By Marie Veselsky, RD, LD, CDE, BC-ADM
Diet and exercise are most effective for preventing pre-diabetes from becoming type 2 diabetes. A major study in 2002 found that the combination of diet and exercise reduced the odds of pre-diabetes becoming diabetes by 58%, compared with 31% among those using the common diabetes drug metformin.
Last year, sales of diabetes drugs reached $23 billion, according to the data from IMS Health, a drug market research firm. That was more than the combined revenue of the National Football League, Major League Baseball and the National Basketball Association. But from 2004 to 2013, none of the 30 new diabetes drugs that came on the market were proven to improve key outcomes, such as reducing heart attacks or strokes, blindness and other complications of the disease, per an investigation by MedPage Today and the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
Diet, especially carbohydrate reduction, exercise, weight loss and lifestyle changes should always be used as the first line of defense for elevated blood sugars associated with insulin resistance and being overweight for your height. If your doctor feels you need a diabetes medication, then diet, exercise and weight loss should always be used in conjunction with the medication.
Choice Center for Diabetes and Weight Loss an AADE Accredited Diabetes Self-Management Training Program knows how powerful nutrition therapy can be for managing obesity, diabetes and lowering the risk of associated long-term complications. Since pre-diabetes is characterized by elevated blood sugar levels caused by impaired insulin sensitivity, often related to being overweight for height, it seems that controlling dietary carbohydrates, the main nutrient that directly influences blood sugars, would be a logical dietary approach.
At Choice Center for Diabetes and Weight Loss we are credentialed health care providers practicing a more holistic approach to diabetes, weight loss and other chronic illnesses. We provide individual appointments and group programs to help you reach your optimal health. Most Insurances accepted.
Call to make an appointment to get your individualized carb amount for weight loss and blood sugar control! And don’t forget our very popular All-In-One Boot Camp! Call 770-4856 in NH and 207-783-6800 in Maine. Let today be the first day of the rest of your life! You can’t go back and start over, but you can start from here and have a better future!
It’s Your Health and Your Choice! ™