Plant-based Diet Reduces Effects of Diabetes
Nearly 10% of the population in the United States suffers from the devastating disease of diabetes. Although medication and exercise can help to counter some of the negative effects of type II diabetes, the risks of heart attack, stroke, kidney damage, neuropathy, and vision loss remain high.
The American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists and the American College of Endocrinology released guidelines stating that, “People with diabetes should strive to attain and maintain an optimal weight primarily through a plant-based meal plan.”
The results of their recent meta-study, derived from 11 randomized control trials with approximately 450 participants, published in the journal BMJ, showed that diabetics who ate a primarily plant-based diet experienced significant improvements in both their physical and emotional health.
Nerve pain, fasting glucose levels, triglycerides, and cholesterol levels all improved among participants who reduced their intake of animal products and switched to a more plant-based diet regimen.
Previous research has demonstrated that limiting the intake of animal products can reduce the risk of developing type II diabetes and help people who already have diabetes control their blood sugar levels. This new study adds further evidence to this conclusion.
Interestingly, this study helped a establish a link between depression and diabetes that was not appreciated until recently.
The conclusion of the authors was that moving towards a plant-based diet is a relatively simple and inexpensive way to improve one’s overall health and, in particular, the risk of diabetes.
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