been described as an epidemic in the USA. 34.2 million Americans suffer from type 2 diabetes and with an estimated 88 million at risk from developing the condition, known as prediabetes, this is a serious problem that adversely affects the health of the nation.
Type 2 diabetes leads to a range of medical conditions including:
· Eye problems
· Kidney disease
· Heart disease
· Foot problems
· Stroke
· Nerve damage
· Dental disease
So can you reverse type 2 diabetes with diet and exercise?
The good news about type 2 diabetes and prediabetes is that you can take steps to reverse the condition by making changes to diet and lifestyle. It is important to remember that results will not happen overnight and that you should always consult with your doctor who will help you manage your medication.
First up let’s look at weight loss.
So can you reverse type 2 diabetes by losing weight?
Losing weight is the best thing you can do to reverse type 2 diabetes and the earlier you start the better the outcome. Most success in achieving this has come down to losing a lot of weight. Many people who suffer from diabetes are seriously overweight so shedding 30 lbs or more is often the type of figure you may be aiming at. This will depend upon your own situation but is fully achievable over time.
check out other important remedies HERECan i reverse prediabetes with diet and excercise
Many people ask how to cure diabetes permanently and naturally but the truth is that although you may be able to live without medication, type 2 diabetes is an ongoing condition.
This means that once you have stabilised your blood sugar levels by losing weight , you will have to watch your weight and health in the future to prevent its re occurrence. Health professionals refer to this as remission, rather than a permanent cure. That said many people manage to live diabetes free following making life style changes so it is certainly worth doing.
You cannot reverse diabetes fast. If you have a lot of weight to lose, there is no
magic pill, diet or OTC supplement that will reverse diabetes overnight. Doctors used to believe that making small life style changes and taking medication following a diabetes diagnosis was enough to help you manage the condition.
This thinking has changed now because research suggests that losing a lot of weight as fast as possible is the best way of reversing the condition. Doing this can enable the cells in your pancreas to recover and start working, so it is important to do this as fast as possible after diagnosis.
What sort of diet should I follow to reverse type 2 diabetes?
This will depend upon your own preferences and situation. Here are a couple of suggestions to help you decide on the best one for you.
Keto Diet
Many people switch to the Keto Diet which cuts out dietary carbs and sugars and this can be extremely effective. The Keto diet is easy to follow because it lays out easy to follow rules, although some people will struggle with sticking to cutting out carbs and certain fruits completely.
The Keto diet is not suitable for permanent use. Health experts advise that you should only stay on Keto for a short period of months, and gradually re introduce carbs once weight loss has been achieved.
Fasting Diet
Fasting requires that you go for periods without eating. Generally to lose weight you need to fast for 24 hour periods, 2 or 3 times a week, focusing on low carb meals for the rest of the time. Once you become accustomed to fasting, it does get easier and many people like the structure of this type of diet because the rules are very easy to follow.
Low Calorie Liquid Diets
Often doctors will advise a low calorie liquid diet because it can be effective and it takes away the temptation of eating food! In general you stick on a liquid diet for between 2 – 5 months consuming around 750 calories a day. Once the period is over, you follow this with a less restrictive diet in order to maintain the weight loss.
Can exercise reverse type 2 diabetes?
Doctors have said that if exercise came in a pill they would prescribe it for everyone! Exercise has so many physical and mental health benefits that we cannot afford to miss out on this easy and free way of improving our health.
Exercise is unlikely to reverse type 2 diabetes on its own, after all as the saying goes, you cannot outrun a bad diet, but it does make weight loss much easier. Exercise and becoming more active, increases the speed of the metabolism as well as helping to burn off calories.
Importantly, exercise also helps your cells become more sensitive to insulin so it does help you get control over your diabetes.
According to the American Diabetic Association, any type of exercise is fine as long as you stick with it. Gentle walking, dancing , swimming, playing interactive video games, gardening , housework – you don’t need to sign up for gym membership in order to see results. As long as you do a minimum of 150 minutes of physical activity a week, you will quickly begin to feel the benefits.
The key to success with exercise is to take it slowly at first, especially if you have not done any physical activity for a while. Speak with your doctor if you have any health concerns. It is also important to choose activities you enjoy and make them part of your regular life.
Can I reverse prediabetes with diet and exercise?
The earlier you act on a prediabetes diagnosis the more successful it will be. Prediabetes is a condition where blood sugar levels are higher than normal but have not yet reached the critical level of a type 2 diabetes diagnoses.
According to statistics, more than 1 in 3 people in the US suffer from pre diabetes, many without realising. So if you have been diagnosed, it is a wake up call to tell you that you need to take action to adopt a healthier diet and exercise program.
The good news is that it is much easier to reverse prediabetes with diet and exercise than it is to reverse type 2 diabetes. This means that if you know or feel that you may be at risk, it is very easy to improve the condition. Often losing around 15lbs of weight will be enough to reverse prediabetes.
How to reverse prediabetes fast
Because the condition has not developed into full blown type 2 diabetes, you can reverse the diagnosis by making general life style changes in order to improve fitness levels and to lose some weight. This can happen quickly once you start, because any life style improvements will have a dramatic impact on your weight and health, especially if this is the first time you have tried it.
Here are some handy tips to help you;
Clean up your diet!
Fast food, cakes and pastries, candy, fries and donuts, processed meals – these types of food have little nutritional content and can send your blood sugar levels soaring. By cutting these out and replacing with healthier alternatives, you may be able to reverse prediabetes without going on an extreme diet.
Be careful of your carb intake.
Carbohydrates are the body’s main source of energy but not all carbs are the same.
Refined carbs are those which are highly processed and often provide very little nutritional content as well as causing your blood sugar levels to rise quickly. These are in certain types of fruit and juice, in white flours and grains and processed food and should be definitely avoided if you have a prediabetes diagnosis.
By contrast, complex carbs are high in fibre and will fill you up. Complex carbs are present in whole meal grains, whole meal pasta, vegetables and beans and because they are absorbed slowly into your blood stream, do not negatively impact your insulin levels.
Drink more water
By ditching the sugar laden sodas and switching to good old plain water, you will help reverse prediabetes. Water helps to control blood sugar levels and is an easy and effective way of managing your condition. There are no strict rules but drinking about 4 x 8oz glasses of water a day will help and of course if you replace fizzy drinks and sodas with water, you will be cutting your calorie intake too.
Changing your diet
Switching to the Mediterranean diet is a healthy way of living and it enables you to enjoy food as well. Switching to a diet which includes oily fish, fresh produce and wholegrains will help you reverse prediabetes and is also a good way to eat once you have reversed type 2 diabetes as well.
So how do you know if you have reversed type 2 diabetes?
So if you have managed to lose weight and are now looking and feeling healthier, how do you know if your efforts have been successful? The only way to know for sure is to visit your doctor and take an Hb A1c blood test.
This refers to glycated haemoglobin which is the glucose in your blood. It sticks to your blood cells and because it cannot be used by the body, it provides a way to measure the sugar levels in your blood which have occurred over the past couple of months.
It is important to know that everyone is different so readings will be assessed by your doctor depending on your age and physical make up.
However as a rough guide the average readings are as follows:
· Normal diabetes- free reading will be below 42 mmol/ mol (6.0%)
· Prediabetes is usually assessed at between 42 – 47 mmol/ mol (6.0 to 6.4%)
· Diabetes is generally 48 mmol/ mol (6.5%) or over.
Mmol / mol stands for millimoles per liter and is a method of measuring chemical substances. Your doctor will explain your target figure and by taking regular blood tests you will know whether or not you have reversed diabetes completely.
How to get rid of diabetes completely
Although doctors warn that type 2 diabetes never fully goes away, ensuring that it goes into remission should be enough for most people. When your diabetes is in remission, you can live without the need for medication so as long as you have your regular blood tests you can be confident that your blood sugar levels are not causing health problems.
Type 2 diabetes is a growing problem across the USA and the developed world and the cure is in our own hands. So even though you may feel irritated by the constant nagging from the media about healthy eating and the importance of exercise it is crucial for health. Adopting a healthier lifestyle really is the only way to avoid this most common disease and to prevent it from reoccuring in the future.