We know that Type 2 Diabetes is directly linked to obesity but what researchers are now just finding out is that even a modest weight loss can help the health of Type 2 Diabetes sufferers…but what is considered modest and how can drugs like Byetta help?
According to Look AHEAD, Action For Health In Diabetes, a modest weight loss would be considered about 8 percent of a person’s total body weight. If you were 260 pounds that would mean a loss of about 20 pounds. Very doable when implementing a diabetes friendly diet and increasing your activity level. Even my friend Sean says I should look into byetta and phentermine with my doctor.
This modest weight loss in a person with Type 2 Diabetes shows huge benefits including better blood sugar control and less need for diabetes and blood pressure drugs. So basically by decreasing their weight a person with Type 2 Diabetes decreases their symptoms and need for pharmaceutical assistance.
What I find kind of interesting is that the drug Byetta was just found to cause modest weight loss in the Type 2 Diabetes patients that were taking the medication. This weight loss was not linked to the diet and exercise of Type 2 diabetes patients but more to the effects that Byetta has on how the stomach empties and the part of the brain that causes the sensation of feeling full.
It would then seem logical that Type 2 Diabetes patients who are both taking Byetta and making a conscious effort to follow a healthy diet and increase exercise would then see greater weight loss results then by doing one or the other alone. If you are on Byetta you should definitely be taking advantage of this added weight loss benefit.
There is no doubt about it that the more weight a Type 2 Diabetes patient loses, the healthier they will become. Just because you can get away with reaping the benefits of losing a “modest” amount of weight doesn’t mean that ultimately you shouldn’t have a goal of losing a significant amount of weight.
Researchers are finding that weight loss is most successful when a person follows both a diet and exercise plan and has lots of support. Support, to me, seems to be the key factor in sticking with a healthier lifestyle consisting of a portion, calorie and fat controlled diet as well as an increased activity level. But ultimately it comes down to how hard a person is willing to work.
Just like anything else in life…if it’s worth having then it usually takes some work to obtain it. If you have any question please feel free to contact us and we can talk about my own experiences. I’m no doctor so don’t ask for any type of medical opinion. I can only speak upon what I have gone through.
Follow BattleDiabetes.com on: