Mainstream medicine has failed to make much progress when it comes to managing and preventing diabetes. The rates continue to climb, as well as the healthcare costs associated with diabetes, despite all the pharmaceutical and digital interventions on the market, making it clear that the current approaches may not be effectively addressing the root causes of the disease. This is where the role of diet, particularly a low-carb diet, becomes critically important.
How Are We Managing Diabetes Now?
High blood sugar is one of the top five factors behind death and declining health. Tech solutions such as continuous glucose monitors and insulin pumps may be easily available to those who can afford them or have the insurance to cover them, but that leaves a vast majority of people who may need these tools but don’t have access to them. And are they even effective? According to a report by Peterson Health Technology, popular digital tools for people with type-2 diabetes increase healthcare spending without delivering meaningful clinical results. A continuous glucose monitor can provide a lot of insight into how what you eat affects your blood sugar levels, as you can see in real-time how a piece of white bread might affect your blood sugar and energy compared to broccoli and chicken. However, many people use these digital tools to tell them when to take more insulin without understanding the connection between what they eat and its impact on their bodies. They aren’t using this information to make meaningful changes in their eating.
The Role of Low Carb in Diabetes Management
Extensive research has demonstrated that a low-carb diet can effectively manage blood sugar levels and improve metabolic health, key factors in controlling diabetes. By reducing carbohydrate intake, your body requires less insulin to process sugars, leading to more stable blood sugar levels and reduced insulin resistance. If you have type-2 diabetes, low carb can often result in improved glycemic control, reduced medication needs, and, in some cases, even remission of the disease. Major organizations, such as the American Diabetes Association and the Mayo Clinic, have quietly suggested that low-carb diets could effectively help manage the diabetes epidemic. However, there is still a lot of work to be done.
New Research Behind Low Carb Diets and Diabetes
A low-carb diet may reduce risk factors associated with the progression of Type-2 diabetes.
Virta Health: A Diabetes Management Success Story
Virta has taken Atkins’ proven low carb approach and amplified it with guidance and digital tools to become a success story when it comes to managing diabetes.
Why Don’t More Doctors Recommend Low Carb?
Despite the evidence, many doctors still do not recommend a low-carb diet as an effective approach to managing diabetes. This could be due to several reasons:
- Misguided guidelines: The government’s Dietary Guidelines still prioritize high-carbohydrate, low-fat diets, partly because they have been the standard recommendation for decades. However, even the government acknowledges that the Dietary Guidelines aren’t intended for disease management or treatment.
- Lack of nutrition education: Doctors often receive limited training in nutrition during their medical education, making them less likely to prescribe dietary changes over pharmaceutical interventions.
- Pharmaceutical influence: The pharmaceutical industry plays a significant role in diabetes management, focusing heavily on medication rather than dietary solutions.
5 Tips for Adopting Low Carb for Managing Diabetes
If you’re considering a low-carb diet to manage or prevent diabetes, here are some tips to get started:
- Talk to your doctor: While many physicians may not prioritize low carb, it’s still important to consult a healthcare provider or a dietitian who can help tailor the diet to your specific needs.
- Pick your plan: Each Atkins plan (there are three, depending on whether you want to eat 20, 40, or 100 grams of Net Carbs a day) has a customized meal plan and clear-cut steps to help you achieve your goals, whether you’re working toward wellness goals, want to lose weight, or would like to manage your diabetes.
- Start slowly: Let your Atkins plan help you reduce your intake of high-carb foods like bread, pasta, and sugary snacks. Replace them with low-carb alternatives such as nutrient-rich, high-fiber vegetables, lean proteins, some fiber-rich grains, and nuts and seeds.
- Monitor your blood sugar: Regularly check your blood sugar levels to see how your body responds to nutrition changes. This can help you and your doctor adjust your plan as needed.
- Stay hydrated: You may lose more water as your body adjusts to a low-carb diet.
The Moral of the Story: Low Carb is Effective for Managing Diabetes
While mainstream medicine has been slow to embrace low-carb diets as a solution for diabetes, the evidence supporting their effectiveness continues to grow. A case in point is the Food is Medicine Initiative, which aims to ensure that what you eat is an integral part of healthcare, especially if you are dealing with or at risk for long-term health issues. By incorporating a low-carb diet into your lifestyle, you can take control of your health, potentially reducing your reliance on medication and improving your overall quality of life.
