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2024-10-04 18:00:43
Treating diabetes isn’t just about using drugs. On the contrary, habits and strategies that help reduce blood sugar are fundamental.
Last update: October 4, 2024
Diabetes is much more than having high blood sugar levels. It is a metabolic disease in which the body is unable to produce or use insulin properly.
The end result, therefore, will not only be an increase in sugar, but also problems in different organs of the body. “It is known as the backpack of diseases,” the expert tells us. Enol SierraWhy His condition brings with it the appearance of heart, artery and kidney problems.among others.
To better understand how to deal with diabetes and implement beneficial lifestyle changes, we interviewed the specialist, creator of the Stop Diabetes Method. Furthermore, he has a degree in Sports Science and a professional trainer from the European University.
What changes in habits should be applied to control diabetes?
Enol Sierra tells us that “small changes are needed, but we must have the responsibility to implement them and sustain them over time.” This is so why Changing your lifestyle generates positive effects over the months and years.
Traditionally, diabetes treatment focused on limiting sugar in the diet and taking medications prescribed by a doctor. Today we know that these measures represent only part of the approach and, alone, are not sufficient.
The entire organization and daily habits must be modified to achieve the goal of a better quality of life. “These are simple changes and within anyone’s reach”, clarifies the expert, even if it is the commitment that makes the difference.
In this sense, both young and old people find advantages and disadvantages related to their age. The former better manage resources to access information about their disease, such as new technologies. However, given their youth, they do not see the end so close, so they may underestimate the long-term effects.
According to science, for patients living with type 2 diabetes, regardless of their age, the following are habits that help control the disease.
Do strength exercises
“All the exercises are good, but there are some that are better than others,” explains Enol Sierra. And not all movements have the same impact on your metabolism.
The most common thing is that diabetes patients are advised to take a walk. Walking isn’t bad, but it’s not enoughas it does not generate enough intensity to change the use of sugar within the body. In the words of the expert, “walking is an action not to be bad, but not to be good”.
It would be ideal to have a structured exercise plan. You don’t need many hours in the gym, but rather to learn what the appropriate dose and quantity is for each person, in their context.
According to what the graduate in Sports Science explains to us, a minimum amount of muscle stimulation must be programmed, at least three times a week. Especially if you are over 50 or if you are a postmenopausal woman. Well, as we age, the loss of muscle mass is more noticeable.
Once you have gained sufficient strength, cardiovascular exercises can be introduced. Options can be cycling, running or swimming.
Sierra insists on the importance of training: “Exercise is our most powerful weapon for the body to function well.” Additionally, “gained muscle mass is an indicator of diabetes reversal,” he adds.
Eat enough protein
Proteins are macronutrients with many functions in the body. One of its main roles is to serve in tissue repair.
But in addition, “when you add proteins to dishes, gastric emptying slows down,” explains the expert. Because digestion is slower, carbohydrates are absorbed at a slower rate and this has benefits in diabetes, as blood sugar spikes are reduced.
There is no unanimous criterion on what amount of protein is adequate. According to research, it is commonly accepted that patients under the age of 65 consume between 0.8 and 1.3 grams of protein per pound of weight per day. For people over the age of 65, it is proposed that protein constitutes 20% of daily energy intake.
However, there is a group of patients in whom it is necessary to reduce the amount of protein. These are those who suffer from kidney failure, as a complication of diabetes. In them, high amounts of nutrients would be harmful.
Reduce visceral fat
Visceral fat is a type of fat that is stored around internal organs. It can be found on the surface of the liver, heart and muscles, but can also penetrate there when it is abundant.
It is being given more and more importance in clinical research. To such an extent that there are currently scientists who consider it a most important risk factor for diabetes compared to body weight.
“Visceral fat is related to cardiometabolic problems and is one of the markers most correlated with reversal of type 2 diabetes,” confirms Enol Sierra. This means that, Those who can reduce it have a better chance of controlling their blood sugar.
But one of the most common problems is that, in the desire to reduce fat, people follow very extreme diets. This strategy has the opposite effect, as restrictive eating plans increase cortisol and, with this, increases the accumulation of visceral fat.
The best way to achieve the goal is combine a non-extreme diet with strength training and adequate protein intake. Otherwise, warns the expert, “there is the risk of losing muscle mass without affecting the amount of fat”.
Participate in support programs
“What helps patients the most is having a multicomponent program,” Sierra says. It’s about combine advice from nutrition, psychology, medicine and education professionals. Each, a specialist in his own area, helps a person with diabetes control blood sugar.
On the other hand, accompaniment helps education, to “become friends of the disease with knowledge”, as the expert well expresses. In this process, self-monitoring plays a fundamental role, since patients who know how to measure their blood sugar levels and act accordingly have a better quality of life.
Support programs are designed precisely so that the person receives professional guidance, as well as the proximity of other people who are going through the same situation. In Sierra’s experience, these groups have had great strength ever since They result in better adherence to treatment and longer-lasting lifestyle changes.
Can diabetes be cured with better habits?
“Diabetes cannot be cured, but it can be reversed,” Sierra clarifies. Being a chronic disease, checks and monitoring will be necessary throughout your life. However, in some cases it would be possible not to require drugs if blood sugar could be controlled with non-pharmacological strategies.
The reversal occurs especially in the initial stages, comments the expert. Good habits can help restore the capacity of the pancreas that has been lost, as well as tissue sensitivity to insulin.
Not requiring drugs, having better blood sugar values and delaying the onset of complications is an improvement in the quality of life. And if the habits are maintained over time, this will mean more years of well-being.
As Enol Sierra concludes, The key is to understand that change is possible and that “we do things for the love of health, not for fear of disease.” This perspective can make a difference in the task of living with diabetes.
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