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Low Carb Diet for Diebetes: Killing Two Birds with One Stone

It’s an irrefutable fact that diabetes and obesity are closely intertwined. In fact, figures show that a large percentage of diabetics are overweight or obese. It is primarily in Western countries that a significant part of the population is overweight, but the twin problems of diabetes and obesity are becoming more widespread all over the world. Diet is one solution to these problems; specifically, a low carb diet for diebetes.

In a study conducted by researchers at the Temple University School of Medicine showed just how much a controlled-carbohydrate diet positively affected both diabetes and weight loss. Scientist Guenther Boden observed that the study’s subjects – obese patients with type 2 diabetes – reduced caloric intake and lost weight subsequently, and that they were not motivated to eat a greater amount of fatty foods despite being permitted to do so. Apparently, their reduced intake of carbohydrates gave credence to the claim that carbs are a major influence on how often we feel hungry. And if we feel hungry more often, then naturally we would tend to eat more, thus hampering the weight loss process.

Diabetes occurs when a person’s blood sugar levels are unusually high, prompting the body to produce more insulin. If the body cannot produce enough insulin to counteract high levels of blood sugar then insulin will have to be injected. In the study mentioned above, the researchers also found that the subjects had improved their blood sugar levels and insulin sensitivity, all because of limiting their daily consumption of carbohydrates.

Another study, conducted by scientists at the Sansum Medical Research Foundation in California, shows yet again the effectiveness of a low carb diet for diabetics. The subjects were restricted to getting only a quarter of calories daily from carbohydrates. After eight weeks, they not only showed significant weight loss, but also exhibited a big drop in their levels of hemoglobin A1c, one of the indications for blood sugar control.

A low carb diet for diebetes is feasible – and successful – as the studies show. Diet therapy is not a new concept in the treatment of diseases. If an obese diabetic goes on a low carb diet, there’s a probability that his or her weight loss might even free that person from the need to take medication, such as insulin. If the diabetic in question is not overweight, a low carb diet can still benefit him by lowering his blood sugar, improving insulin resistance, and helping him feel better overall.