Reversing the Course of Type 2 Diabetes: Can Lifestyle Be the Key?
Type 2 diabetes is a chronic condition where the body either doesn't produce enough insulin or the cells don't respond to insulin the way they should (insulin resistance). This leads to excessive buildup of glucose in the blood.
If left untreated, chronic high blood sugar can damage your blood vessels, nerves and other tissues and increase the risk of serious health conditions such as heart disease, stroke, kidney damage diabetes-related nephropathy), nerve damage (diabetic neuropathy), and blurred vision and blindness (diabetic retinopathy).
Too much sugar also weakens immunity, increasing your risk of fungal and other opportunistic infections.
Can type 2 diabetes be reversed?
Technically, it is not possible cure type 2 diabetes but it can certainly be put into remission. Early diagnosis, dietary modifications and lifestyle interventions can go a long way in managing and lowering high blood sugar levels.
Before we explore it further, let's first understand how insulin works and what happens when your body stops responding to the insulin.
What is insulin and what happens in insulin resistance?
The pancreas produces insulin, a hormone that is critical to shuttling glucose in the bloodstream to the cells and tissues. After you have eaten, there is a spike in the glucose levels in the bloodstream, and that is the nod for the pancreas to release insulin which in turn signals the cells to open their door and let the glucose in.
Insulin resistance happens when the cells in your muscles, liver and fat become resistant to the effects of insulin. Family history, being overweight, excessive weight around the waist, sedentary lifestyle and a carbohydrate-rich diet are the main risk factors for developing insulin resistance.
When a person develops insulin resistance, the cells fail to accept the sugar circulating in the bloodstream thereby causing high amounts of glucose in the blood. This in turn triggers the pancreas to pump out more insulin to accommodate the sugar payload – eventually creating a vicious cycle of high insulin and sugar levels.
Insulin resistance is a dangerous condition and it increases the risk of developing metabolic syndrome, pre-diabetes and type 2 diabetes.
Lifestyle and dietary changes to manage type 2 diabetes
If you want to reduce your blood sugar levels naturally, reduce your dependence on sugar lowering drugs, feel more energetic and reduce your risk of developing health complications associated with type 2 diabetes, a positive change in your lifestyle can be a very powerful approach. For example, obesity increases the risk of developing type 2 diabetes [1].
Sustained weight loss (with the help of exercise and healthy eating) carry huge benefits in achieving remission. In addition, losing extra weight around the belly can be very helpful in avoiding metabolic syndrome and insulin resistance.
Diet also plays a crucial role when it comes to losing weight, maintaining a healthy weight as well as reducing your blood sugar levels. Added sugar is the number one enemy and it sneaks into our diet in a lot of unsuspecting ways, in the form of flavoured yoghurt, cereal and readymade fruit juices.
Adopt healthier snacking habits, include fibre, eat a variety of whole fruits and vegetables, include healthy fats and ditch refined carbohydrates. Here is the list of changes that can help you achieve type 2 diabetes remission with better results.
- Exercise regularly
- Lose weight
- Get sufficient sleep
- Avoid processed food
- Eat healthy
- Reduce sugar and refined carbs
- Quit smoking
- Manage stress levels
In addition, it is important to underline the importance of knowing the early signs of diabetes to take the corrective action sooner and help prevent the development of a full-blown condition.
Keep an eye on symptoms such as excessive thirst, frequent urination, excessive hunger, unexplained fatigue, blurry vision, tingling sensation or numbness in feet or hands, poor healing of wounds and recurring yeast infections.
Supplements that can help manage type 2 diabetes
Vitamin D
Maintaining healthy vitamin D levels is crucial for your metabolic and heart health. Research suggests that people with poor vitamin D status are at a higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
In addition, vitamin D deficiency is known to influence glycaemic control and the risk of diabetes-related complications. It is linked with inflammation, obesity, high blood pressure, nerve-related disorders, heart disease and endothelial dysfunction. Studies show that vitamin D supplementation [2-5]:
- Reduces the risk of developing type 2 diabetes in people with pre-diabetes
- Improves glycemic control and lipid profiles in middle-aged and elderly patients with type 2 diabetes.
- Reduces the risk of complications associated with type 2 diabetes
Vitamin C
Research is promising for the benefits of vitamin C supplementation in people with type 2 diabetes. It suggests that increasing vitamin C intake in people with type 2 diabetes may help delay the disease progression and reduce the risk of more severe complications.
[6] Vitamin C improves insulin sensitivity and, prevents oxidative damage to the beta cells of the pancreas (responsible for releasing insulin). Vitamin C helps in improving wound healing in diabetic foot ulcers as it reduces inflammation and promotes tissue repair.
Vitamin C is also an excellent supplement for supporting heart health as it improves blood vessel health, lowers blood pressure and reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease. This is important as high blood sugar levels damage blood vessels and heart health.
Magnesium
Magnesium deficiency causes insulin resistance, high blood sugar levels and rapid progression of diabetes and related complications. [7] In fact, people with uncontrolled sugar levels and insulin resistance tend to lose more magnesium in urine, resulting in magnesium deficiency. This creates a difficult situation where diabetes and insulin resistance drain magnesium from the body, which in further worsens diabetes.
Taking magnesium supplements reduces insulin resistance and improves the glycemic control in people with type 2 diabetes. Magnesium is also one of the best supplements for heart health.
Turmeric (Curcuma longa)
The golden spice turmeric is easily one of the best herbs for chronic pain and inflammation. It is also a great herb for managing type 2 diabetes due to its powerful anti-inflammatory action. It reduces inflammation, improves insulin resistance and stabilizes blood sugar levels. Studies show that curcumin, the most researched bioactive compound found in turmeric, can even prevent the development of diabetes in pre-diabetic patients. Turmeric also prevents or reduces the risk of complications associated with diabetes such as heart disease (it improves endothelial function and reduces cholesterol levels) and diabetic neuropathy. [8]
Giloy (Tinospora Cordifolia)
Giloy is a powerful anti-inflammatory herb that helps lower high blood sugar levels. While it is mostly known for its role in boosting immunity, it also exhibits anti-diabetic action as it promotes insulin production and improves insulin sensitivity.
It is used along with traditional ant-diabetic drugs to get better results in patients with type 2 diabetes. Giloy also supports kidney health and helps the body get rid of toxins. [9]
Gurmar (Gymnema Sylvestre)
Gurmar is one of the best herbs to manage high blood sugar levels. It works by reducing sugar cravings, improving insulin sensitivity and reducing the risk of developing metabolic syndrome.
Also known as “sugar destroyer”, it nourishes and regenerates a tired pancreas. [10]
Moringa (Moringa Oleifera)
Moringa leaves are rich in vitamin C, flavonoids and polyphenols, powerful anti-oxidants that limit oxidative damage and help reduce inflammation. The antioxidant compounds in moringa leaves lower blood sugar levels, and improve insulin sensitivity.
Summary
So, is type 2 diabetes reversible? We can't exactly say that type 2 diabetes can be reversed as it is a chronic condition and you can never be sure if it has gone forever, but you can manage it and put it into remission with the right nutrition and lifestyle with a focus on sustained weight loss.
FAQs
Is type 2 diabetes reversible?
Type 2 diabetes cannot be cured as it is a chronic condition. It can be put into remission. You can reduce blood glucose levels and maintain the levels at a non-diabetes range with the help of dietary and lifestyle changes. Losing weight is an essential part of the strategy and can bring multiple benefits for your metabolic health.
Can type 2 diabetes be prevented?
Yes, it is possible to prevent type 2 diabetes with the help of lifestyle modifications such as losing weight, eating healthy, avoiding processed food, getting plenty of sleep and being physically active. Certain vitamins, minerals and herbs such as vitamin D, vitamin C, magnesium, turmeric, moringa and gurmar, can also help prevent or delay the progression of type 2 diabetes.
References:
- Ruze et al. Obesity and type 2 diabetes mellitus: connections in epidemiology, pathogenesis, and treatments. Front. Endocrinol. 2023
- Pittas et al. Vitamin D and Risk for Type 2 Diabetes in People With Prediabetes : A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Individual Participant Data From 3 Randomized Clinical Trials. Ann Intern Med. 2023
- Hu et al. Effects of long-term vitamin D supplementation on metabolic profile in middle-aged and elderly patients with type 2 diabetes. The Journal of Steroid Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. 2023.
- Isa et al. The Impact of Vitamin D Deficiency and Insufficiency on the Outcome of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus Patients: A Systematic Review. Nutrients. 2023
- Huang et al. Vitamin D and Diabetic Kidney Disease. Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2023
- Carr et al. Estimating Vitamin C Intake Requirements in Diabetes Mellitus: Analysis of NHANES 2017–2018 and EPIC-Norfolk Cohorts. Antioxidants 2023
- Gommers LM, Hoenderop JG, Bindels RJ, de Baaij JH. Hypomagnesemia in type 2 diabetes: a vicious circle? Diabetes. 2016.
- Marton et al. The Effects of Curcumin on Diabetes Mellitus: A Systematic Review. Front. Endocrinol. 2021
- Shirolkar et al. Integrated omics analysis revealed the Tinospora cordifolia intervention modulated multiple signaling pathways in hypertriglyceridemia patients-a pilot clinical trial. Journal of Diabetes & Metabolic Disorders. 2022
- Devangan et al. The effect of Gymnema sylvestre supplementation on glycemic control in type 2 diabetes patients: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Phytotherapy Research. 2021.
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