How To Reverse Diabetes With Natural Treatments

There are certain natural treatments and ways that can help you reverse diabetes and manage your diabetes health better.

Can diabetes be reversed?

While there is no permanent cure to treat diabetes for life, especially in type 2 diabetes, certain people can reverse diabetes, when combined with the right lifestyle choices.

By adding a dedicated exercise routine to your daily regimen and implementing healthy eating choices, it is possible to manage your blood sugar levels better and bring them within the desired range. Over a period of time, combined with a healthy exercise and diet routine, it can be possible to hold these levels within the desired range and as a result, reverse diabetes.

Now that you know the answer to can diabetes be reversed and what diabetes reversal means. Let’s help you understand how to do it.

How to reverse diabetes

If you have wondered how to reverse diabetes permanently, one of the key elements is to lose weight and manage it better. Here are a few ways in which you can reverse diabetes using natural treatments:

1. Lose and manage your weight

• Losing a few kilos, especially if you have had diabetes only for a few years, can go a long way in helping to reverse diabetes.
• For those who are obese or overweight, losing a significant amount of weight will help in managing blood sugar levels better, and can also help reverse diabetes in the long run, especially if you manage to keep the weight away.
• A good way to start your weight loss journey is to have a mix of daily exercise, for at least 45 minutes a day, as well as combining it with healthier food choices.
• Speak to your nutritionist to form a meal plan that is not only healthy but also delicious and helps you incorporate ingredients as per your taste buds. This will make it easier for you to follow the meal plan and not give up midway.

2. Apple cider vinegar

• Some studies show that adding apple cider vinegar to your regular consumption can have a positive impact on your blood sugar levels.
• Apple cider vinegar is known to keep good control over glycaemic spikes and lows and hence can reduce complications that may arise due to diabetes. Especially if you are recently diagnosed, a comprehensive diabetes reversal plan can help you reverse diabetes.
• One of the main components of apple cider vinegar is acetic acid. Taking 1 or 2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar at bedtime can help to reduce fasting sugar levels in the morning.
• If you take apple cider vinegar during your mealtime, it can also help to reduce the glycaemic load of your food.
• Apple cider vinegar is also known to help with better management of weight, so it can also be a great addition to your routine if you are trying to lose weight.

3. Adding zinc-rich foods to your diet

• Having a good amount of zinc in your regular diet can help to reduce fasting blood glucose.
• In addition, it can also reduce the levels of post-prandial blood glucose two hours post meals
• Zinc can also lower the bad cholesterol that is LDL, as well as total cholesterol levels and triglycerides.
• The strong antioxidant properties of zinc are also good for overall immune health.
• Foods rich in zinc include fish, lean meats, beans, whole grains, low-fat dairy products, and nuts. Adding these to your diet along with exercise, stress & sleep management can help you reverse your diabetes.

4. Adding chromium-rich foods to your diet

• Chromium can be especially good to reduce the levels of blood sugar and help manage them better, thus keeping them within the desired range.
• Chromium is an essential mineral that can help to improve blood sugar metabolism.
• Taking chromium may also help with insulin resistance as well as improve insulin sensitivity.
• As of now, there is no such recommended dietary allowance as to how much chromium you should be taking, so make sure you speak to your nutritionist and diabetes healthcare team.
• Certain foods that are rich in chromium content are grapes, whole wheat, Brazil nuts, green beans, tomatoes, oranges, and apples. Adding these foods to your diet along with a comprehensive diabetes management plan can help you reverse diabetes.

5. Monitoring your blood sugar regularly

• When you have diabetes, regular monitoring of your blood sugar levels will help you understand which foods and lifestyle choices are having a positive impact on your diabetes health, and what to avoid.
• It will also help you understand if you need to adjust any of the medications that you are currently on, or, if there are any deficiencies, it will help you understand the same and add natural supplements to your regular diet.
• Monitoring blood sugar also helps you understand how other lifestyle factors such as exercise, stress, and sleep are affecting your blood sugar. And you can use this data to reverse your diabetes.
• If you wonder how to reverse diabetes, it is important to start by understanding what your body is telling you. You can either use a smart glucometer like Accu-Chek Instant or a Continous Glucose Monitoring Device to do the same.

6. Bitter gourd or karela

• It may taste bitter, hence the name, but when it comes to reversing diabetes, our very own karela, or bitter gourd, can be a sweetly effective natural remedy! However, you should use PGR (personalized glycemic response to understand if it is suitable for you. If you want to reverse diabetes it is important to understand how your body responds to different foods.
• Bitter gourd is loaded with nutrients such as vitamin C, potassium, magnesium, and iron.
• It is a great way to lose weight as well as lowering levels of cholesterol and triglycerides.
• The juice from bitter gourd activates the insulin in your body, which then helps you to use sugar more effectively instead of storing it as fat.
• One of the few anti-diabetic active substances found in the bitter gourd is charantin. This is especially helpful in lowering and better managing blood glucose.
• Bitter gourd also contains a compound known as polypeptide-p or p-insulin, which is very similar to insulin. This also shows positive effects on naturally controlling and managing diabetes.

7. Cut down on processed foods

• Processed foods or white grains cause a spike in your insulin as well as blood glucose levels.
• Limit these from your regular diet as they can interfere with your weight loss efforts and end up causing insulin resistance and more weight gain.
• If you really crave processed foods, try and restrict these to just once a week.
• Find alternative food items that are similar in taste but are healthier, more wholesome, and nutrition-rich.
• Replace white grains with whole grains, white sugar with artificial sweeteners, processed meats with fresh lean meats, and so on.
• However, remember that reversing diabetes is a lifelong endeavor and you need to make healthy choices 80% of the time. It is okay to indulge every once in a while. Moderation is better than restriction.

8. Add these to your regular diet

When you think of the question – How to reverse diabetes, one of the most important aspects is diet. Here is a list of foods that are considered especially beneficial for those who have type 2 diabetes. Not only will these help you manage and control your blood glucose levels better, but they will also aid in weight loss, which is great when you are trying to reverse diabetes naturally:

• Amla or Indian gooseberry
• Nuts and seeds
• Beans
• Legumes
• Green peas
• Chickpeas
• Soy milk and soy-based foods
• Curd
• Low-fat cheese
• Aloe vera
• Drumstick
• Methi or fenugreek
• Daalcheeni or cinnamon
• Green leafy vegetables
• Garlic
• Strawberries
• Apples
• Bananas
• Beetroots

Before you incorporate any of the above into your routine, we suggest you speak to your diabetes health care team and nutritionist to get their go-ahead, so that it does not interfere with your current diabetes management and care plan. It is important to understand that the only answer to how to reverse diabetes permanently is to make lifestyle changes that you can sustain.