Diabetes and Vegan diets
Introduction
Blood sugar level is a critical aspect of health whose effect on individuals is significantly grave. Type 2 Diabetes is a widespread lifestyle disease characterized by an abnormal increase in the amount of glucose in the blood. Data from the International Diabetes Federation indicates that 415 million people are diabetic (Pawlak 84). Symptoms of the disease and can be severe, leading to complications in the eyes, heart, and nerves. Other symptoms like excessive thirst and frequent desire to empty the bladder are mild but can generate significant discomfort for the affected individual. Health experts recommend a diet free from animal products as the antidote for Type 2 Diabetes. Known as a vegan diet, the recommendation includes only plant products and plenty of fluid. Since a vegan diet contains no animal product, this paper seeks to investigate the impact of a vegetarian diet on Type 2 Diabetes.
Methodology
The researcher selected fourteen people (all of them Type 2 Diabetes patients) to participate in the study. All patients were aged between 40 and 45. They were placed into two groups of seven. The first group (control group) was allowed to follow their usual diets while the other group was enrolled in a special vegetarian diet program. Selected animal products and foods rich in animal protein were introduced for the first group, while the second group had more fibre introduced in their diet. Same-intensity physical activity was also introduced for all patients. Both groups were then put under observation for two months.
Findings
After 60 days of observation, all patients were taken to a clinical testing centre and their final developments recorded. In group A, five patients had gained at least three kilograms. The remaining two patients showed no significant changes to their weight. In contrast, six members of group B lost between one and three kilograms. The other patient recorded no change. Members of Group A had relatively higher blood pressure compared to their counterparts. The most significant difference was the groups’ physical fitness levels. For the first group, the thirty-minute jog proved constantly problematic. The second group eased through the exercise session without any problem. The findings were as recorded in the tables below.