Treating diabetes is not just about using medication. On the contrary, habits and strategies that help reduce blood sugar are essential.
Last update: October 4, 2024
Diabetes is much more than having high blood sugar. It is a metabolic disease in which the body is unable to produce or use insulin properly.
The end result, then, will not only be elevated sugar, but also problems in different organs of the body. “It is known as the backpack of diseases,” expert Enol Sierra tells us, because His condition brings with it the appearance of disorders in the heart, arteries and kidneys.among others.
To better understand how to address diabetes and implement beneficial lifestyle changes, we interviewed the specialist, who is the creator of the Stop Diabetes Method. In addition, he has a degree in Exercise Sciences and a professional trainer at the European University.
What habit changes must be applied to control diabetes?
Enol Sierra tells us that “small changes are needed, but we must have the responsibility to make them and sustain them over time.” This is so because Lifestyle modification generates positive effects over the months and years.
Traditionally, diabetes treatment focused on limiting sugar in the diet and taking medications prescribed by a doctor. Today we know that these measures are only part of the approach and, by themselves, they are not sufficient.
All daily organization and customs must be modified to achieve the goal of a better quality of life. “They are simple changes that are within the reach of anyone,” clarifies the expert, although commitment is what will make the difference.
In this sense, both young people and older adults find advantages and disadvantages linked to their age. The former better manage resources to access information about their disease, such as new technologies. However, their youth means that they do not see the end as close, so they may underestimate the long-term effects.
For patients living with type 2 diabetes, regardless of their age, the following are the habits that help control the disease, according to science.
Do strength exercise
“All the exercises are valid, but there are some better than others,” details Enol Sierra. And not every movement has the same impact on the metabolism.
The most common thing is that going for a walk is recommended to patients living with diabetes. Walking is not bad, but it is not enoughsince it does not generate sufficient intensity to modify the use of sugar within the body. In the words of the expert, “walking is an action to not be bad, but not to be good.”
The ideal would be to have a structured exercise plan. You don’t need many hours in the gym, but rather learning what the appropriate dose and amount is for each person, in their context.
According to what the graduate in Exercise Sciences explains to us, a minimum of muscle stimulation must be scheduled, at least three times a week. Especially if you are over 50 years old or if you are a postmenopausal woman. Well, as we age, the loss of muscle mass is more noticeable.
Once sufficient strength is acquired, it is possible to introduce cardiovascular exercise. The options may be cycling, running or swimming.
Sierra is forceful about the importance of training: “Exercise is our most powerful weapon for the body to function well.” Furthermore, “gaining muscle mass is a marker of diabetes reversal,” he adds.
Eat enough protein
Proteins are macronutrients with many functions in the body. One of its main roles is to serve in tissue repair.
But, in addition, “when protein is included in dishes, gastric emptying slows down,” says the expert. As digestion is slower, carbohydrates are absorbed at a slower rate and this has benefits in diabetes, as blood sugar spikes are reduced.
There is no unanimous criterion on what amount of protein is adequate. According to research, it is most accepted that patients under 65 years of age consume between 0.8 and 1.3 grams of protein per kilo of weight per day. For those over 65 years of age, it is proposed that protein constitute 20% of daily energy intake.
However, there is a group of patients in whom it is necessary to reduce the amount of protein. These are those who suffer from kidney failure, as a complication of diabetes. In them, high amounts of the nutrient would be harmful.
Reduce visceral fat
Visceral fat is a type of fat that is stored around internal organs. It can be on the surface of the liver, heart and muscles, but it can also penetrate them when it is abundant.
It is increasingly given more importance in clinical research. To such an extent that there are currently scientists who consider it a more important risk factor for diabetes than body weight.
“Visceral fat is related to cardiometabolic problems and is one of the markers that has been most related to the reversal of type 2 diabetes,” Enol Sierra confirms. This means that, Those people who manage to reduce it have a better chance of controlling blood sugar.
But one of the common problems is that, in the desire to reduce fat, very extreme diets are followed. This strategy has the opposite effect, since restrictive eating plans increase cortisol and, with this, the accumulation of visceral fat increases.
The best way to achieve the objective is combine a non-extreme diet with strength training and adequate protein intake. Otherwise, as the expert warns, “there is a risk of losing muscle mass without affecting the amount of fat.”
Participate in support programs
“What helps patients the most is having a multicomponent program,” says Sierra. It is about combine advice from nutrition, psychology, medicine and training professionals. Each one, a specialist in their area, helps a person with diabetes control their blood sugar.
On the other hand, accompaniment helps education, in order to “become a friend of the disease with knowledge”, as the expert expresses well. In this path, self-monitoring plays a fundamental role, since patients who know how to measure their blood glucose and act accordingly have a better quality of life.
Support programs are precisely designed so that the person receives professional guidance, as well as the closeness of others who are going through the same situation. In Sierra’s experience, these groups have great strength, since They translate into better adherence to treatment and longer-lasting lifestyle changes.
Can diabetes be cured with better habits?
“Diabetes cannot be cured, but it can be reversed,” Sierra clarifies. Being a chronic disease, controls and monitoring will be necessary throughout life. However, it would be possible not to require medication, in some cases, if blood sugar can be controlled with non-pharmacological strategies.
The reversal happens, above all, in the initial phases, comments the expert. Good habits can help restore the capacity of the pancreas that was lost, as well as the sensitivity of the tissues to insulin.
Not requiring medication, having better blood sugar values and delaying the appearance of complications is an improvement in quality of life. And if habits are maintained over time, this will mean more years of well-being.
As Enol Sierra concludes, The key is to understand that change is possible and that “we do things for the love of being healthy, not for fear of illness.” That perspective can make all the difference in the task of living with diabetes.