Controlling Diabetes with Lifestyle Changes

Type I diabetics cannot make insulin, a hormone necessary to convert glucose into energy. Type II diabetics' bodies gradually lose the ability to use insulin properly and become resistant to it. Diabetes is a leading cause of blindness, kidney failure, limb amputations, heart disease and stroke. Diabetics face a daily challenge of achieving normal blood sugar levels. Normal blood sugar levels can be better achieved through lifestyle changes and medication, and more and more research is showing that lifestyle changes can eliminate the need for medication in many patients. These lifestyle changes are primarily related to diet, body weight, and exercise.

Exercise improves insulin resistance, which can help prevent the onset of type II diabetes and help control type I diabetes and the associated high blood sugars. In fact, a recent diabetes prevention study conducted by the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases showed that people at high risk of developing diabetes may cut their risk by 50% simply by walking 30 minutes a day¹. A common diabetes medication, known as metformin, has a similar effect, but only reduces the risk by 31%. Exercise is apparently more powerful and less expensive than this medication.

Dr. Avi, Director of Aviisha Medical Wellness Institute in Los Angeles and Thousand Oaks says, “With lifestyle changes, diabetics can avoid insulin use. In fact, when we start an insulin dependent diabetic on a diet, we cut the amount injected by one half. Further weight loss and fat reduction will improve diabetic control and lead to the eventual elimination of insulin injections in many of our diabetics. Suffice to say that diet and exercise is known to reverse insulin dependence unless said diabetic has exhausted his or her pancreas.”

The word about lifestyle changes and diabetes is spreading, and more patients are working with their physicians to reduce their insulin injections and diabetic medications or avoid it altogether. Losing weight helps reduce abdominal fat, which encases the liver and makes it more resistant to insulin. Even losing as little as 5% to 10% of your body weight can produce a noticeable reduction in blood sugar and decrease the need for medications.

Regular exercise, meaning 30 to 60 minutes of moderately intense aerobic activity three to four times a week, lowers average blood sugar levels by 10% to 20%2. The most insulin-resistant will see the most benefit. Regular physical activity also helps lower blood pressure, raise HDL ("good" cholesterol) and lower triglycerides, all of which are additional diabetic symptoms.

Overall, the experts say the most important thing to helping diabetics live long and healthy lives is blood sugar control. Exercise and lifestyle changes have now been proven to help achieve that control, with or without additional drugs. Even more important, lifestyle changes can even prevent the high blood sugar levels that lead to diabetes, so talk with your doctor now about how you can make the best choices to avoid diabetes and the medications that accompany this common and serious disease.

1 http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_91178.html

2 http://www.latimes.com/features/health/la-he-diabetes-diet26-2009oct26,0,7403365.story