
Can I Change My Type 2 Diabetes Diagnosis, If So How?

Unlike type 1 diabetes, type 2 diabetes is largely preventable, and research supports the assertion that diet and lifestyle changes may even reverse it. Your chances of reversing type 2 diabetes are greater if you're newly diagnosed. However, regardless of how long you've lived with type 2 diabetes, adopting some key changes can significantly improve glycemic control and your overall health.
Here at Bethel Family Medicine, we offer comprehensive nutrition and weight loss programs, and we make referrals to personal trainers to help you achieve your wellness goals. Our team can partner with you and support you in taking control of your health.
How excess body fat raises type 2 diabetes risk
Carrying excess body fat is one of the most important risk factors for developing type 2 diabetes, and weight loss is key to changing the course of the disease and possibly even reversing it.
More than 90% of people with type 2 diabetes are overweight. The body stores excess fat under the skin, but fat also accumulates in organs. Decades ago, researchers theorized that excess fat stored in the liver is the primary mechanism that drives type 2 diabetes development.
They confirmed this theory in a landmark trial called Diabetes Remission Clinical Trial (DiRECT). The researchers found that weight loss can put diabetes into remission. Interestingly, they also found that relapse occurred if liver fat increased.
This confirmed their earlier theory of liver fat as a key underlying factor in type 2 diabetes. When you're overweight or obese, fat accumulates in the liver. As a result, lipids spill into nearby tissues, including the pancreas, which produces insulin and regulates blood sugar. Over time, the fat damages beta cells in the pancreas, setting the stage for type 2 diabetes development.
Weight loss puts diabetes into remission
Even being slightly overweight increases the risk of developing type 2 diabetes. Weight loss provides the greatest opportunity to put your diabetes in remission. Our team at Bethel Family Medicine specializes in helping patients manage diabetes and offers a comprehensive nutrition and weight loss program.
Our program provides personalized support, including nutrition counseling, and ensures you have the tools and support to achieve and maintain a healthy weight.
In the previously mentioned study, researchers found that a primary care-led weight loss program led to type 2 diabetes remission without medication in more than half of the participants. This underscores the benefit of medically supervised weight loss programs in getting type 2 diabetes under control.
Embrace an active lifestyle
Exercise, combined with weight loss, is linked to type 2 diabetes remission. We can refer you to personal trainers who specialize in diabetes management. They can design a fitness plan tailored to your needs and abilities, ensuring you stay motivated and on track.
Engaging in regular physical activity not only boosts your physical health but also improves your mental well-being.
Road to reversal
While there is no guaranteed cure for type 2 diabetes, many people can achieve long-term remission through targeted and dedicated lifestyle changes. The Diabetes Remission Clinical Trial followed up with participants five years later and found that most participants maintained their weight loss, were still in remission, and had continued health benefits.
Commitment to a healthy diet, regular exercise, and weight management are critical to long-term success in managing type 2 diabetes. Don't wait to take action -- contact us today to start your journey toward better health.
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