Follow a low-carb diet to prevent Type 2 diabetes

A diagnosis of Type 2 diabetes doesn’t mean the end of the world. Patients may manage their metabolic condition or even prevent it altogether by sticking to a healthy diet with low-carbohydrate foods.

In Australia, a groundbreaking study called for a revamp of existing interventions for Type 2 diabetes. Instead of aiming for management, it urged patients and healthcare providers to force the disease into remission.

The report cited a low-carb diet as one of the most effective methods of achieving diabetes remission.

The Education and Health Standing Committee of the Western Australian parliament devised and presented the document. They called for a total revision of the official dietary recommendations given to recently diagnosed patients with Type 2 diabetes.

As of the time of this writing, Australians who have developed this form of diabetes get advised to follow the country’s standard dietary guidelines. However, the said guidelines include foods rich in starch – bread, pasta, and rice.

Needless to say, starchy foods and diabetes do not go well together. High-carb foods increase blood glucose levels, which aggravates the already volatile conditions of diabetics. (Related: Living up to its name: Can self-heal reduce diabetes complications?)

New report warns diabetes patients to avoid starchy foods recommended by the Australian Dietary Guidelines

Dr. David Unwin is one of the many Australian healthcare providers who champions the cause of low-carb diets and foods. He ran numerous experiments that demonstrated how carbohydrate-rich food might harm human health, including the health of people with diabetes.

Unwin assisted the U.K.’s National Health Service (NHS) in developing its Low Carb Program app for patients with Type 2 diabetes, prediabetes, and obesity. His work earned him the NHS Innovator of the Year award in 2006.

During their research for the new report, Unwin and other members of the Australian committee paid a visit to the U.K. During meetings with his counterparts, Unwin talked about his groundbreaking approach to preventing diabetes through low-carb diets.

Their report is called “’The Food Fix: The role of diet in type 2 diabetes prevention and management‘.” It states that the Australian Dietary Guidelines does not suit the health needs of patients with diabetes, whose medical condition forces them to look for specialized dietary advice.

Therefore, patients with diabetes must avoid the Australian Dietary Guidelines and look for different diets that will help manage their health conditions.

But Unwin’s report also offers hope for people with Type 2 diabetes. It confirms the possibility of forcing the illness to go into remission. Patients won’t have to put up with the symptoms of the progressive, chronic disease for the rest of their lives.

Low-carb diets will help force diabetes into remission without costing as much

“We need to encourage people to focus on what and how much should be eaten to ensure a healthy future, not simply telling them what they cannot consume,” explained Western Australian official Janine Marie, the chair of the report.

Marie banked on the considerable reputation of her associate Unwin. The latter healthcare expert strongly believed in prescribing healthy lifestyle choices to his patients instead of pharmaceutical drugs.

Unwin urged people to drop carbohydrate-rich foods. Instead, he advised them to switch to meals that deliver the same nutrient levels while also reducing the glycemic index, such as vegetables, whole grains, and plant-based foods.

So far, he has saved more than $70,000 (£57,000) on prescriptions for patients with Type 2 diabetes.

“This is the message from UK low carbohydrate diet advocate, Dr David Unwin: not one of deprivation but one of replacement, rebalancing and flourishing through food choices that ensure blood glucose levels remain stable, putting consumers in control,” said Marie.

Sources include:

Diabetes.co.uk

Parliament.wa.gov.au [PDF]