Type 2 Diabetes

By Elizabeth Woolley, About.com Guide

Diabetes Lifestyle Changes
The Most Powerful Tools Against Tye ! "iabetes
Updated January 28, 2012
About.com Health's Disease and Condition content is reie!ed by our "edical #eie! $oard
We hear a lot about diabetes lifestyle changes. But what e#actly does that mean and how much of a difference can it ma$e% Why is it better to try to ma$e
lifestyle changes first rather than &ust ta$e medications% 'an imro(ing your health be made easier% The answers might surrise you.
We)ll unco(er a lesser*$nown diabetes condition that may be undermining weight loss attemts * hyerinsulinemia. +earn how to deal with this condition and
use the $nowledge to ma$e it easier to transform your life with ositi(e changes to achie(e a better ,uality life.
What Does "Diabetes Lifestyle Changes" Mean?
-n other words, change means to undergo transformation in your lifestyle to minimize hyerglycemia and insulin resistance . and hyerinsulinemia.
The Lesser-Known Diabetes Condition: Hyperinsulineia
Most eole $now about the roblem of high blood sugar le(els with diabetes and how syruy blood thic$ened with microscoic sugar crystals do damage to
your body. /owe(er, eole with tye ! diabetes usually ha(e hyerinsulinemia 0high le(els of insulin1 as well.
-nsulin is li$e a &anitor that ta$es trash 0sugar1 to the incinerator 0cells1 to be burned 0for energy1. -n eole with diabetes the cells are resistant. The sugary
trash builds u and more &anitorial insulin is roduced in an attemt to clean u the mess.
-nsulin has other functions besides heling sugar get into cells. /igh le(els of insulin can ma$e weight loss, blood sugar control and attaining otimal le(els of
blood fats more challenging. -ncreased insulin le(els can also cause weight gain and increase ris$ for stro$e and heart disease.
2sing lifestyle changes to lower insulin le(els may hel you e#erience less fatigue, carbohydrate and sugar cra(ings, among many other benefits.
+earn More About /yerinsulinemia
+earn /ow /yerinsulinemia can be Mista$en for +ow Moti(ation
Why !houldn"t # $ust %se Medi&ations?
"iabetes medications hel lower blood sugar le(els. -ronically, some diabetes medications lower blood sugar le(els but also increase insulin le(els. At least
one diabetes drug 0metformin 1 hels both high blood sugars and insulin resistance. There has been a surge in research lately into how to treat
hyerinsulinemia. /owe(er, lifestyle changes ha(e been found to be more owerful than medications with many more health benefits, and they can eliminate
or reduce the need for medications and ossible side effects.
Knowledge #s 'ower
-t is helful for me to thin$ about my le(els of insulin as well as blood sugar. - (isualize the basic rogression of e(ents in my body and the conse,uences. -
eat carbohydrates, my blood sugar le(els go u and a lot of ineffecti(e insulin is released. /igh le(els of insulin can cause fatigue and e#treme hunger. My
body cra(es carbohydrates and my urges for sugar increase. They can be strongest right after meals. My body switches get set to become a fat*roducing
and fat*retaining machine.
To lessen this, - try to eat smaller amounts of high*fiber, low*glycemic carbs throughout the day to a(oid big si$es in both le(els. - use e#ercise to bring the
le(els down.
'ro(en and )ffe&ti(e Diabetes Lifestyle Changes
Wor$ with your healthcare team to ha(e a diet, e#ercise and weight*loss lan tailored to your needs. There is no magic diet. The $ey to success is adherence.
The information below includes what has been found to be effecti(e, and they are generally acceted guidelines.
Diet3 -nsulin sensiti(ity can imro(e &ust a few days after starting a diet with lower calories. 4tudies ha(e shown that the Mediterranean diet has wor$ed
well for eole with diabetes. Try to eat whole fresh foods that are low on the glycemic inde# and are high fiber . Good choices are (egetables, beans, fruit,
and whole grains. Eat lenty of (egetables, esecially green (egetables. Try to get an assortment of colors in your fruits and (egetables to hel fill all your
nutritional bases and minimize cra(ings due to nutritional deficiencies. Eat small fre,uent meals throughout the day.
Type * Diabetes3 A form of diabetes mellitus that occurs most often in older o(erweight indi(iduals and features hyerglycemia 0high blood sugar le(els1
and insulin resistance.
Lifestyle3 The way of life of a erson or grou.
Change3 To undergo transformation.
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Carbs3 Aim for a moderately low*carb diet 078>*98> of total calories1. /ow many carbs are good for you% Wor$ with your doctor or dietician. +isten to
your body. -f you e#erience carb cra(ings after a meal or snac$, it might be worth your effort to try fewer carbs ne#t time.
+ats3 A(oid bad saturated fats and aim for moderate amounts of healthy monounsaturated fats and omega*6 fats 0!8>*68> of daily calories1. Good
monounsaturated choices are oli(e oil, a(ocados and nuts. E#amles of omega*6 fats are fish and walnuts. +imit saturated fat to less than :> of daily
calories and trans*fats to less than 5>.
'rotein3 ?t to get rotein 05!>*!=> of daily calories1 from legumes, fish, and chic$en. Ma$e sure and tal$ to your doctor about how much rotein you
can consume. 4ome conditions, such as $idney disease, may ut limitations on how much rotein you can ha(e.
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),er&ise3 E#ercise hels ma$e cells more receti(e to insulin. E(ery year the "iabetes /ands @oundation hosts an -nternet e(ent in Ao(ember called The Big
Blue Test . The e(ent leads u to a World "iabetes "ay where you are as$ed to test your blood sugar, e#ercise, test again and share your results. The
results osted on the site are an amazing testament to the ower of e#ercise.
E#ercise deli(ers a trile whammy to diabetes3 lowering blood sugar le(els, lowering insulin le(els and increasing insulin sensiti(ity. ?(erall health is
imro(ed. E(en a erson with a less*than*ideal body mass inde# 0BM-1 who is fit imro(es their ,uality of life and lessens the chances of diabetes*related
death.
Try to get at least 6= minutes of moderate*intensity cardio(ascular e#ercise most days of the wee$. E(ery day is better. 'ardio(ascular e#ercise lowers
ris$ for heart disease. -f you ha(e not e#ercised in a while, start slowly. @or otimal results include resistance and fle#ibility e#ercises. Ma$e sure to get
your doctor)s aro(al and guidance before starting an e#ercise regimen. /ard e#ercise is not recommended if you ha(e uncontrolled diabetes.
Weight loss3 E(en a small amount of weight loss can hel imro(e insulin sensiti(ity. The in(aluable benefits are imro(ed fitness and reduction in o(erall
mortality. The ultimate goal is to try to achie(e a healthy BM-. /owe(er, weight loss may be more difficult for eole who already ha(e tye ! diabetes, so
focus on realistic goals and the riceless rewards of imro(ed fitness and a better ,uality of life.
Lower stress. "id you $now chronic stress can raise your blood sugar le(els, which also raise your insulin le(els% Try to remo(e sources of stress or lean
how to deal with them. +earn more about stress relie(ers that may wor$ for you.
Two More Tips
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Lin-s in this arti&le:
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To redu&e health ris-3 To imro(e blood sugar le(els, maintain weight and reduce ris$ for heart disease, get 58= minutes er wee$ of moderate
cardio(ascular e#ercise. E#ercise at least three days a wee$ with no more than two days in between.
)(en better3 @or increased ris$ reduction for heart disease, get at least four hours a wee$ of moderate*to*(igorous cardio(ascular e#ercise or resistance
e#ercises or both.
To lose weight or for aintenan&e3 @or ma&or weight loss or long*term maintenance, get at least se(en hours a wee$ of moderate*to*(igorous
cardio(ascular e#ercise.
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Get more slee, limit alcohol to moderate amounts and sto smo$ing.
Begularly chec$ your blood sugar le(els and $ee records of your le(els, diet, and e#ercise.
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