RDs know how powerful nutrition therapy can be for managing diabetes
and lowering the risk of its associated long-term complications. Since
type 2 diabetes is characterized by elevated blood sugar levels caused
by impaired insulin sensitivity, eventually accompanied by insufficient
pancreatic insulin production, it seems intuitive that controlling
dietary carbohydrates, the main nutrient that directly influences
glycemia, would be a logical dietary approach for diabetes management.
For that reason, low-carbohydrate diets have constituted the standard
treatment for type 2 diabetes for centuries. Since the advent of
insulin-sensitizing drugs and oral hypoglycemic agents, however,
nutritional guidelines have evolved and the current diet for diabetes
now is relatively high in carbohydrates. But could some patients and
clients with type 2 diabetes benefit from adopting a lower-carbohydrate
approach?
The Duke study also showed potential of low-carb diets to optimize
glycemic control.2 Although both diets in the study resulted in
significant improvements, hemoglobin A1c decreased more in the low-carb
group compared with the low-glycemic group (-1.5% vs. -0.5%),
independent of weight loss. Within the study period, almost all
subjects in the low-carb group (95.2%) reduced or eliminated their
diabetes medications compared with only 62% in the low-glycemic group.
Dietitians now can offer low-carb diets as an option for their clients
with type 2 diabetes, helping them focus on nutrient-rich foods to
ensure nutritional adequacy. Working in concert with physicians also is
important to allow timely adjustments of medications, especially
insulin, oral hypoglycemic agents, and hypotensive medications, and the
regular monitoring of the health risk profile.
Full article here.
2 comments:
If only they all had the freedom to recommend lowcarb to their clients.
Its good news that so many are now speaking out about it. I look forward to the day a lowcarb diet has, at least, an equal footing with the Gi diet in the information given to the newly diagnosed.
Kath
It is good news that more dietitians are willing to talk and recommend more freely. Still room to grow.
Kate
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