This blog post was written by Kristen Peairs, Nutritionist and Meditation Facilitator at Nivati. You can see more of their content on the Nivati platform and on the Nivati blog. If you want to learn more about Nivati, click here. 

When we receive the diagnosis of type 2 diabetes, it’s natural to want to know how to reverse it. Luckily, there are many strategies that support this goal. What are the strategies for reversing type 2 diabetes? How do we assess which strategies are right for us? Let’s dive in and take a look!

The top three areas of health to examine for reversing type 2 diabetes are…

1. Diet

2. Exercise

3. Stress

Diet, exercise, and stress all impact our body’s blood glucose level.

Indications of Diabetes

If our doctor sees our fasting blood glucose level is above 126 mg/dL and our A1c is above 6.4, we will likely receive a diagnosis of diabetes. As a reminder, fasting blood glucose measures the amount of glucose in our body after not eating for 8-10 hours. The A1c is a measure of blood glucose levels over a period of 3 months. Just because our fasting glucose level and/or our A1c are high right now, doesn’t mean they have to stay that way. With some extra attention to diet and lifestyle, we have the power to support our body in lowering its glucose level naturally.

Co-Occurring Health Conditions

A diagnosis of type 2 diabetes often comes with concerns about obesity, high cholesterol, and high blood pressure. Luckily, tending to our diet, exercise, and stress can result in the reversal of these conditions, too.

Diet Makes a Difference

One of the first strategies to examine for reversal of type 2 diabetes is diet. The foods and beverages we consume affect our body’s blood glucose level. Since most of us have the power to choose what goes in our mouth, theoretically, all we need is the knowledge to make the best choices. Granted, it’s not always that simple, but let’s zoom in on these five basics.

Focus on Fiber:
Fiber slows the body’s absorption of glucose. Slower absorption means less glucose in the bloodstream. Foods that contain fiber come from plants, so fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, and seeds are all viable options for increasing dietary fiber. To get started with adding more fiber, choose whole grain bread rather than white bread and snack on fruit rather than candy.

Eat at regular intervals:
When we eat at regular intervals – every 4-5 hours - we train our body to be ready to receive food. This helps with blood glucose modulation and decreases stress on your system.

Choose low fat:
Regularly consuming higher fat foods is linked to increased chances of chronically elevated blood sugar. Choose lean options such as sauteed chicken breasts, grilled fish, and baked potato rather than fried chicken, fried fish, and French fries. Baked foods will almost always be healthier than fried foods. If you’re a sucker for the crunch of ‘fried,’ try cooking with an air fryer. Air fried foods contain up to 75% less fat than their oil fried counterparts.

Avoid Alcohol:
Alcohol can raise or lower blood glucose depending on the type of beverage being consumed. Hard spirits like gin and whisky can result in low blood glucose. Symptoms of low blood glucose are dizziness, confusion, excessive hunger, and fatigue.  Beer, sweet wine, and mixed drinks can raise blood glucose.

Eliminate sugary beverages:
Sugary beverages such as soda and energy drinks have an abundance of refined sugar and contain no vitamins, minerals, or fiber to slow its absorption or aid in its processing. When the urge to reach for a sugary beverage strikes, taking a moment to assess why we want the beverage can help us to make a better choice. If we want a sweet taste, we can reach for a fruit. If we want an energy boost, we can choose coffee, tea, or diet soda. If we want hydration, we can choose still water or flavored fizzy water. With a little extra thought and creativity, we can meet our craving and support our health at the same time.

Exercise is Essential

Movement helps lower blood glucose levels for up to 24 hours. While all movement/exercise isn’t created equal, in general, any kind of movement is better than no movement at all.

Aerobic Exercise:

Research shows that 150 minutes of aerobic exercise spread over three days a week is an ideal amount of movement to help cells be more receptive to insulin. When cells are more receptive to insulin, blood glucose levels are more likely to stay in a healthy range.

Yoga:
Yoga is an ancient mindfulness practice that includes many exercises that help optimize body function. A substantial amount of research supports that yoga is beneficial for helping with blood glucose control.‍‍

Stress Less

Stress negatively impacts blood sugar levels. Life is always going to give us reasons to feel stressed, but how we handle the stress can change everything. Sometimes, learning new ways to process life’s stressors is what truly makes the difference in reversing diabetes. Here are some strategies.

Sleep:
Yes! Good old sleep helps our bodies be resilient amidst stressful situations. Whether we need to find time for a quick nap, add extra hours to our extended slumber, or talk with our doctor about a sleep aid, it’s important to do what we can to help our body get the downtime it needs.

Mindfulness Practices:
The purpose of doing mindfulness practices is to become present and tuned in to what is happening in the present moment. Through increasing our presence, we increase our ability to stay afloat during life’s chaos. A few practices that support mindfulness are meditation, journaling, and nature walking. If you are looking for a coordinated program to help you experience a variety of mindfulness practices, look into Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR).

Hydration:
Lack of adequate fluid intake can increase feelings of stress and anxiety. Keep your bottled water handy!

Let’s Get Started!

Now that you know the three primary areas of health that affect blood glucose levels, and have read through many strategies for reversing type 2 diabetes, where do you want to start – diet, exercise, or stress?

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