💊 Conventional Medicine
Views diabetes as a chronic disease that requires lifelong medication and management
Focuses on treating symptoms with medications such as insulin, oral hypoglycemic agents, and other drugs
Goals: 1) Control blood sugar levels with medication and dietary education from the American Diabetes Association (ADA), 2) Control hemoglobin A1C (a blood test that shows what your average blood sugar (glucose) level was over the past two to three months), 3) Maintain quality of life
Typically relies on a one-size-fits-all approach to diabetes treatment
Testing: Fasting plasma glucose (FPG), hemoglobin A1C, oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT)
Recommends a low-fat, high-carbohydrate diet, and encourages counting calories and limiting portion sizes
Diet: The ADA recommends following their Diabetes Plate Method that helps with portion control and determining what types of foods to eat; The Diabetes Plate Method recommends filling up a 9” plate with 1/2 non-starchy vegetables, 1/4 lean protein, and 1/4 carbohydrates, and to drink low-calorie drinks (i.e. water, tea, coffee, and diet soda)
May recommend regular exercise and weight loss as part of diabetes management
Does not typically consider underlying root causes of diabetes or address them directly
Relies on frequent monitoring of blood sugar levels
🌳 Functional Medicine
Views diabetes as a symptom of an underlying dysfunction in the body's metabolic and regulatory systems and can be cured through diet and lifestyle changes
Focuses on identifying and addressing the root causes of diabetes, such as insulin resistance, inflammation, and oxidative stress
Goals: 1) Determine underlying causes, 2) Control blood sugar levels naturally, 3) Increase insulin sensitivity, 4) Help the body break into fat stores for weight loss, 5) Maintain a healthy weight, 6) Become more metabolically flexible (fat and carb adapted as energy sources), 7) Prevent other chronic illnesses as a byproduct of diabetes, 8) Improve overall energy, vitality, and quality of life
Emphasizes personalized, individualized care, taking into account each patient's unique genetic, environmental, and lifestyle factors
Testing: fasting plasma glucose (FPG), fasting insulin, hgb A1C, HS CRP, magnesium, vitamin D 25-OH, food sensitivity
Recommends a whole foods, nutrient-dense diet, and encourages avoiding processed foods, refined sugars, and simple carbohydrates
Diet: Low carb/high fat diet (i.e. Ketogenic); May consider paleo, autoimmune paleo (AIP), or elimination diet depending on food sensitivity testing
May recommend regular exercise, stress management, and fasting as part of diabetes management
Exercise: HIIT workouts and strength training
Stress management: self-care activities, meditation, yoga, sleep hygiene, and deep breathing exercises (i.e. 4-7-8 breathing)
Fasting: Intermittent (i.e. 16-8 window) and prolonged fasting (24hr+ fasting)
May use supplements and other natural therapies to help improve insulin sensitivity and regulate blood sugar levels
Supplements: Though there is a huge selection of supplements an FMD may recommend, here are a few generally and listed by supplement company:
General: Vitamin D, magnesium, B12, folate, berberine
Designs For Health: Berb-Evail, CraveArrest, Metabolic Synergy, EndoTrim, Lipoic Acid Supreme
Ortho Molecular: GlycemaCore
Quicksilver Scientific: AMPK Charge+
Emphasizes the importance of patient education and empowerment, and encourages patients to take an active role in their own care.
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This is super interesting!