Can The Diabetes Diet Save Your Life ?

Did you know that approximately a quarter of all Americans are suffering from full blown Type 2 diabetes or pre-diabetes (syndrome X)? Diabetes has become an epidemic that allopathic (traditional western) medicine has been unable to halt. Ninety percent of diabetic patients have difficulty managing glucose levels using drugs that can have serious side effects.

The Diabetes Diet, created by Dr Richard Bernstein, may well be the best diet for everyone, not just diabetics. The reason for this is that it has the potential to not only control diabetic symptoms, but also to reverse them.

The Diabetes Diet has had enormous success - without side effects!

One of the major difficulties people have in recognizing they have the symptoms of diabetes is that they occur gradually. In fact, for the first couple of years, there may be no symptoms at all. Yet, once a person has Type 2 diabetes, they are at serious risk of life threatening complications if they do not carefully follow the low-carbohydrate Diabetes Diet prescribed by Bernstein.

Type 2 diabetes is largely a lifestyle disease and, unfortunately, far too few people understand how extremely dangerous it is. Consequently, patients are often far too casual about getting regular medical check ups to check on blood sugar levels and general health.

Not only do many sufferers find it extremely difficult to radically alter their diet from western convenience foods to the Diabetes Diet containing whole nutritious foods, avoiding sugar and fat as much as possible, they often become depressed and anxious and paralyzed by negative emotions. This can keep them from taking the very actions required to improve their health and keep them alive. It also suppresses the motivation necessary to undertake a regular exercise program.

This diet for Diabetics was created to control blood sugar levels in diabetics, however it clearly benefits everyone. The diet focuses on eating protein, good fat and complex carbohydrates found in whole grains and fruit and vegetables.

By eating this way, people can avoid the fluctuating blood sugar levels caused by a high carbohydrate (simple carbohydrates). Bernstein describes the modern Western diet as SAD (standard American diet) and claims it has directly caused a massive increase in obesity, high blood pressure and damage to the lining of the blood vessels.

Dr. Bernstein, who has Type 1 diabetes, did not experience a healthy life until he devised his own diet to regulate his blood sugar levels. Many diabetics, both Type 1 and Type 2, have experienced a balancing of blood sugar levels and an overall improvement in health and well being after going on The Diabetes Diet. In fact, Bernstein claims that sticking to this diet for as little as two weeks can provide an enormous benefit. Once you have experienced this, he believes you'll never want to go back to SAD.

While Type 2 diabetes can be caused by some medications, it is usually a direct result of poor nutrition, inadequate exercise and a diet high in sugar and fat. Therefore, it is probably unrealistic to expect that a person can change the habits of a lifetime overnight.

Yet, this is what must happen to improve the lives and futures of type 2 diabetics. Health must become the top priority. The Diabetes Diet provides an excellent map to reclaiming health.

Change is necessary and must not be avoided. However, neither should it be so overwhelming that the patient can't cope with the thought of it. The answer is to make gradual, but consistent, changes in lifestyle.

For example, the first step might be to start walking every day. Just go as far as comfortable and try for a little more the next day. Drink more water. Cut out all fast foods. These changes would be radical enough for most Type 2 diabetics but, in fact, they don't go far enough.

However, doing them will improve health and mood and put the patient in a more positive and hopeful frame of mind so they can take further steps. If they continue, eventually, the patient's lifestyle will be completely overhauled and internal resistance to these changes will have been limited. It is certainly possible to eat according to this weight loss program without undue suffering.

The answer to positive lifelong change in a person's lifestyle lies in their own motivation. It is possible to encourage that motivation through gradual, supportive change. The Diabetes Diet provides the guidance and support a lot of people need.