Although medical researchers across the world are constantly trying to find a cure for diabetes, there’s currently no magical treatment that can get you rid of the disease for good. However, patients can manage their condition by opting for the appropriate treatment. A stage of diabetes remission could also be reached.
There are plenty of patients suffering from diabetes that manage to live long and healthy lives by following the necessary treatment. Statistics show that roughly 537 million adults of ages between 20 and 79 years old are currently living with some form of diabetes.
Doctors know three main types of diabetes: type 1, type 2, and gestational diabetes. Type 1 diabetes is considered more dangerous than type 2 due to the fact that we’re talking about an autoimmune disease.
Although there’s no specific diet to follow if you suffer from diabetes, it’s important to know that the foods you eat make a difference in how you can manage your disease. At the same time, those diets will play a key role in how well you’ll feel and how much energy you’ll get. Therefore, feel free to take into account some of the best diets to consume if you have diabetes:
The Mediterranean Diet
The Mediterranean diet limits the consumption of processed foods and sweets, which are very often attributed to poor control of blood sugar levels. Various studies confirm that consuming Mediterranean diets can help the diabetes patient improve insulin sensitivity, reduce A1C, as well as help regulate blood sugar levels.
Daisy Seremba, a dietitian, explained:
The Mediterranean meal pattern is based on a general pattern of eating that can be adapted to different cultural traditions and food preferences,
There are no exclusions of specific foods or food groups, making it easy to follow long term and maintain the health benefits it offers.
The Mediterranean Diet is high in fiber, which helps regulate the rise of blood glucose levels in the body. At the same time, it can produce short-chain fatty acids within the large intestine. This latter process will grant anti-inflammatory effects after absorption.
The DASH diet
DASH, in this case, stands for Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension. This diet focuses on vegetables, fruits, low-fat dairy, and lean proteins. At the same time, the DASH diet discourages the consumption of sugar, red meat, added salt, and saturated fat.
However, it’s important to note that the usual DASH diet can be too high in carbs and too low in fat concentrations for those who have diabetes. Controlling your blood sugar levels can be done by adding in more unsaturated fats, such as those found in seeds, nuts, seeds, and more.
The Ornish Diet
The Ornish Diet is pretty restrictive, as it rules out foods such as meat, refined carbs, alcohol, added sugars, as well as high-fat foods. Those opting for this diet can still consume vegetable oils, nuts, and seeds, but not over a certain limit.
The Ornish Diet is mostly based on plants, as you’ve already guessed. Surprisingly enough, egg whites are allowed in this diet.
The most amazing aspect of the Ornish Diet is that we’re talking about a lifestyle rather than just an eating plan. Other aspects of the user’s lifestyle need to be revised as well if he wants to opt for the Ornish Diet – social support, physical exercise, as well as stress management are all important in the whole process.
Dean Ornish, an MD and clinical professor of medicine at the University of California, was the one who established the Ornish Diet back in 1977.
Statistics show that 1 in 5 Americans who suffer from diabetes don’t even know that they have the disease.
