The Atkins Diet And Diabetes
Diabetes exists in two forms, type 1 and type 2. Type 1diabetes is a condition that individuals are born with. Essentially, individuals with type 1 diabetes are insulin-dependent, meaning that their body does not produce insulin and they therefore have to take insulin injections in order to help maintain the appropriate levels in their body. Type 2 diabetes is a condition that can develop over time and is related in part to an individual’s lifestyle. Those with type 2 diabetes must constantly monitor and maintain their blood sugar levels, usually through diet and exercise.
For individuals with type 2 diabetes, a low-carb diet like the Atkins diet can be very beneficial to their overall health. The main lifestyle change that an individual with type 2 diabetes needs to make is to control their blood sugar levels by controlling the amount of sugars and carbohydrates that they consume. The Atkins diet is perfect for these individuals since it helps them control the amount of carbohydrates that they consume on a daily basis.
The requirements for the Atkins diet are that participants consume very low levels of carbohydrates every day. The diet sets the level of carbohydrates to be consumed at no more than 20 grams per day. Slowly and over the course of the diet, participants can raise their carbohydrate levels to 40 or even 60 grams per day.
The benefit of the Atkins diet for individuals with type 2 diabetes is that it basically allows the participants to handle two situations at one time. On one hand, dieters are managing their weight by managing their carb intake. On the other hand, by managing their carb intake for weight loss purposes, they are also making sure that they keep their type 2 diabetes under control.
There are a few warnings that experts give to anyone with type 2 diabetes that is considering taking on something like the Atkins diet. Some experts have found that diets high in protein can actually overstress and overload the kidneys, often leading to damage that can result in kidney failure. Sine individuals with diabetes are already prone to suffering from kidney disease, a diet that places added stress on the kidneys is something that should be undertaken with caution.
The other cautionary statement associated with a low-carb diet has to do with the low carb nature of the diet itself. With a maximum allowable level of carbs set at no more than 20 grams per day during the Atkins diet induction phase, there is the increased risk that an individual who is not careful will see his or her carbohydrate levels drop to dangerous levels. In some cases, individuals who have their blood sugar levels drop to very low levels because of a low-carb diet often run the risk of passing out or developing tremors. In some cases, individuals on low-carb diets like the Atkins diet have had their blood sugar levels drop so low that they have even fallen into diabetic comas.
When it comes to the association between the Atkins diet an individuals with type 2 diabetes, most experts agree that the main benefit is the very nature of having to watch the number of carbs that are consumed. Since high levels of carbohydrates can make a type 2 diabetes situation much worse than it is or has to be, it is natural to believe that a diet that controls the level of carb consumed will be able to help a person with type 2 diabetes. Despite the cautions and warnings from experts, a low-carb lifestyle is certainly not a bad move for anyone with type 2 diabetes to consider.
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Sources Of Low-Carb Diet Recipes
With the rise in the popularity of the Atkins diet, there are literally hundreds of
