Type 2 diabetes is much more than overeating sugar. It is a complicated disease. However, preventing this condition from escalating can be simple. A recent study by Aging Research Center of Stockholm’s Karolinska Institute, around 22% of the people around the world who are diagnosed with diabetes, have been successful in preventing it from amplifying to type 2 diabetes.
Research has shown that one of the most important factors for preventing type 2 diabetes and bring back the blood sugar level to a healthier limit is to adopt a plant-based diet. This diet, particularly when enriched with healthy plant-based food, will help in preventing type 2 diabetes. However, by a plant-based diet, we do not mean being a vegan; we are talking about real food, which includes carbohydrates and real protein.
Plant-Based Diet vs. Processed Food
The primary benefit of a plant-based diet in regards to preventing type 2 diabetes is the effect these food have on the level of blood sugar and insulin resistance. Nevertheless, the impact is much broader than you know. Researchers have noted that plant-based diets can also help in reducing the risk of developing type 2 diabetes by lowering weight gain risk.
Several observational and interventional studies have shown that when you have more plant-based food, it might lead to short-term weight loss and prevent long-term weight. There is a chance that a significant portion of protective relation between risk of type 2 diabetes and a plant-based diet can be associated with controlling weight.
Diabetes prevention and care also agree to this. Many researchers have to say that people would not have weight issues if there were no processed food. Eating plant-based and whole-food would hardly have resulted in obesity. When you indulge in a bag of milkshake and chops are much easier than a bowl of fresh strawberries, blueberries, and whipped cream.
Mara Schwartz, RN, CDR, and coordinator at Greenwood’s Self Regional Healthcare’s Diabetes Prevention Program has seen a difference in the outcomes when someone commits to altering the nutrition habits. She has also said that people need to understand that whatever you put in your mouth will have an impact on your health. She has lived with type 1 diabetes for several decades and says that it is necessary to commit to oneself and also acknowledge that the present diet is hurting your health.
According to recent research, it is better to focus on a plant-based diet and have vegetables, fruits, legumes, whole grains, and nuts. Also, as per the same research, starches, refined grains, and sugars can be considered to be a plant-based diet even though they are taken to be related to type-2 diabetes. The study has found that there is a proactive relation against developing type2 diabetes and consuming a higher dosage of minerals, vitamins, and antioxidants via plant food and reducing meat and processed meat intake.
The study does not advise against consuming healthy animal products such as lean proteins like pork, turkey, and chicken and organic eggs.
It is not Just Insulin Resistance
Short and long-term impacts of an unhealthy diet lead to more severe issues when it comes to cravings, metabolism, and your relationship with food. Junk food affects the many aspects of your hormones associated with body weight and needs. Consuming the wrong food might lead to an increase in the level of insulin. This, in turn, can block leptin production. It is an essential aspect of appetite management. It is a hormone produced by the fat cells of the body and the small intestine. It primarily regulates your appetite and signals the brain that you are full. If you develop leptin resistance because of excessive leptin in the system with insulin resistance, the brain starts thinking that you are starving. It also helps in creating insatiable hunger and causes you to crave junk food and eat mindlessly.
If you reverse, this means you will have to start with making some changes in the diet, such as focusing on having whole food meals and reduce the packaged and processed food.
How to Get Started?
Changing to a plant-based diet does not mean adopting a costly diet program or merely purchasing diet products. You start by checking out the nutrition label on the items that you are purchasing.
Experts have to say that if you can’t pronounce most of the ingredients, then you probably should not eat it. Processed foods are hardly healthy. Simply because the package of a cookie says that it is organic does not mean that it is. It is a packaged and processed item that does not contain valuable nutrition. Also, just because something is vegan does not imply, it is healthy as it is loaded with processed ingredients like slew or preservatives, soy protein, chemicals, added flavors, a large amount of sodium. Avoid falling for phrases like low-fat or whole-grain mentioned on the package.
What to Eat?
You do not have to spend much time to prepare something that isn’t processed. These days you will find spiralized zucchini noodles or riced cauliflower ready-to-eat. Have breakfast containing berries, eggs, and serving of whole wheat. Your lunch needs to hold a bowl of greens with cucumber, black beans, chicken, and measured serving of your preferred salad dressing. Make simple alternations such as including quinoa or farro instead of pasta or wild rice in place of white rice.
Brown rice and sweet potato might be high in carbohydrates. So, you need to be careful if you have diabetes, as it can have an impact on your level of blood sugar. It is challenging to overeat when you are having a healthy meal as the fiber content in vegetables is quite filling.
It is better to avoid carbohydrates as eating them might lead to you to crave more carbs and not feel completely satisfied. Grains are not food for people having type 1 diabetes as these are carbohydrate-rich food that has very less nutritional value. The amount of fiber content is pretty low. Nix grains from the diet but eat a diet focused on plants.
