Is it Possible to Really Reverse Type 2 Diabetes?

Living with Type 2 diabetes can be challenging, mainly because of the other health problems it brings along. While numerous medications are available to help people control Type 2 diabetes, it isn’t possible to reverse the condition entirely based on medicines. According to some medical experts, a proper diet and significant weight loss can help people achieve normal blood sugar levels without medications. But it isn’t an overnight job that miraculously removes this lifestyle disorder.

Type 2 diabetes can be an ongoing disease for many, and the symptoms may return after a few months or even years. But if you consistently follow a healthy lifestyle, eat healthy, and exercise regularly, you may lead a healthier life without any health problems generally associated with diabetes. While you may be asked to reduce sugar to maintain healthy blood glucose levels, simply cutting sugar or reducing it won’t help. If you wish to reverse your diabetes condition, read along to learn about the possible ways and how they can influence your blood sugar levels.

Low-Calorie Diet

Numerous studies have been conducted to ascertain the effect a low-calorie diet can have on people with diabetes. In most of the research studies, it was found that people who were kept on a strict liquid diet for at least two to five months were able to reverse their diabetes. But their diet was extreme, and the total calories would not exceed 800 to 900 calories a day. If you plan to follow a low-calorie diet to improve or reverse your diabetes, we suggest taking help from a certified nutritionist or other healthcare professional. Suddenly reducing your calorie consumption significantly can affect your overall health, so don’t forget to exercise caution.

Regular Exercise

Increased physical activity on a regular basis can help you lose weight, but relying on workouts alone to lose significant weight and reverse diabetes can be incredibly challenging. But if you pair a low-calorie yet healthy diet with regular exercise, you can fast reach your remission goal. If you want to see visible changes, you should start walking at least 10,000 steps a day and do at least 2½ hours of intense exercise every week. This routine should be paired with a calorie diet not exceeding 800 to 900 calories a day. Since the diet involved is extreme, we don’t recommend everyone follow it.

A better way is to talk to your nutritionist or healthcare provider and seek personalized suggestions based on your health condition. If you can follow this routine for a longer period, you can maintain healthy blood sugar levels without relying on medicines or insulin injections. To achieve good results, you have to focus on losing weight initially, so stick to your routine if you want to reverse Type 2 diabetes.

Bariatric Surgery

People with extreme Type 2 diabetes may consider undergoing bariatric surgery. This surgery helps you lose weight by changing your digestive system and stomach’s eating limit. Besides helping you lose weight, it can also help you reverse diabetes indirectly. Although scientists are still conducting more research to determine how bariatric surgery directly influences diabetes, it is commonly believed that it affects the hormones in your gut that ultimately control your blood sugar levels.

People have seen visible results with this surgery, but it is only recommended if your BMI is 30 is higher. The chances of success are quite high for people who have had diabetes for less than 5 years and aren’t taking insulin to control the condition. People with obesity who have recently been diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes should first talk to their doctor about the surgery because most surgeries come with serious risks.

Fasting

If the ways discussed till now don’t interest you, consider fasting as a last resort. Fasting can help you lose weight, which can eventually help you improve your diabetes condition. It should be noted that fasting is not a mainstream treatment for diabetes and should not be viewed as an alternative to proper treatment. Certain studies have found that therapeutic fasting can help reverse Type 2 diabetes. In this fasting, you go without food and drink for a particular time. Even a 24-hour fast followed once a week can show visible results. But you may have to follow it for at least seven months to see the results.

Reversing diabetes can be challenging, but it isn’t impossible either. You can see good results if you follow the tips discussed above, like regular exercising, following a low-calorie diet, or fasting. But before proceeding with any option, remember that there is no magic pill to reverse Type 2 diabetes. You must consistently follow a healthy way of living if you want to bring your blood sugar levels to healthy levels without medicines.