Fight with Diabetes Type 2 Like a Boss With This Effective and Personalised Diabetes Programme

Fight with Diabetes Type 2 Like a Boss With This Effective and Personalised Diabetes Programme

Diabetes is a chronic condition where metabolism of blood glucose (sugar) is severely affected. In patients who suffer from diabetes, the production of insulin is inadequate or the body’s cells do not respond properly to insulin. Both scenarios occur in most instances. Common symptoms associated with diabetes include:

  • Increased thirst and frequent urination
  • Increased hunger
  • Fatigue
  • Blurred vision
  • Frequent infections and slow-healing sores
  • Areas of darkened skin
Diabetes type-2-min-7

As you can see, diabetes has a major impact on your quality of life, but there is a lot you can do to manage it. How serious is diabetes today?

Diabetes is more prevalent than we think.

Official figures show that 3.8 million people have diabetes in England, but type 2 diabetes accounts for 90 percent of all cases.

More precisely, one in four people has diabetes while 940,000 persons aren’t even aware of their condition[i].

Different factors make diabetes more severe and jeopardize your health.

Heredity plays a role in diabetes development, studies show.

A research from the World Journal Diabetes revealed that type 2 diabetes is the result of interaction between environmental factors and a strong hereditary component.

Genes that are involved in diabetes development include TCF7L2, KCNQ1, and KCNJ11[ii].

Unhealthy lifestyle plays a major role in incidence and severity of diabetes.

A growing body of evidence confirms that lifestyle factors such as smoking, alcohol consumption, sedentary lifestyle, and high carbohydrate intake are significantly and independently associated with a higher risk of all-cause mortality in type 2 diabetes patients[iii].

Exposure to toxins and harmful chemicals is common in modern society, especially in big cities like London.

What most people don’t know is that exposure to toxins such as arsenic affects blood glucose metabolism and insulin production[iv].

Contact us now by clicking on this link for a committment free consultation today.

Diabetes Risk factors 

The truth is that everyone can develop diabetes which is why this condition is becoming increasingly prevalent across the globe.

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According to the latest report by World Health Organization (WHO), the number of people with diabetes increased from 108 million in 1980 to 422 million in 2014[v].

Although everyone can develop diabetes, some people are at a higher risk.

While some risk factors like heredity are unalterable, the most common factors are largely manageable.

Let’s take a look at the most common manageable factors that increase your odds of developing diabetes.

Contact us now by clicking on this link for a committment free consultation today.

Inadequate and unhealthy diets

The food you eat has a direct impact on your entire health and wellbeing which is why it comes as a surprise why nutrition plays a role in diabetes risk.

Let’s take trans fats as an example.

Consumption of these poor fats is common today, primarily because it’s available in junk food that most people find convenient.

Studies show that consumption of trans fats causes the following problems in the body:

  • Produces harmful changes in lipid profiles
  • Systemic inflammation
  • Increases the risk of cardiovascular diseases
  • Contributes to diabetes[vi].
Cardiac Rehabilitation in Women

Lifestyle factors

Things you do or don’t do play a role in the likelihood of developing diabetes. Here are some lifestyle factors that are linked to this health condition:

  • Lack of physical activity – spending more time at the office, in front of the computer or watching TV and avoiding physical activity is strongly associated with weight gain, obesity, and increased risk of type 2 diabetes[vii]. Physical activity aids weight management and uses glucose as energy, thus increasing insulin sensitivity
  • Smoking – tobacco increases blood sugar levels and leads to insulin resistance. A growing body of evidence confirms that current cigarette smokers are more likely to develop type 2 diabetes, especially if they also have higher BMI[viii]
  • Sleep deprivation – due to hectic lifestyle, sleep deprivation has become a major problem today. Studies show that insufficient sleep can increase diabetes risk due to its contribution to weight gain[ix]
  • Alcohol consumption – heavy drinking raises the odds of developing diabetes due to its impact on blood glucose levels[x]
  • Skipping meals – this is common practice, particularly among persons who want to slim down. Not only does slim down can induce counterproductive effect, but it also increases diabetes risk. One study found that men who skipped breakfast were more likely to develop diabetes[xi]

The right foods to eat

All factors mentioned above increase a person’s risk of developing diabetes, but they can also aggravate symptoms in patients who already have this chronic health condition.

Not all is lost!

A healthy lifestyle is highly recommended for people with diabetes and just by eliminating unhealthy habits, you can improve your quality of life.

The first and one of the most important habits to correct is swapping unhealthy diet for a well-balanced eating plan.

The reason why you should make changes in your diet is simple – unhealthy foods do not supply the body with much-needed vitamins, minerals, fiber, antioxidants, and other nutrients that support overall health and help you keep weight in a healthy range.

Studies show that soft drinks, high intake of red meat, sweets, and fried foods contribute to insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes.

On the other hand, modification of the diet to make it healthier aids diabetes management[xii]. Let’s take a look at foods you should introduce to your menu.

Vegetables

Instead of consuming too much meat, you should consider adding more vegetables to your menu.

On the other hand, high intake of vegetables (and fruits) is strongly associated with lower diabetes risk[xiii] and it can help you manage the condition due to high antioxidant content that increases insulin sensitivity[xiv].

Enrich your body with broccoli, spinach, kale, and other vegetables that are abundant in much-needed nutrients which support overall health and diabetes control.

Fruits

A seven-year-long study published in PLoS Medicine journal discovered that consumption of fresh fruit reduces diabetes risk and it prevents complications in patients who are diagnosed with this health condition[xv].

For maximum benefits, you should opt for high-antioxidant fruits such as oranges and other citrus fruits, cherries, melons, pears, apples, apricots, and pineapple.

Grains

Ideally, half of all grains you eat should be reserved for whole grains.

Why?

Studies show that regular intake of whole grains has the major potential to reduce diabetes risk[xvi]. That’s not all; whole grains also improve insulin sensitivity[xvii] and help you manage your condition effectively.

Protein

Protein is an important nutrient for patients with diabetes. The reason is simple, this nutrient is essential in weight management.

Studies show that high protein intake increases satiety i.e. suppresses appetite, improves the sleeping metabolic rate and fat oxidation[xviii].

Herbs And Spices

Numerous herbs and spices[xix] have also been proven to assist with the management of diabetes.

Chamomile takes sugar out of the bloodstream and stores the sugar in the liver.

Cumin has been shown to reduce levels of sugar found in the blood as well.

Scientists have discovered as much as 70 different natural chemicals in Dill known to assist with fighting against the dreadful effects of diabetes.

Dill-Diabetes-min-9

Nuts

Nuts are incredibly healthy for you due to high nutrient content, primarily fiber. Plus, nuts are low in digestible carbs.

Consumption of nuts leads to improvements in glycemic control, blood pressure, weight management, and inflammation markers in diabetic patients[xx].

Exercise – how important is it for diabetics?

How does exercise help diabetic patients? Here is the basic rundown of benefits you can expect with regular physical activity:

Lowers blood glucose levels

Even one week of regular activity can improve whole-body insulin sensitivity in patients with type 2 diabetes, particularly when you’re engaging in aerobic training[xxi].

Regular workouts enhance the responsiveness of skeletal muscles to insulin with increased expression and activity of proteins involved in glucose metabolism in insulin signaling.

Lowers blood pressure

High blood pressure or hypertension and diabetes usually coexist together.

What’s more, hypertension is a major risk factor for premature cardiovascular morbidity and mortality in people with type 2 diabetes[xxii].

Physical activity can lower blood pressure even in those patients with low responsiveness to medical treatment[xxiii].

Contact us now by clicking on this link for a committment free consultation today.

Improves blood flow

A growing body of evidence confirms that physical activity improves blood flow.

Why is this important?

Diabetes has a major impact on your blood flow due to a combination of reduced erythrocyte deformability ( the ability of erythrocytes to change shape under a given or applied stress) and increased erythrocyte aggregation (reversible clumping of red blood cells) due to plasma protein changes[xxiv].

Exercise increases blood flow throughout your body including all muscle groups especially during recovery after your workout[xxv].

Burns extra calories

Exercise is a great way to burn calories and slim down or keep weight in a healthy range. Plus, physical activity helps get rid of stubborn fat that jeopardizes your condition.

Evidence shows that one hour of daily moderate aerobic exercise produces as much as a fat loss as caloric restriction, with greater insulin action[xxvi].

Improves your mood

Regular physical activity also exhibits positive psychological effects in diabetic patients.

For example, both men and women experience substantial decreases in depressive symptoms[xxvii].

Exercise is beneficial due to increased self-efficacy, a sense of mastery, distraction, self-concept changes, and physiological factors like the balance of chemicals and neurotransmitters in your brain.

Prevents falls and improves memory in older adults

Physical activity enhances formation of new brain cells that play an important role in learning and memory[xxviii].

Improves sleep

Regular exercise helps improve sleep[xxix], which is essential for both physical and psychological wellbeing. This is particularly important for older adults who experience sleep disturbances, but also for a younger population which tends to be sleep deprived due to a busy lifestyle.

Best type of physical activity for diabetic individuals

Exercise uses a multifaceted approach to help diabetic patients, but the question about the best physical activity to manage your condition still remains. It would be impossible to pinpoint a single type of training because different activities carry different advantages. With your doctor’s approval, you have different physical activity options to manage diabetes, such as:

  • Aerobic exercise – usually performed at least three days a week with no more than two consecutive days between bouts of this activity. Diabetic patients benefit the most from moderate intensity
  • Resistance exercise – generally undertaken at least twice a week on nonconsecutive days. Just like with aerobic exercise, training should be moderate
  • Combined training – a combination of aerobics and resistance training is a practical way for diabetic patients to experience benefits from both types of activities
  • Flexibility exercises – should be included into your workout session, but not as a substitute for any type of training
  • Injury rehabilitation and injury prevention exercises – of course if you have any back pain, neck, shoulder, knee injuries like an ACL, PCL, MCL, LCL or meniscus injury or ankle pains your fitness training programme must be completely tailored to avoid risking further injuries whilst rehabilitate any existing injuries you have.

Getting the right mix of diet and exercise in the case of diabetes

Healthy Diet Plan is pivotal for management of diabetes, reduced risk of complications, and improved quality of life.

Where to start?

It’s easy to think about making some diet changes or increasing activity levels, but making the first step is always difficult.

What, precisely, we have to change?

Doing everything on your own can be risky but, also stressful, which explains the necessity of professional guidance for diabetic individuals.

For example, supervision by a qualified and certified personal trainer is strongly recommended for most persons with type 2 diabetes to ensure optimal levels of blood glucose, blood pressure, lipids, and other parameters, and to minimise injury risk[xxx].

Exercise and Diabetes-min-9

Millions of people in England, the UK, and the entire world have diabetes, but nobody experiences it in the same manner.

Every patient is different and management of their condition has to be personalised for maximum effects.

Let’s take these patients as an example to realise the importance of personal approach toward diabetes management:

  • a 37-year-old financial consultant who started experiencing fatigue and kept falling asleep at work and home. He also developed thrush on his tongue. During the initial visit to the doctor’s office he got mouth drops only, but after they proved to be ineffective doctor ordered a HbA1C blood test which showed the patient had type 2 diabetes. His diet was rather unhealthy and reported consumption of large amounts of sweets and bread
  • a 46-year-old woman was diagnosed with diabetes over a year ago after she has been ignoring symptoms for years. The optician reported large consumption of junk food which also led to excessive weight gain. She also suffers from heart disease
  • 37-year-old solicitor with a history of type 2 diabetes in her family. Her father, mother, older brother, six aunts and two uncles are diagnosed with this same condition. She developed depression after diagnosis and wasn’t motivated to make any lifestyle changes
  • A 49-year-old management and business consultant was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes after visiting his doctor for symptoms he attributed to exhaustion from his stressful job. He also reported drinking large amounts of alcohol to cope with everyday stress and his liver function got affected later too

Contact Jazz Alessi, an Elite Personal Trainer in Canary Wharf  for free consultation.

Only when diet and exercise are customised according to the severity of your condition, current weight, fitness levels, lifestyle, and other parameters will you be able to flourish and experience benefits.

This also intensifies the importance of the availability of the personal trainer and nutritionist online so you can be in touch even when you can’t have a face-to-face meeting due to daily commitments.

All patients mentioned above are different, they experience their condition in a different manner and require individualised approach.

Since you’re probably searching for diabetes tips and info on Google, then it’s more productive (and healthier) for you to schedule online nutritionist consultation to get a diet plan developed by an expert.

Benefits of personal training for diabetics

Not every personal trainer is equal. There are regular and elite personal trainers and their difference isn’t only in their name but in the way they approach their clients.

Here are just some of the most prominent differences:

  • Elite trainer has a number of high-profile credentials, long term experience and certifications obtained from a multitude of respected programs
  • Regular personal trainer usually focuses on workouts at a single location while elite trainer can meet you just about anywhere, including your office, parks and home
  • A regular trainer utilises almost identical approach when creating exercise plan, but elite personal trainer uses different approaches, puts himself into your shoes in order to create a plan that will accommodate both your condition and lifestyle
  • A regular personal trainer can make very simple generalised diet suggestions, but elite personal trainer is the one who is a certified nutritionist too and it will create a highly personalised for your needs nutrition diet plan.

About Jazz Alessi – Your Diabetes Nutrition Specialist

I’m a certified nutritionist, an elite personal trainer, clinical exercise specialist, Pilates trainer, and a weight loss expert who operates in London.

I travel to your locations and where you will find it most convenient to work out.

I have both long term experience and highest credentials that guarantee the quality of personalised training and cutting edge nutrition for every client.

Years spent helping my clients improve their quality of lives taught me that individualised approach with customised diet and workout plans is the most effective method of managing diabetes in a safe and natural manner.

Contact us now by clicking on this link for a committment free consultation today.

References


[i] 3.8 million people in England now have diabetes, Gov.uk https://www.gov.uk/government/news/38-million-people-in-england-now-have-diabetes

[ii] Ali O. Genetics of type 2 diabetes. World Journal of Diabetes. 2013;4(4):114-123. doi:10.4239/wjd.v4.i4.114. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3746083/

[iii] Cheng-Chieh Lin, Chia-Ing Li, Chiu-Shong Liu et al. Impact of lifestyle-related factors on all-cause specific mortality in patients with type 2 diabetes. Diabetes Care 2017 Nov, vol. 40 no. 11, 105-112. Doi: 10.2337/dc11-0930 http://care.diabetesjournals.org/content/35/1/105

[iv] Parker VG, Mayo RM, Logan BN, et al. Toxins and diabetes mellitus. An environmental connection? Diabetes Spectrum 2002 Apr, vol. 15 no. 2, 109-112. Doi: 10.2337/diaspect.15.2.109 http://spectrum.diabetesjournals.org/content/15/2/109

[v] Diabetes, who.int http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs312/en/

[vi] Willett WC, Mozaffarian D. Trans fats in cardiac and diabetes risk: an overview. Current Cardiovascular Risk Reports 2007 Feb, vol. 1 no. 1, 16-23. Doi: 10.1007/s12170-007-0004-x https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s12170-007-0004-x

[vii] Hu FB. Sedentary lifestyle and risk of obesity and type 2 diabetes. Lipids 2003 Feb;38(2):103-8 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12733740

[viii] Akter S, Okazaki H, Kuwahara K, et al. Smoking, Smoking Cessation, and the Risk of Type 2 Diabetes among Japanese Adults: Japan Epidemiology Collaboration on Occupational Health Study. Niaura R, ed. PLoS ONE. 2015;10(7):e0132166. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0132166. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4511672/

[ix] Knutson KL, Van Cauter E. Associations between sleep loss and increased risk of obesity and diabetes. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences. 2008;1129:287-304. doi:10.1196/annals.1417.033. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4394987/

[x] Nygren K, Hammarstrom A, Rolandsson O. Binge drinking and total alcohol consumption from 16 to 43 years of age are associated with elevated fasting plasma glucose in women: results from the northern Swedish cohort study. BMC Public Health 2017 Jun, 17:509. Doi: 10.1186/s12889-017-4437-y https://bmcpublichealth.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12889-017-4437-y

[xi] Mekary RA, Giovannucci E, Willett WC, van Dam RM, Hu FB. Eating patterns and type 2 diabetes risk in men: breakfast omission, eating frequency, and snacking. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 2012;95(5):1182-1189. doi:10.3945/ajcn.111.028209. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3325839/

[xii] Sami W, Ansari T, Butt NS, Hamid MRA. Effect of diet on type 2 diabetes mellitus: A review. International Journal of Health Sciences. 2017;11(2):65-71. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5426415/

[xiii] Li M, Fan Y, Zhang X, et al. Fruit and vegetable intake and risk of type 2 diabetes mellitus: meta-analysis of prospective cohort studies.BMJ Open 2014 Nov 5;4(11):e005497. Doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2014-005497 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25377009

[xiv] Udupa AS, Nahar PS, Shah SH, et al. Study of comparative effects of antioxidants on insulin sensitivity in type 2 diabetes mellitus.Journal of Clinical and Diagnostic Research 2012 Nov;6(9):1469-73. Doi: 10.7860/JCDR/2012/4464.2535 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23285432

[xv] Du H, Li L, Bennett D, et al. Fresh fruit consumption in relation to incident diabetes and diabetic vascular complications: a 7-y prospective study of 0.5 million Chinese adults. PLoS Medicine 2017 Apr. Doi: 10.1371/journal.pmed.1002279 http://journals.plos.org/plosmedicine/article?id=10.1371/journal.pmed.1002279

[xvi] Fung TT, Hu FB, Pereira MA, et al. Whole-grain intake and the risk of type 2 diabetes: a prospective study in men. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 2002 Sep, vol. 76 no. 3, 535-540. http://ajcn.nutrition.org/content/76/3/535.full

[xvii] Liese AD, Roach AK, Sparks KC, et al. Whole-grain intake and insulin sensitivity: the insulin resistance atherosclerosis study. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 2003 Nov, vol.78 no.5, 965-971. http://ajcn.nutrition.org/content/78/5/965.full

[xviii] Leieune MP, Westerterp KR, Adam TC, et al. Ghrelin and glucagon-like peptide 1 concentrations, 24-h satiety, and energy and substrate metabolism during a high-protein diet and measured in a respiration chamber. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 2006 Jan:83(1):89-94 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16400055/

[xix] Fleckenstein A. 17 Herbs and Spices That Fight Diabetes. Rodale Wellness 2015 Jan 12.

[xx] Parham M, Heidari S, Khorramirad A, et al. Effects of pistachio nut supplementation on blood glucose in patients with type 2 diabetes: a randomized crossover trial. The Review of Diabetic Studies 2014 Summer;11(2):190-6. Doi: 10.1900/RDS.2014.11.190 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25396407

[xxi] Winnick JJ, Sherman WM, Habash DL, et al. Short-term aerobic exercise training in obese humans with type 2 diabetes mellitus improves whole-body insulin sensitivity through gains in peripheral, not hepatic insulin sensitivity. Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism 2008 Mar;93(3):771-8. Doi: 10.1210/jc.2007-1524 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18073312/

[xxii] Williams B. The hypertension in diabetes study (HDS): a catalyst for change. Diabetic Medicine 2008 Aug:25 Suppl 2:13-9. Doi: 10.1111/j.1464-5491.2008.02506.x https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18717973

[xxiii] Dimeo F, Pagonas N, Seibert F, et al. Aerobic exercise reduces blood pressure in resistant hypertension. Hypertension 2012 Aug, vol.60 no.3, 653-658. Doi: 10.1161/hypertensionaha.112.197780 http://hyper.ahajournals.org/content/60/3/653

[xxiv] McMillan DE. The effect of diabetes on blood flow properties. Diabetes 1983 May;32 Suppl 2:56-63 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/6400669

[xxv] Bangsbo J, Hellsten Y. Muscle blood flow and oxygen uptake in recovery from exercise. Acta Physiologica Scandinavica 1998 Mar;162(3):305-12. Doi: 10.1046/j.1365-201X.1998.0331e.x https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9578376

[xxvi] Ross R, Dagnone D, Jones PJ, et al. Reduction in obesity and related comorbid conditions after diet-induced weight loss or exercise-induced weight loss in men. A randomized, controlled trial. Annals of Internal Medicine 2000 Jul 18;133(2):92-103 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10896648/

[xxvii] Craft LL, Perna FM. The benefits of exercise for the clinically depressed. Primary Care Companion to the Journal of Clinical Psychiatry2004;6(3):104-111 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15361924/

[xxviii] Bolz L, Heigele S, Bischofberger J. Running improves pattern separation during novel object recognition. Brain Plasticity 2015, vol.1 no.1, 129-141 https://content.iospress.com/articles/brain-plasticity/bpl150010

[xxix] Kline CE. The bidirectional relationship between exercise and sleep: Implications for exercise adherence and sleep improvement. American journal of lifestyle medicine. 2014;8(6):375-379. doi:10.1177/1559827614544437. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4341978/

[xxx] Balducci S, Zanuso S, Nicolucci A, et al. Effect of an intensive exercise intervention strategy on modifiable cardiovascular risk factors in subjects with type 2 diabetes mellitus: a randomized controlled trial: the Italian diabetes and Exercise Study (IDES). Archives of Internal Medicine 2010 Nov 8;170(20):1794-803. Doi: 10.1001/archinternmed.2010.380. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21059972/

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