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Eating a healthy diet and regular exercise can help reverse prediabetes.
In 2021, a 59-year-old man with type 2 diabetes underwent a cell transplant and has been medication-free since 2022. While this is promising, research still needs to be conducted to determine the long-term effects and viability of such treatments.
In one study, participants with type 2 diabetes aimed for 10,000 steps a day, 2.5 hours of moderate exercise per week, and reduced caloric intake. As a result, more than half of the participants achieved near-normal blood sugar levels without diabetes medication.
Supplements also can't cure type 2 diabetes and some natural supplements may interact dangerously with diabetes medication.
Research has shown that intermittent fasting can help manage chronic diseases more effectively, but studies have only been conducted over a few months. It's unclear whether these benefits would continue if the diet were continued long-term.
Natural therapies such as progressive muscle relaxation and deep abdominal breathing can help relieve stress, which can negatively affect your blood sugar levels. However, natural therapies can't cure diabetes.
Diabetic neuropathy, a type of nerve damage that can occur if you have diabetes, cannot be reversed as the nerves can't be repaired.
Diabetic retinopathy (an eye condition that can cause vision loss and blindness in people who have diabetes) can be reversed via medication.
High blood sugar levels indicative of type 2 diabetes can reappear due to weight gain, stress, or a continued functional decline of the cells that make insulin.
Some research has also shown that high-intensity interval training may be effective in improving glucose levels.
Healthcare experts recommend that someone with type 2 diabetes engage in at least 150 minutes of moderate to vigorous activity per week.
Even if a person's type 2 diabetes is reversed or in remission, continuous monitoring is still needed as blood sugar levels indicative of type 2 diabetes can reappear.
The Mediterranean diet (a diet rich in healthy fats) and intermittent fasting have been shown to help control type 2 diabetes.
Those with type 2 diabetes should also do two or three sessions of resistance training per week.
According to the diabetes plate method, half of the plate should be filled with a non-starchy vegetable, and the other two quarters are divided between lean protein and carbohydrates.
With the help of a healthcare provider, those with type 2 diabetes can find the best diet that works for them. In general, it's recommended to eat a diet rich in non-starchy vegetables, whole grains, and unprocessed foods.
Being overweight or having obesity is a risk factor for type 2 diabetes. While losing weight can be achieved through lifestyle changes, weight loss surgery is an alternative option.
While reversal and remission are possible, a cure for type 2 diabetes is not. Blood sugar levels can return to diabetes levels even after achieving reversal or remission.
Pre-diabetes blood sugar levels are determined through a hemoglobin A1C (HbA1C) test, which indicates the average blood sugar levels over the past three months.
Type 2 diabetes will be marked as in remission after having pre-diabetes blood sugar levels for three months without the use of blood-sugar-lowering medication.
Managing blood sugar levels is crucial for individuals with type 2 diabetes, and this can be effectively achieved through a combination of diet and exercise.
Type 2 diabetes is considered to be reversed when blood sugar levels return to the levels they had been at before the diabetes diagnosis.
If left untreated, high blood sugar can cause heart disease, vision loss, and kidney disease.
The cells in people with type 2 diabetes don't respond to insulin as they should, which can lead to high blood sugar.
Type 2 diabetes occurs when the body doesn't produce enough insulin (a hormone created in the pancreas that processes sugar and uses it for energy), or doesn't use insulin well.
Diabetes medication lowers blood sugar levels and can help in the initial reversal of type 2 diabetes.
The sugar in blood comes from carbohydrates, so the more carbs you eat, the higher your blood sugar might be.
Bariatric surgery, or weight loss surgery, can immediately improve glucose levels in patients with obesity.
A recent study has shown that eating at least five small servings of dark chocolate weekly may lower the risk of type 2 diabetes by 21%. The risk decreases as chocolate consumption rises from none to five servings.
Cacao is the raw, less-processed form of chocolate and contains the highest levels of flavanols, which act as antioxidants and help reduce inflammation that can trigger or worsen chronic conditions like heart disease and diabetes.
Sources: (Health) (WebMD)
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But is it possible to reverse the condition? Find out by clicking through this informative gallery.
Can you reverse type 2 diabetes?
Find out if this chronic disease is curable
HEALTH Chronic disease
According to the International Diabetes Federation, over 90% of people with diabetes have the type 2 variety. Type 2 diabetes most often develops in people aged 45 or older, but children and young adults can also develop the chronic disease. Over time, high blood sugar can cause significant health complications, so it's important to keep type 2 diabetes managed. But is it possible to reverse the condition? Find out by clicking through this informative gallery.