Expert tips to manage type 2 diabetes
Professor Peter Clifton is an Endocrinologist as well as a Professor of Nutrition at the University of South Australia. He’s held prestigious posts at CSIRO and at Baker IDI Heart and Diabetes Institute.
In our ageing population, there is a silent disease that slowly causes significant injury to many Australians. It often has no symptoms or pain in the early stages, and often seniors may sometimes mistake the early signs of diabetes – such as urinating excessively and feeling thirsty, tired and lethargic – as part of the normal ageing process.
Type 2 diabetes has reached epidemic levels, here at home and abroad. It’s one the fastest growing diseases in the world, with more than 422 million sufferers worldwide and now affects people of every age.
As people reach their 60’s, they are not only at higher risk of type 2 diabetes, but they are also more likely to be impacted by the consequences – vision impairment, vascular damage and even amputations.
As a result, older people may go undiagnosed until damage has been done. However, being aware that type 2 diabetes is a possibility and understanding some of the latest research can help everyone live the lifestyle that ensures the terrible consequences of the disease can be kept at bay.
While diabetes cannot be cured, we know that a healthy diet and active lifestyle are important components in its management. But anyone who has ever tried sticking to a strict diet knows how confusing it can be to understand what will work for them and how difficult it can be to maintain changes in the long term. This can be especially difficult for older adults who have developed eating habits over decades.
And from all the research, it is clear that there is not one diet or exercise regimen that will work for everyone, but working with your doctor to develop a comprehensive approach will help slow diabetes progression, even for those who are not yet diagnosed.
Luckily, research has shown that making smaller adjustments to your diet may be more effective than trying to stick with drastic changes.
Small steps toward a big improvement
Studies from Finland and the US have found that some simple things can make a lasting impact on type 2 diabetes, such as:
- A modest weight loss and adding some exercise.
- An increase in fibre and polyunsaturated fat in the diet.
- Consuming less saturated fat
Together these can produce a dramatic reduction in type 2 diabetes, lasting even for more than a decade.
But some of the most exciting research has focused on manipulating the way the stomach empties and the way the pancreas releases insulin in order to better manage type 2 diabetes. Because what appears to be important is the ‘blood glucose spike’ effect that meals create on insulin release, that over time leads to much of the harm from the disease.
Previous attempts to help people manage their diabetes in this way have always been difficult – either the doses were too high or the mixtures unpalatable for daily use. However, Australian researchers have found a way to offer a simple pre-meal drink that delivers the benefits, in a form that can be easily incorporated into daily living. This was achieved by using a smaller but equally effective dose of protein and a soluble fibre in the form of a drink called GlucoControl. Taken before meals, this drink lowers the glycaemic index of meals by up to 38 per cent and offers a much simpler and effective way to lower GI when compared with strict diets.
Often radically changing diets can be a challenge, and sometimes people want variety in what they eat. By having a method of simply adding a small drink up to 30 minutes before their meal, people can have increased confidence that they are doing the right thing in managing and controlling their type-2 diabetes.
It really is an important step in establishing an easier way to prevent and delaying the progression of type 2 diabetes for those with pre-diabetes or well-controlled diabetes.
If you have type-2 diabetes – or believe that you may be at risk – talk to your health professional now.
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