How To Change Your Diet To Control Type 2 Diabetes Naturally
To control type 2 diabetes it is important to watch your diet. Likewise, we must keep a check with a specialist to advise us on the most appropriate foods in our case.
In our society, one of the most common diseases is diabetes. There are two forms of this disease. Type 1 must necessarily be controlled with the supply of insulin. On the other hand, type 2 diabetes can be managed with the right diet. For this it is necessary to establish a series of dietary changes.
Today we have decided to bring you the details of how to use the diet to control type 2 diabetes. So, if you suffer from this condition or if you have a family history, pay attention to what we tell you below.
Types of diabetes
Diabetes type 1
It is characterized by the fact that the pancreas stops producing a hormone called insulin. In this state of non-existence of insulin, the patient necessarily requires the artificial supply of said substance. According to different research, this type of diabetes is genetic, so it cannot be prevented.
Type 2 diabetes
Type 2 diabetes also involves insulin insufficiency, but it is not absolute. In other words , insulin is produced, but not in the correct amounts.
However, it can also happen that too much insulin is produced, but that it does not work properly. Sometimes cells do not respond adequately to it, generating resistance.
Insulin and glucose
You may have noticed that we have mentioned insulin on several occasions. This is because this hormone has a very important role in health due to what it does with glucose.
When we eat, part of the food turns into glucose. This is a very important process for the body, since glucose is the main source of energy.
Insulin allows glucose to reach the cells that need it. When we have a lack of insulin, all that glucose stays in the blood, generating health problems.
Diabetes control
Type 1 and type 2 diabetes differ mainly in the following: in the first there is no insulin production, while in the second there is, although it is deficient.
Therefore, type 1 diabetes cannot be controlled except with the supply of insulin. This does not happen with type 2, in which you can take certain measures with the diet to regulate it.
This does not mean that insulin-dependent people should not take care of their diet and it does not mean that type 2 diabetes patients do not have to take medication, since in many cases it is necessary.
It simply indicates that proper nutrition can play a key role in managing type 2 diabetes, and you should pay close attention to it.
How to manage type 2 diabetes
Beware of glucose
It is a mistake to think that your blood sugar levels will only go up when you eat sweets. Glucose is produced because some foods we eat are converted into this substance, even though when we eat them they are not sweet.
It is important to clarify it, because many people with type 2 diabetes believe that by stopping eating sweet foods they no longer have risks of raising their blood sugar level, but no. You should know that by consuming carbohydrates glucose levels also rise.
Eat complex carbohydrates
Even if carbohydrates turn into blood sugar, you cannot stop consuming them. Just because you have type 2 diabetes does not mean that you should eliminate any nutritional group.
However, in recent years research has begun to investigate the effect of the ketogenic diet on diabetes control. The results, published in an article in the Expert Review of Endocrinology & Metabolism, suggest that this method could be effective in managing the disease.
What you should do is look for the best foods from each food group based on the condition you suffer from. In the case of carbohydrates, prefer complex to simple.
In other words, it is better that you eat brown rice, whole grains, vegetables and grains, instead of pasta, flours, jams and packaged cereals.
Don’t go overboard with sweeteners
It is important that you avoid consuming sugar, as it has a direct effect on blood glucose levels. However, it is understood that you want to eat foods that taste sweet. Sweeteners can be used for this.
However, there is extensive discussion regarding the possibility of sweeteners causing side effects. Some studies suggest negative effects of these substances on the intestinal microbiota. For this reason, you should use them with enough moderation, so that they do not harm your health.
Eat protein
Proteins do not have the same effect as carbohydrates. In other words, they are not converted into glucose, which is why it is a type of food that you can consume without fear of altering your blood sugar.
Beware of fats
Fats are also not converted to glucose. However, when it comes to trans-type lipids, cholesterol levels increase.
This can worsen your condition if you are diabetic. Therefore, it is very important to improve the diet.
Improve diabetes management through diet
As you have seen, there are many foods that you might never have thought can affect diabetes. Always check with your doctor what type of diet you should follow. Remember to exercise regularly to reduce insulin resistance and to better control the disease.
