The Diabetics Best Diet Plan
In a controlled and randomized clinical study conducted last year in Italy, scientists concluded that patients who consumed a low carbohydrate Mediterranean diet, containing less than 50% of daily caloric intake from fat, as opposed to patients who consumed a low fat diet, less than 30% of daily intake from fat, had a much lower probability of requiring anti-hyperglycemic medications to control their diabetes. After four years the study concluded, it was discovered, at this point, that 44% of participants on the low carb diet needed to be placed on blood glucose lowering medications, whereas seventy percent of participants who followed the low fat diet needed this medication. Certainly, in almost every case, losing weight will be of assistance, nonetheless, a quick weight loss diet may be difficult for diabetics.
I received a diagnosis in June of 1990, of type II diabetes. After my diabetes diagnosis, I began the ADA diet. While following this diet, my blood glucose levels kept rising. I was prescribed oral medications that had to be adjusted frequently. My doctor didn't seem to have the answer, because what I was doing did not help much.
Eventually, I tried the Atkins low carbohydrate diet. In approximately a month, by blood sugar levels came down to normal levels and I began to decrease my oral medications. Eventually, I was able to stop taking any medicine for diabetes control. In addition, I lost weight, which helped. My doctors were amazed at the results of my HbA1c tests and told me to keep doing whatever I was doing. My physician had misgivings regarding the Atkins diet, but my results spoke for themself. A good thing about this diet is that it helped me lose weight as well, it wasn't rapid weight loss, but it was steady.
There are some diets, like the Mediterranean Diet that are healthy, but are composed of too many simple carbohydrates for a diabetic. When I first became a diabetic, I was informed that any alcoholic beverage would have adverse effects on my blood sugar. For me, this was an unfortunate fact, but I remembered it well.
In 1997, Doctor. Richard. Bernstein came out with his book, Dr. Bernstein's Diabetes Solution. Numerous readers of this book are strong proponents of it, because it enabled them to lower their blood sugar and reduce their weight, without taking any medication.
Both the Atkins Diet and Dr. Bernstein's diet are easily found on a web search. All the information on the Atkins site is free of charge and it even allows you to chart your progress.
Doctor. Bernstein's web site gives you a link for ordering a HbA1c test that you can perform yourself for about fifteen dollars. and it gives you results in just 5 minutes, without the need to mail a blood sample anywhere.
Consult with a doctor, but at the end of the day, you must take personal responsibility for your health. Check out various options, and select one that works for you. Remember, it's your health and well being that is at stake!