We have forgotten the best practices to be followed in everyday life and have gradually changed from a bad to a worse lifestyle every day. This is the major reason behind several lifestyle-related non-communicable diseases like diabetes, cancer, obesity, thyroid, hormonal disorder, etc. Whereas in diabetes, you might have come across two different types, namely type 1 diabetes and type 2 diabetes.
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What Is The Difference Between Type 1 And Type 2 Diabetes?
Before you could understand the classification between the two types of diabetes, you must first understand the functioning of a little organ called the pancreas. The pancreas is a small comma-like organ located behind our stomach, whose one of the functions is to produce insulin, a hormone that regulates blood glucose levels. Whenever you break your fasting by eating food, the carbohydrates in the food enter your body and spike the sugar/glucose levels. At that time, this pancreas releases insulin and controls the blood glucose levels by taking out the sugar for providing energy or storing it for the future. If a person is identified with Diabetes, he/she might either have lost the capacity to produce insulin or the insulin production is insufficient.
In Type 1 Diabetes, the pancreas is unable to produce insulin and regulate blood glucose levels. The major cause for type 1 diabetes is hereditary issues, which are not in control of our hands. On the flip side, Type 2 diabetes from which a major part of our population is suffering is a situation where the insulin levels are insufficient or the produced insulin does not perform its function. This type of diabetes is caused due to bad lifestyle changes such as poor eating habits, lack of physical activity, lack of quality sleep, poor mental health, etc. Thus, one can take control of this by making some minor changes in lifestyle, thus, Type 2 Diabetes is indeed known to be reversible. You will have to keep taking the medications that might have slight and slow side effects and inject artificial insulin if you never take steps to reverse it. It is now time to decide whether to stay as a patient for life or take some baby steps and start seeing the changes. Trust us, Once you feel the changes, it is impossible to give up as they are extremely addictive.
How to Reverse Type 2 Diabetes?
When lifestyle has been the reason behind Type 2 Diabetes, reversing it will directly help you to reverse your diabetes too. So, here are some simple tips you can follow to reverse your diabetes:
1. Reduce your carbs:
If you are a person who often eats processed foods, packed foods, fried foods, then you must try giving up these eating habits and switch to a healthier alternative. These processed foods are simply high in carbs and sugar, spiking your blood sugar levels. As a person is already identified with diabetes or in pre-diabetic levels, they must give up them. Apart from giving up these foods, they must also follow mindful eating by lowering their carbs intake. If you are a typical Indian, then your major part of the plate will be filled with rice which is again carbohydrates. You should reduce the intake of these good healthy carbs by choosing an alternative such as grains, whole wheat, barley, quinoa, red rice that aren’t highly processed.
2. Include Good Amounts Of Healthy Fats:
Yes, you heard it right. The only macronutrient that doesn’t increase your insulin levels and helps in keeping them stable is fat. You can feel free to include traditional butter, coconut oil, avocados, nuts like almonds, and cashews in your diet. This provides you with the required energy for the day and still keeps your blood glucose level in control.
3. Try Scientifically Proven Fasting Techniques:
With the help of a good professional mind and body fitness coach or your doctor, try following some of the fasting methods like intermittent fasting. This restricts you from eating during a particular time window while you can have healthy eating during the eating hours. By doing this, you naturally reduce your calorie and carb intake and slowly reverse diabetes.
4. Keep Up Your Mental Health:
Type 2 diabetes is a condition caused due to insulin resistance, where the pancreas secretes insulin but your cells refuse to store the glucose and obey the orders as per the insulin hormones. This happens due to increased stress and mental health issues like anxiety, depression, etc. Thus, it is highly important to take care of your mental fitness with the help of a mental health coach if needed.
5. Start Exercising:
You can go for weight training if possible, or else at least try some cardio workouts so that you stay away from cardiovascular diseases, which is a by-product of diabetes at times. You can start with Zone 1 cardio if you are a beginner or get a customised workout plan from a lifestyle coach that is worth investing in.
Every baby step counts in reversing your disorder. Even if you start changing your lifestyle to an extent of 10 to 20 percent, you will see the results.
