Lifestyle Changes Cut Diabetes Risk in Half
Lifestyle Changes Cut Diabetes Risk in Half
At the link above, there is an interesting discussion on the latest research confirming, once again, that “lifestyle interventions seem to be at least as effective as drug treatment” in preventing the progression from pre-diabetes to Type II Diabetes. In other words, as we talk about so often here, lifestyle choices can reverse insulin resistance.
I love to read Dr. Mercola’s work in general, but I think the advice he gives is too extreme for most people. His advice to eliminate all grains and sugars just isn’t a realistic option for most people. Not that it wouldn’t help insulin resistance, but just that it’s way too hard for a “normal person” to simply stop eating grains and sugar. Stress, something most children and adults are experiencing in heavy doses, creates a direct craving for sugary treats. Trying to fight against that with will power isn’t going to get the job done for most people.
The HRH Program is designed to have the same effect on pre-diabetic insulin resistance over a longer time frame. If you exercise using the heart rate zones in the HRH Program, your stress levels diminish, your body utilizes insulin better, and you stop having the cravings for sugars that you’re used to.
Most people find it’s a lot more pleasurable to reduce their insulin resistance this way than just to try to stop cold turkey. Of course, Dr. Mercola as recommends exercise–and a good form of it, at that. I’ve just found that trying to do it all at once creates a lot more failure than success. On the other hand, letting your body adjust gradually seems to create a lot of success in losing weight and reversing pre-diabetes.