People who are living with type 2 diabetes can now hope to reverse their ailment simply by making some lifestyle changes, particularly with their diet. A recent study has revealed that even sufferers of type 2 diabetes for ten years may find themselves free of the ailment. How is it done? A low-calorie diet.
According to Diabetes Ireland, type 2 diabetes is caused by the body not having the sufficient amount of insulin it needs due to excessive eating and a lack of exercise. This leads to the body consuming more calories than it needs and they end up being stored in our bodies as fat, which hinders insulin production.
The study, led by Professor Roy Taylor of Newcastle University, involved 29 participants, 15 of which had type 2 diabetes for less than four years and 14 of them for more than eight years. Taylor began the study with the notion that if the fat that gets stored around our livers and pancreas disappears, our bodies can begin to produce insulin again.
A low-calorie diet, which consists of only 800 calories, allows the fat on these parts to be burned first and insulin to be produced again, thus returning our blood glucose levels to normal. After participating in the study, 87 percent of the patients who had diabetes for less than 4 years were successful in reversing the ailment, while of the participants who lived with it for more than eight years, 50 percent managed the reversal.
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Mirror reports that the participants lost an average of 14 kg and kept their weight loss steady for six months. As the reversal is dependent on this diet, it's important to stay focused and disciplined in order to continue living a happier and healthier life.
