Type 2 diabetes is a problem that plagues many people around the world. This is the most common form of diabetes and thankfully, the most treatable and some studies indicate even reversible. First, let’s look at the basics of type 2 diabetes.
Diabetes is a condition marked by the body’s inability to produce or utilize insulin efficiently. In type 2 diabetes, the body is resistant to insulin but it still produces the hormone.
Insulin is very important, as it is the hormone responsible for the uptake of sugar or glucose into the cells for energy. When cells are insulin resistant or you do not produce enough of the hormone, glucose builds up in your system leading to other more serious conditions, such as eye, kidney and heart disease.
Diet to Reverse Diabetes
You may have heard that a diet of foods low on the glycemic index has the ability to reverse or impede the progression of diabetes. However recent studies done at Duke University points to low carbs as the way to go. The study consisted of 84 patients who were obese and suffering from type 2 diabetes and the results were surprising.
The Study
The group was evenly divided into two groups, one that followed a low glycemic diet and the other followed a low carbohydrate diet plan. Both groups were offered the same support, nutrition and exercise routines. At the end of the six-month study, they compared weight loss, medication reduction and hemoglobin levels.
The low glycemic group lost weight and about 62% were able to completely go off their diabetes medications. However, the low carb group was able to lose more weight and 95% were able to stop taking their medications. Both groups had success with their diets but clearly, the low carbohydrate diet had more.
The Diet
The low carbohydrate diet was shown to be highly successful, but it is also very restrictive. Participants were placed on a diet consisting of no more than 20 grams of carbs per day. That is a tall order for many people, however if you look at it more as a treatment option for a disease than a diet it may be a bit easier to stick to.
It is also important to note that all participants had a strong support system and even had group meetings on a regular basis. Exercise was also a key component in the results. At this time, Duke University has treated hundreds of patients in this manner all with great results.
Conclusion
With the right diet and exercise, you can potentially reverse type 2 diabetes. Nothing says it will be easy but when you consider some of the serious health consequences of diabetes you can see that it would be well worth the effort.
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