Diabetes Vegetarian Diet

Diabetes is a health risk that affects 18.9 million people and 6.3 percent of the population in America today. More and more people are turning to a vegetarian diet to help control their need for insulin. A vegetarian diet is lower in fats, oils, sugars and processed foods than the Standard Western Diet.

Diabetes is the medical name given to the condition where the body can no longer use insulin to burn sugar or no longer produces enough insulin (there are two types of diabetes). In either case, a persons blood sugar rises and can cause serious damage to the blood vessels, liver, cardiac disease, stroke and ultimately lead to a coma state and death.

Case studies and research have shown that people who follow a vegan diet for 22 weeks reduce the need to take medication. Of course this should always be followed with regular blood tests and with the consultation of your regular doctor.

Diabetes isn’t cheap – for patients or the insurance companies. Patient supplies and medications are long-term financial issues that can significantly impact a patient’s savings. Insurance companies may pay for supplies but only after the deductible is met. Insurance companies also have increased costs with the long-term complications of the disease.

Vegetarian diets have been shown to be helpful in the treatment and long-term effects of diabetes. Medical research shows that there is a 50 percent less chance that vegetarians will develop heart disease and have the lowest rate of coronary artery disease of any group, a secondary effect of diabetes. Those that follow a vegan diet are also nine times less likely to become obese, a significant side effect that can lead to diabetes.

The diabetic condition can and will change with vegetarian diet and lifestyle alterations. The amount the condition worsens or gets better depends on the amount of change a person is willing to work through. Remember – we eat to live and don’t live to eat.

Vegetarian diets are an easy holistic and natural way to make a positive impact on the treatment and management of your diabetes. The long-term medical complications from diabetes have a considerable negative effect on health and every day functioning. Long-term effects include kidney failure, coronary artery disease, stroke, heart attack, peripheral vascular disease and sciatic nerve damage.

Only you can make a decision to change the course of your illness. Vegetarian diets will make that change and help you to fill a full and healthy life.

Resources:

American Diabetes Association: Meal Planning for Vegetarian Diets

http://www.diabetes.org/food-and-fitness/food/planning-meals/meal-planning-for-vegetarians/

Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine: The Vegan Diet How -To Guide for Diabetes

http://www.pcrm.org/health/diabetes-resources/the-vegan-diet-how-to-guide-for-diabetes

MayoClinic: Could Switching to a Vegetarian Diet Cure my diabetes

http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/diabetes/expert-answers/diabetes/faq-20058117

The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition: Type 2 Diabetes and the Vegetarian Diet

http://ajcn.nutrition.org/content/78/3/610S.full

Josline Diabetes Center: Making Sure Your Vegetarian Diet is Nutritionally Adequate

https://www.joslin.org/info/Making_sure_your_vegetarian_diet_is_nutritionally_adequate.html

The Vegetarian Resource Group: The Vegabetic