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As reported by the CDC, an estimated 37.3 million individuals in the United States have diabetes and 96 million individuals have prediabetes. There are two kinds of diabetes: Type 1, which is insulin-dependent or juvenile-onset diabetes, and type 2, which is mainly lifestyle-related and is developed over time. If left untreated, diabetes is connected to serious health problems such as nerve damage, kidney failure, blindness, amputations and heart disease. Here are four ways to treat diabetes that really do work.
1 —Â Weight Training
There is a growing body of evidence that shows weight training is a highly effective way to prevent and manage type 2 diabetes: One paper recent paper released from Harvard showed that working out could lower the risk of developing type 2 diabetes by about a third. “Until now, prior studies have shown that aerobic exercise is of large importance for preventing type 2 diabetes,” said Anders Grøntved, visiting researcher in the Dept. of Nutrition at HSPH. “But a lot of people have a hard time engaging in aerobic exercises. These recent results show that weight training, in large part, can serve as an alternative option to aerobic work outs for preventing type 2 diabetes.”
2 —Â Manage Your Stress
Did you know that stress levels can impact diabetes and blood sugar? “Stress makes it harder to control your diabetes as it might throw off your daily routine and could result in wear and tear on the body,” said the Cleveland Clinic. “Hormones that come from stress can raise your blood pressure, increase your heart rate, and could cause blood sugar levels to rise. High blood sugar levels could make you feel drowsy or tired. Low blood sugar levels might result in your feeling nervous or upset.”
3 — Try a Mediterranean Diet
Following the Mediterranean Diet could help you manage diabetes and decrease the risk of obesity.
“Following the Mediterranean diet might prevent the development of diabetes irrespective of your age, sex, culture or race,” said Demosthenes Panagiotakos, Ph.D. “There is many benefits of this diet, even in the higher risk groups, and this speaks to the fact that it’s never too late to begin eating a healthy diet.”
4 —Â Stop Smoking
Smokers have a 30% to 40% increased risk of getting type 2 diabetes when compared to those who don’t smoke. “Studies have shown that when individuals with type 2 diabetes have been exposed to high levels of nicotine, insulin is less effective,” the CDC says. “People with diabetes that smoke need bigger doses of insulin to manage their blood sugar levels.”
