Low-carb diets are more effective
Diet is a key part of diabetes care, but what kind of diet is good for diabetes?
A recent study found that a low-carbohydrate diet of 1400 kilocalories per day and a low-calorie diet helped control blood sugar more effectively than a low-fat diet of the same calorie content. A low-carb diet is one in which you eat less than 50 grams of carbohydrates a day, which helps raise the amount of good cholesterol while lowering the amount of bad cholesterol, thus reducing the risk of diseases such as heart disease.
After 6 months, patients in the low-carbohydrate diet group had reduced the amount of medication used to treat them compared to the low-fat diet group.
Seeking help from a friend
Diabetes can be better managed with the help of a friend.
In a study involving more than 75,000 people with diabetes, the odds of an eventual hospitalization or severe hypoglycemia or hyperglycemia during an acute episode were lower for patients who had received group diabetes education rather than individual counseling.
In addition, they were less likely to develop diabetes-related foot ulcers and skin infections, and were more likely to have access to the latest screening tests and information about how to take the right medications.