Mediterranean Diet for Type 2 Diabetes
October 26th, 2009
The Mediterranean diet may help individuals with type 2 diabetes to lose weight, lower cardiovascular risk factors and stay off blood sugar-lowering medications, according to a new study from the Second University of Naples.
Findings indicate that while 70 percent of people with type 2 diabetes following a low-fat diet eventually require diabetes medications, only 44 percent of those following the Mediterranean diet required medications. The study appears in the September issue of the Annals of Internal Medicine.
“Eating Mediterranean prevented anti-hyperglycemic drug therapy in about one-third of patients,” said study author Dr. Dario Giugliano, a professor of endocrinology at the Second University of Naples. Giugliano describes the diet as a safe and tasty means to delay the introduction of anti-diabetic drug therapy in newly diagnosed type 2 diabetic people.
The Mediterranean diet emphasizes vegetables, fruits, olive oil, cereals, nuts, fish, and legumes, and deemphasizes meat and dairy products. Consumption of the Mediterranean diet is believed to aid in the prevention of several diseases while supporting general good health.
Diabetics on the diet experience reduced risk of cardiovascular disease, cancer and mortality as well as an increased ability to control blood sugar. The Mediterranean diet is recommended for people with type 2 diabetes because it can have an effect on insulin sensitivity and is lower in carbohydrates.
Type 2 diabetes is becoming a pandemic, with as many as 380 million cases estimated by 2025. The disease risk can be reduced with lifestyle changes such as regular exercise and diet modification.
Although dietary modification is recommended, few prior studies have compared low-fat diets to low-carbohydrate diets in the management of type 2 diabetes. For the current study, Giugliano and his colleagues compared 107 people on a low-fat diet to 108 who were eating a Mediterranean diet. Study participants had recently been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes.
At the study conclusion, 26 percent fewer people needed to go on diabetes medication in the Mediterranean diet group, compared to the low-fat diet group. Cholesterol levels and blood pressure readings were also more improved in the Mediterranean diet group when compared to the low-fat group.
In addition to blood sugar management and lifestyle changes, acupuncture has been shown to be effective in alleviating diabetic symptoms and can be integrated into conventional care treatment of diabetes.
Acupuncture increases insulin production, improves blood circulation, stabilizes blood sugar by correcting endocrine system imbalances, and can aid in weight management. Acupuncture can treat overall health imbalances that may be present in addition to diabetes.
For information about acupuncture an Sept. 20.
Leave a Reply