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HOW A RAW FOOD DIET CAN HELP TYPE 2 DIABETES
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Part of the cause of type 2 diabetes is a diet high in processed and overcooked foods as well as foods that are high in sugar. By eating a raw food diet, you can decrease the amount of sugar you put in your system and can lose weight. Evidence suggests that losing just 5 to 10 percent of your body weight can have a great impact on type 2 diabetes and on overall blood sugar. A raw food diet can help you lose weight quickly and naturally.
Type 2 diabetes is extremely common. More than 20 percent of individuals under the age of 20 carry a diagnosis of diabetes mellitus. Part of this comes from an epidemic of obesity and unhealthy eating habits. As a result of high blood sugars and obesity, the insulin sensitivity of the body’s cells go way down and glucose cannot enter the cells to be used as cellular fuel. This causes the cells to starve for energy.
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| A healthy diet consisting of raw food can greatly alter the outcome of type 2 diabetes and can not only slow the disease process but can reverse the effects of diabetes. This means eliminating the standard American diet, which consists mostly of processed foods, fast foods, dairy products, meat, and sugar-containing foods. Instead of this diet, you need to substitute the bad foods with raw vegetables and fruits. You also need to exercise in order to lose some weight. |
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How a Raw Food Diet can counteract Type 2 Diabetes
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| The raw food diet was pioneered in Switzerland by a Swiss doctor, Maximilian Bircher-Benner in the mid-1800s. He was the doctor who invented muesli, which consists of grains mixed with dried fruits.
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The raw food diet involves a plant-based diet in which food is eaten in its completely natural state. It means that food is not:
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-Cooked
-Processed
-Microwaved
-Genetically engineered
-Irradiated
-Treated with herbicides or pesticides
People who believe in this diet say that, when you heat or process foods, you destroy most of the nutritional benefits of the food, including the phytonutrients, vitamins, and healthful enzymes. Foods that are uncooked are believed to be more wholesome for the type 2 diabetic.
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| | The idea behind eating a raw food diet is that all food consumed is eaten in its unprocessed state. It is a vegan diet in which no animal products are eaten. Foods cannot be heated above 118 degrees Fahrenheit. It is allowable to dehydrate food so that vegetables retain their crunchiness and fruit can be turned into tasty fruit leathers.
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| Foods that can be eaten on a raw food diet include vegetables, fruits, juices, seeds, nuts, raw almond butter, grains, seaweed, sprouts, raw beans, virgin coconut oil, olive oil, herbal tea, and coconut butter. If you choose not to eat completely vegan, you can drink unpasteurized milk, raw eggs, raw fish, raw meat, and cheese.
Foods you can’t eat on a raw food diet include any kind of refined sugar, processed salt, flour, pasteurized milk, caffeine, baked goods, pasta, ice cream, soda, many types of juices, alcoholic beverages and fast foods.
You will likely be eating mostly at home because most restaurants only serve cooked food. You can grow your own sprouts, juice fruits, and vegetables, dehydrate fruits and vegetables, chop, or blend any type of fruit or vegetable.
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| | Benefits of a Raw Food Diet on Type 2 Diabetes
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| A raw food diet can help the type 2 diabetic lose weight. In one research study, those who ate a raw food diet lost 9 percent of their body weight over a three-month period of time. It also decreases cholesterol and triglyceride levels, which can decrease the risk of cardiovascular disease. The fasting blood sugar and Hemoglobin A1C level will drop when the weight falls off. A raw food diet also contains plenty of minerals, vitamins, antioxidants, fiber, and phytonutrients.
The biggest downside of a raw food diet is that it is expensive. There is also a chance that the type 2 diabetic will suffer from a decrease in bone mineral density and bone mass. Raw food diets can also have less vitamin B12, iron, calcium, vitamin D, and omega 3 fatty acids. In addition, not all foods are better for you when eaten raw. Eggs and tomatoes absorb better when they are cooked. Potatoes, raw fish, and raw meat are potentially dangerous as they can carry foodborne illnesses.
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