On November 14th it’s World Diabetes Day, a day that’s super-important for dispelling misinformation and stigma of a condition that impacts millions of people worldwide. In this blog, we’re exploring what it really means to live with diabetes, how people manage it and how a healthy diet can help ease symptoms.
What is diabetes?
Essentially, diabetes is a condition that causes your blood sugar levels to get too high. If left untreated, it can cause a number of problems, ranging from hypoglycemia to foot issues and even blindness.
What are the symptoms of diabetes?
According to the NHS, the key symptoms you should look out for are:
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Feeling very thirsty
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Peeing more frequently than usual, particularly at night
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Feeling very tired
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Weight loss and loss of muscle bulk
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Blurred vision
If you experience any of the above, or if you’re just worried, be sure to book an appointment with your GP.
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What’s insulin?
Insulin is a hormone that controls the amount of sugar in your blood, and is produced by the pancreas. When you eat and your food is digested, insulin moves any sugar (or glucose) out of the blood and into your cells, where it’s broken down to produce energy.
What causes diabetes?
Diabetes happens when your body is unable to break down glucose into energy. This can either be down to there not being enough insulin in your body to move the glucose, or the insulin produced isn’t working.
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What are the types of diabetes?
There are two types of diabetes, but many pregnant women can also struggle with gestational diabetes. Let’s explore what the types mean…
Type-1 diabetes
Type-1 diabetes isn’t linked to your age or being overweight, and it’s usually a condition you develop young.
Type-2 diabetes
Unlike type-1 diabetes, type-2 is linked to your age, weight and general health. In fact, according to the NHS, you’re more at risk of developing type-2 if you:
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Are living with obesity
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Do not have a healthy diet
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Have a family history of type-2 diabetes
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Are of Asian, Black African or African Caribbean origin
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Take certain medicines such as steroids for a long time
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Have high blood pressure
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Have had gestational diabetes during pregnancy
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Gestational diabetes
Gestational diabetes develops during pregnancy and often disappears once you’ve given birth. And although it can happen at any stage of your pregnancy, it’s more common later on, in your second or third trimester.
Similarly to type-2 diabetes, there are some risk factors to look out for, including a BMI of over 30 and previously having had a baby that was born weighing 10lbs or more.
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How is diabetes treated?
Insulin
When your body can’t produce the hormone you need to digest and process glucose properly, it makes sense that you’d use an artificial version to help you. There are three main types of insulin for the treatment of diabetes:
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Rapid-acting insulin
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Long-acting insulin
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And intermediary-acting insulin.
Those with type-1 diabetes will usually take:
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Both long-acting insulin (once or twice a day)
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And rapid-acting insulin (before mealtimes).
According to the NHS, people with type-2 diabetes will take the following:
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A long-acting or intermediate-acting insulin once or twice a day
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A long-acting or intermediate-acting insulin once or twice a day, and a separate rapid-acting or short-acting insulin before meals
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Mixed insulin, containing both intermediate and rapid-acting or short-acting insulin, 1 to 3 times a day before meals.
As for those with gestational diabetes, you’ll usually be asked to alter your diet and lifestyle in a bid to control your diabetes, all the while monitoring your blood sugar levels. If this doesn’t work, then your GP will discuss which insulin is best for you.
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Can diet help diabetes?
If you’ve been diagnosed with any one of the three types of diabetes, then the NHS recommends that you adopt a healthy lifestyle. That means eating plenty of fruit and vegetables, exercising regularly and getting into the habit of monitoring your blood sugar levels.
However, when it comes to type-2 diabetes, symptoms can be lessened or even reversed with the help of a healthy, low-calorie diet.
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Can diabetes be reversed?
According to the results of the DiRECT trial launched by Diabetes UK in 2018, The 1:1 Diet has proven effective in reversing type-2 diabetes. The study found that nearly half of the people (46%) were able to reverse their condition through being on Plan with us.
Recently, a new report revealed that almost a quarter (23%) of the people who were in remission from type-2 diabetes after two years, remained in remission five years later. This is a remarkable achievement, particularly when compared to traditional diabetes treatment, which only helped 4% of the dieters reverse their condition.
On top of all that, those who succeeded in reversing their type-2 diabetes, were able to lose nearly double the weight of those in the alternative control group, with 8.9kg versus 4.6kg. The five-year results also showed that the 23% who remained in remission had lower blood pressure and halved their risk of serious health issues.
As you can see, diabetes is a challenging condition that deeply impacts those with it, but it’s also a condition that can be supported (and even transformed) by adopting a healthy lifestyle.
If you’re worried about type 2 diabetes, or just want to get healthy, then make sure you reach out to one of our supportive Consultants. They’ll not only develop a bespoke diet plan just for you, but they’ll also be on call for whatever questions you may have.