There is no cure for Type 2 diabetes, but there are ways to control and even reverse the symptoms. The disease affects the way your body metabolizes and regulates blood sugar (glucose) and it can have potentially life-threatening results. Those with prediabetes, a condition in which blood sugar levels are between normal and diabetic ranges, or with type 2 diabetes, can actually stop the progression of the disease and eliminate the need for treatment, according to the website for CNN.
Weight Loss
Lose weight to reverse the effects of diabetes and eliminate the need for treatment. Many overweight or morbidly obese people have type 2 diabetes or prediabetes. According to an interview with Dr. Otis Brawley, Chief Medical Officer of the American Cancer Society, published on the CNN website, weight loss and a change in diet can improve blood-sugar control and insulin sensitivity in the body. Sometimes these patients can improve enough to avoid treatment altogether. These patients are still considered diabetics, but they may no longer require medication to live with the disease. Continued healthy eating and regular exercise can be all that is needed to maintain this improved status.
Vegan Diet
Switch to a vegan diet to improve and possibly reverse the effects of diabetes, according to the website Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM).
The PCRM, in conjunction with Georgetown University, conducted a pilot study in 1999 comparing a high-fiber, low-fat vegan diet to the recommended diet published by the American Diabetes Association. The study revealed the vegan dieters needed less medication than they did before the study or no medication at all, while the ADA dieters tended to rely on the same medication as before. The pilot study resulted in a larger study that obtained confirming results as published in the PCRM Newsletter in June 2006. The lead researcher in these studies was Dr. Neal Bernard.
The vegan meals used in the study were made from unrefined vegetables, grains, beans and fruit and used no refined ingredients. The meals averaged only 10 percent calories from fat and 80 percent complex carbohydrates. The meals contained no cholesterol and contained between 60 and 70 grams of fiber per day, according to the PCRM.
Hydration
Stay hydrated to help reverse diabetes. Water is an important part of any healthy lifestyle and it will improve diabetes as well, according to the website DiabetesReversed. Water will help replace unhealthy cells with healthy cells that have the ability to accept insulin properly.
The proper hydration required to reap these benefits can be easily obtained using simple math. Divide your body weight by two and try to consume that many ounces of water each day. For example, a 200-lb. man would need to drink 100 oz. of water each day to maintain the level of hydration needed to aid in diabetes recovery, according to DiabetesReversed.
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