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Diabetes was the eighth-leading cause of death in the United States in 2021, and while the cure doesn’t come in a magic pill, lifestyle changes can make the disease manageable.
Statistics show the highest percentage of adult Americans dealing with the disease are of Native Americans/Alaskan Native ethnicity, followed by non-Hispanic Black, Hispanic, Asian American, and non-Hispanic White.
The American Diabetes Association website advises patients to ask their doctors plenty of questions and listen to the answers.
“Increase your daily physical activity. Start eating healthy. And your life can be yours again,” states the site.
There are many “types” of diabetes. The two major types of diabetes are Type 1 and Type 2, said Kathy Ritchie, advanced practice registered nurse and certified nurse practitioner with NeoHealth.
“In Type 1 diabetes, the problem is that the pancreas – an organ in the abdomen – stops making insulin; in Type 2 diabetes, the body stops responding to normal or even high levels of insulin, and over time, the pancreas does not make enough insulin,” Ritchie said.
Type 2 diabetes requires monitoring and treatment throughout a patient’s life to keep blood sugar levels “in the target range.”
“This involves lifestyle changes – including your diet and exercise habits, self-care measures, and sometimes medications,” Ritchie said.
Deana Franke, owner of Oasis Health Food Store, agrees, and said simple changes in a person’s lifestyle and eating a good diet are crucial in returning to good health.
“What does eating right mean?” Franke said. “You have to have a balance.”
Franke said eating four to five meals a day helps keep blood sugar steady, and she recommends a 10- to 20-minute walk after every meal to stop a blood sugar spike.
“[Eat] a handful of walnuts before you go to bed to slow the reaction of your body in the night so you don’t wake up with high blood sugar,” Franke said. “Walnuts have fiber, oil and protein, so they stabilize blood sugar.”
Everyone wants a magic pill, but it doesn’t exist, and it takes lifestyle changes that include avoiding fried foods and other calorie-laden fast foods, Franke said.
Loyola University now requires medical students to take a semester of nutrition. This is good because doctors are often not trained in that area and don’t know enough about diet, Franke said.
The courses, “Nutrition Through the Life Cycle,” and “Fundamental of Nutrition,” are designed to teach about nutrient needs from birth through aging to support optimal health and human potential, states the curriculum.
“Key nutrition concepts to support normal growth and development, health maintenance, and disease prevention will be included,” states the curriculum. “Nutrient needs will be translated to food-based solutions as an integral component of health habits.”
If a patient is diagnosed with diabetes or prediabetes, health care providers will likely recommend they see a dietitian to develop a healthy meal plan, states the article, “Diabetes diet: Create your healthy-eating plan,” on the Mayo Clinic website.
This helps control blood sugar/blood glucose, manage the patient’s weight and control heart risk factors, states the article. If blood sugar remains at a high level for a long time, this can lead to long-term complications, such as nerve, kidney and heart damage.
The American Diabetes Association states that an important element in a healthy diet is knowing what is in food, and an article titled, “Reading Food Labels,” details how to determine what labels can share.
Start by looking at serving size, states the article. If a person eats more than the serving size, they are consuming more calories, carbohydrates and other ingredients like fats. Added sugar is one ingredient that is important to be aware of.
“One of three types of carbohydrates in food is sugar,” states the article. “As of January 2021, labels must include added sugar to help you know the difference between sugar that occurs naturally in the food – like yogurt or fruit – and sugar that was added during processing – like in cookies, candy and soda.”
Fiber is stressed as an important part of the diet. Suggested good sources are dried beans, fruits, vegetables and whole intact grains, and a healthy adult needs between 25 and 38 grams of fiber a day on average.
Sugar alcohols are a type of sugar substitute with fewer calories than sugars and starches, states the article.
“It is important to keep in mind that foods that contain sugar alcohols are not necessarily low in carbohydrates or calories,” states the article. “Just because the package says ‘sugar-free’ does not mean it is calorie or carbohydrate-free. Always check the label for the grams of total carbohydrate and calories.”
One method people may believe can help with diabetes is by eating sugar replacements, Franke said.
“Fake sugars cause your body to try to produce more insulin, so fake sugars are no better for you than real sugar,” Franke said. “You need to limit you sugar intake to fruit, which has fiber in it.”
About half of the babies who develop neonatal diabetes will have the condition for the rest of their lives, said Wendi Middleton, Northeastern State University associate professor, Department of Health Professions program director.
“In the others, the condition resolves itself but can return later in life. This condition cannot be reversed as it is a genetic disorder,” Middleton said.
Early onset diabetes refers to the development of Type 2 diabetes in individuals who are under the age of 40, Middleton said.
“In recent years, this condition has become more prevalent in young children. Risk factors for early onset diabetes include being obese, leading a sedentary lifestyle, living in poverty, having a deep family history of Type 2 diabetes, and being of Black or minority ethnicity,” Middleton said. “While there is no cure, it is possible to reverse this condition through lifestyle changes.”
Learn more
For more information from the American Diabetes Association, go to diabetes.org/about-diabetes/prediabetes. To learn more about diet and diabetes, go to mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/diabetes/symptoms-causes/syc-20371444.
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