Lifestyle Changes That Can Keep Blood Sugar Levels Stable

According to research, a healthy lifestyle can treat and prevent many common diseases. Yes, a diet abundant in plant protein, fruits, whole grains and veggies and low in saturated fats, processed carbs and added sugars can mean a lot. Also, emotional well-being and physical activity on a regular basis might be powerful treatments which can help prevent the need for or maybe even replace some prescription drugs. However, we shouldn't quit our drugs unless our doctor agrees. Read on, to find out more about the power of lifestyle changes.

Lifestyle Changes and Its Impact on Blood Glucose Levels

One study investigated how lifestyle changes influence blood glucose levels. The authors of this study say that what we eat and the way we live might be more potent in comparison to the prescribed pills we take. In this study, there were 98 participants with type 2 diabetes. All participants had diabetes for less than ten years. Also, their blood glucose wasn’t entirely out of control - the HbA1c test was less than 9 percent. Moreover, all participants were overweight, and they didn’t use insulin.

More About the Study

The participants were divided into 2 groups for one year. Both groups continued to use their regular drugs. The standard care group got an education and basic counseling in type 2 diabetes such as lifestyle advice every 3 months. The other group got intensive lifestyle intervention from 5 to 6 exercise sessions every week and from 2 to 3 sessions of weight training. Also, this group got a smartwatch, i.e., step counter as an encouragement to do 10,000 steps on a daily basis. And last but not least individualized nutrition plan with calorie restriction in the first 4 months.

The Results of the Study

According to the results of the study, the lifestyle group had better overall control of the blood glucose after one year. Also, around 73 percent of the participants in this group could lower the dosage of their drugs. This is in comparison to 26 percent of the standard care group. Moreover, around 50 percent of the participants in the lifestyle group could safely stop with their drugs. On the other hand, approximately 44 percent of the standard care group had to increase their drugs during their study. This is in comparison to 11 percent of the lifestyle group.

Conclusion

According to this study, the lifestyle changes might be as good as prescription drugs, and in some cases even better. However, we should not try to quit our drugs on our own. The best thing to do would be to consult our doctor.