Researchers from the University of Glasgow observed 1,500 type-2 diabetes patients who attended a National Health Service (NHS) lifestyle course. They were then compared to a group who did not.
Based on their findings, the scientists determined that individuals who finished the 16-week regime were not required to increase the number of diabetes pills that they had to take. The people who exercised were also 50 percent less likely to "see their condition progress to the extent that they needed to take insulin." (Related: Type 2 diabetes diet: What to eat, what to avoid and how to get healthier with every meal.)
Those who finished the course lost an average of 7.94 kilograms (kg) within the three years after they finished it. Meanwhile, those who did not only lost 0.91 kg. Diabetes sufferers who lost at least 4.99 kg also significantly reduced their blood sugar levels after three years.
The study authors wrote, "A real-life structured weight management intervention can reduce weight in the medium term, result in improved glycemic control with fewer medications, and may be more effective than pharmacological alternatives."
The course was made up of 90-minute classes every two weeks for four months, and participants were offered exercise advice. The women consumed 1,400 calories while the men consumed 1,900 calories daily.
The participants also went through cognitive behavioral therapy to encourage them to lose weight. Dr. Jennifer Logue, a study leader from the university, says that this is the first real-world study of its kind to demonstrate that NHS "lifestyle weight management programs" can have a long-lasting clinical effect that will benefit diabetics.
A landmark paper published in Dec. 2017 illustrated how "a three-month crash diet of soups and shakes," which amounted to only 800 calories a day, might even reverse type-2 diabetes instead of controlling it.
The latest study, which was published in Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism, revealed that a more realistic diet can help control diabetes. This is often more effective than taking drugs.
Ian Armstrong, a 71-year-old from Eaglesham, East Renfrewshire, lost at least 19 kg from 107.96 kg once he finished the course. Armstrong, who is also a type-2 diabetic, was even able to stop his insulin.
He concludes that working with the Glasgow and Clyde weight management service gave him the best help so he could have "a longer and healthier life." Armstrong is grateful for a " true life-saving experience."
Superfoods for diabetics
If you are diabetic and you want to boost your health, consider incorporating more of the foods listed below into your diet:
- Dark chocolate -- Chocolate is rich in flavonoids, and these nutrients "reduce insulin resistance, improve insulin sensitivity, drop insulin levels and fasting blood glucose, and blunt cravings." The flavonoids in chocolate can help lower stroke risk, "calm blood pressure, and reduce your risk for a heart attack" by two percent in five years.
- Broccoli -- Broccoli contains a compound called sulforaphane which triggers several anti-inflammatory processes that "improve blood sugar control and protect blood vessels from cardiovascular damage" that’s often caused by diabetes.
- Fish -- Fish is full of protein and it contains omega-3 fatty acids, a special type of fat that helps minimize inflammation.
- Cannellini beans -- These beans have a lot of protein and cholesterol-lowering soluble fiber.
- Spinach -- Spinach helps lower the risk of developing diabetes. It is full of vitamin K and minerals like magnesium, folate, phosphorus, potassium, and zinc.
- Cinnamon -- Cinnamon can help reduce blood sugar because it is full of chromium, a mineral that boosts the effects of insulin.
- Turmeric -- Turmeric contains an active ingredient called curcumin, a compound "believed to regulate fat metabolism in the body."
You can read more articles about fresh food and tips on how to eat healthy at Fresh.news.
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