Study: A Treatment Plan to Control Diabetes without Medication

What would happen if you quit taking medications to control blood sugar levels? You probably don’t need a reminder about what the warning signs look like when diabetes gets out of control.

But could the right combination of lifestyle changes and elevated metabolism help? A new study suggests that it may be possible to reverse type 2 diabetes, at least temporarily.

In the study, researchers followed a group of 27 patients for 16 weeks. One group received drug therapy to help increase metabolism. The same group closely followed a lifestyle intervention plan for eating and exercise designed to promote weight loss and control blood sugar levels.

By the end of the 16-weeks, 70 percent of the participants had achieved normal blood sugar levels. Researchers wanted to find out if the treatment plan could keep diabetes in remission. Long-term, this approach wasn’t quite as successful, but still shows promise. At 52 weeks, about 21 percent of the participants still had normal blood sugar levels.

For the 29 million people who have diabetes, and the 86 million who have prediabetes, this study is important because it suggests that diabetes isn’t a permanent disease. If you have diabetes, or show risk factors for developing it, talk to your doctor. Medication can help. But it’s clear that lifestyle habits like diet, exercise, and weight management can have a significant impact on controlling and preventing diabetes.

Need help with following a Diabetic-Friendly diet? It’s not as hard as you might think. You can still eat a lot of great-tasting Like Beef Bourguignon, Chicken Parmigiana, Roast Turkey with Gravy, Cheese Tortellini & Chicken, Stuffed Peppers, along with brown rice and plenty of nutrient-dense vegetables. And it doesn’t have to take you hours to prepare. In fact, you can have a healthy, gourmet meal ready in minutes. Yum.