Staying in remission often means making lasting lifestyle changes that support healthy blood sugar levels in addition to medical treatment. The following tips can help you maintain your progress.
Manage Your Weight
Achieving and maintaining remission depends largely on weight management, says Priyanka Majety, MD, an assistant professor of endocrinology, diabetes, and metabolism at Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond. “The largest and strongest evidence comes from the DiRECT trial, which showed that lifestyle interventions, including weight management, have promoted the achievement and maintenance of diabetes remission,” she adds.
The study had three key phases: an initial period of rapid weight loss with a very low-calorie diet (about 825 calories per day for up to 20 weeks), gradual reintroduction of whole foods, and long-term weight maintenance phase. Dr. Majety explains that a major takeaway from the trial was the importance of monitoring to help study participants get back on track if they gained weight.
Finding a weight management approach you can stick with is important. Extreme or overly restrictive diets might work short-term but can be difficult to maintain and sometimes lead to unhealthy eating patterns. The definition of obesity also is changing given long-standing concerns about body mass index. Talk with your healthcare provider or dietitian about creating a sustainable plan that fits your lifestyle and preferences.
Follow a Healthy Diet
Research hasn’t found one specific diet that works best for staying in remission, Majety says. The eating plan that works best is one you can maintain over time, she adds.
When we regularly eat more calories than we need, extra carbohydrates turn into fat, which builds up in the liver and eventually affects the pancreas (the organ that makes insulin). This process, known as the twin cycle, affects how well your body produces and uses insulin. Weight loss through healthy eating can reverse this cycle by reducing fat in both the liver and pancreas and improving insulin sensitivity.
Very low calorie diets (between 400 and 500 calories a day) have the highest success rates for achieving remission, but they require medical supervision and aren’t meant to be followed for more than 12 weeks. The Mediterranean diet, which includes plenty of vegetables, whole grains, fruits, lean meats, nuts, and olive oil, has also helped people achieve remission, says Majety. It may not work as quickly as very low calorie diets, but it can be easier to stick with as you work to stay in remission, she adds.
Plant-based diets also help many people achieve and maintain diabetes remission. This might include a vegan diet, which excludes all animal products, or a vegetarian diet that includes some dairy and eggs. These approaches can help you keep your calories in check while providing the nutrition you need.
Your doctor and dietitian can help you find the right eating plan to stay in type 2 diabetes remission. Consider these tips when planning your meals.
- Choose foods that digest slowly, such as whole-grain bread and pasta, brown rice, or sweet potatoes.
- Pick protein-rich food, such as fish, skinless chicken, beans, lentils, or eggs.
- Include healthy fats like olive oil, avocados, nuts, or seeds.
- Fill half your plate with nonstarchy vegetables.
- Drink water instead of sugary beverages.
- Keep portions moderate, even with healthy food.
Exercise
Regular exercise can not only help with weight management, but it can also improve how the body uses insulin. This means the pancreas doesn’t have to work as hard to control blood sugar.
“The more you move, the longer you stay in remission,” Majety says. Exercise helps to activate receptors called GLUT-4 in our muscles that help remove glucose from the blood, she explains. This process helps keep blood sugar levels stable, which can support long-term remission.
Resistance Training (Two to Three Times per Week)
Aerobic Exercise (at Least 150 Minutes per Week)
Good-quality sleep is also important for staying in remission. Poor sleep can disrupt the hormones that control hunger (ghrelin and leptin) and increase insulin resistance, Majety says, making it harder to maintain a healthy weight. Try to maintain a regular sleep schedule, and aim for seven to eight hours of sleep each night.
Read the full article here
