Khaberni - Adopting a healthy lifestyle helps reduce type 2 diabetes and could even contribute to reversing its course in some patients, as confirmed by experts in lifestyle medicine.
Lifestyle medicine relies on addressing the root causes of chronic diseases through simple daily changes such as improving diet, increasing physical activity, managing stress, and refraining from harmful habits like smoking and alcohol. Specialists believe that this evidence-based approach can lead to significant improvement and even the healing of some cases.
Dr. Padmaja Patra, president of the American College of Lifestyle Medicine, explains that dealing with diabetes is often limited to coexisting with it, whereas the goal should be recovery and regaining health whenever possible.
Type 2 diabetes occurs when the body does not produce enough insulin or does not use it efficiently, leading to high blood sugar levels, which can cause serious complications such as heart disease, strokes, eye and kidney problems.
This type of diabetes is associated with lifestyle factors, accounting for about 90% of cases, and the risk increases with obesity, inactivity, and chronic stress, alongside genetic predisposition. Experts indicate that modern lifestyles have made even the most susceptible groups more affected by the disease compared to the past.
In this context, a long-term study conducted by the Norwegian University of Science and Technology, involving more than 86,000 people between 1984 and 2019, showed that the proportion of those at risk who actually develop the disease is steadily increasing.
The researchers attribute this to societal changes, notably decreased physical activity, reliance on processed foods, work stress, and reduced sleep quality.
A recent study revealed that sleeping less than six hours a day may increase the risk of diabetes by 16%, even among those who follow a healthy diet, indicating that sleep is a fundamental factor that cannot be compensated for by diet alone.
On the other hand, some studies warn against the excessive consumption of artificial sweeteners found in some "diet" products and beverages, as they may affect the balance of gut bacteria and increase the risk of diabetes over time.
In an attempt to curb the spread of the disease, the British National Health Service launched a dietary program based on low-calorie soups and shakes, which has helped thousands of patients reach a stage of recovery or disease remission.
The program is based on reducing calorie intake to about 800 calories a day, with ongoing support and guidance provided to patients to help them lose weight and maintain a healthy lifestyle, which may enable many to reduce their dependence on medication or dispense with it in some cases.
