How to Beat Type 2 Diabetes in 12 weeks With Diet and Lifestyle Changes

The number of people with type 2 diabetes has grown steadily in recent years. For instance, in 1958, only 1% of people in the United States had diagnosed diabetes. In 2019, almost 10% of the American population have this serious condition. The dramatic rise of diabetes can be explained by high sugar consumption nowadays.

Type 2 diabetes is more common than Type 1. It is a condition when your body struggles to control your blood sugar level. It means that people with the disease don’t get enough glucose into their cells. That’s why they feel tired most of the time. Other symptoms of diabetes include blurry vision, frequent urination, sudden loss of muscle mass combined with increased hunger, and excessive thirst.

Diabetes Complications

Older people are more likely to have diabetes. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) report, 17% of people aged 45 to 64 years are living with this disorder. Important to mention that nearly a quarter of people don’t know that they have this disease and don’t treat it even with the cheapest diabetes products.

When diabetes is left untreated, it can lead to blindness, kidney failure, nerve damage, high blood pressure, the risk of infections, glaucoma, fatigue and even loss of consciousness. The latest statistics show that more people die from this condition annually than from breast cancer and AIDS combined. More than that, it is the seventh leading cause of death in the United States.

People think that their diabetes is incurable or that they would need to take medication all the time to manage the condition. The truth is that diabetes is not a verdict – the disease can go into remission. It can take three different forms such as partial, complete and prolonged remission.

Most of the time, people with this condition are overweight or have obesity. So, losing weight is essential. Physical activity and a healthy diet are two main lifestyle changes for people with diabetes type 2. According to the CDC, you need to lose a modest 5 to 7 percent of your body weight to achieve desirable results.

Exercise for diabetes control

In one month of working out, you will feel the difference – it will be easier to wake in the morning, and you will have more energy during the day. More than that, your blood cholesterol levels will drop, and you will be able to reduce the medication since it will be easier to control your blood sugar. Before you start your exercise program, your doctor should review your diabetes drugs.

The most important thing is to drink plenty of fluid. When you feel hungry, drinking water or tee can help reduce your appetite. You should be active every day. If you don’t have time to go to the gym at least four days per week, you can walk the dog, play tag with kids, or take an evening after-dinner walk. Try to sneak an activity into your day by all possible means. There are plenty of healthy activities for people with diabetes: swimming, playing tennis or jogging.

Healthy-eating plan

When it comes to diet, you should eat a variety of healthy foods from all the groups. The number of calories you eat a day shouldn’t be more than 853. It is a challenge since this amount of calories is about a third of the average energy needs of a man. After three months you can start eating 2000 calories again. However, you will still need to stick to a healthy diet.

The first and most important rule is to avoid foods and drinks that are high in sugar. Focus on healthy carbohydrates instead. Add to your diet vegetables, fruits, legumes, and whole grains. Also, you should eat foods with heart-healthy fats such as seeds, nuts, avocado, tuna, salmon, and mackerel.

Check out the list of foods to avoid:

Canned vegetables
Pumpkin
White bread
Popcorn
Ice-cream
Canned fruit
Salty foods
Saturated and trans fats such as fries, chips, and baked goods

Alcohol is not recommended if you have diabetes type 2. However, you can drink one glass of moderate red wine a day. The latest study showed that it can help reduce the risks of heart disease in people with this condition. Test your blood sugar levels and stay healthy!