The science behind the D2 plan
People with type 2 diabetes do not make enough insulin, or the insulin produced does not work properly (called 'insulin resistance'). If you do not produce as much insulin as your body needs, your blood glucose levels will be raised, which causes health problems that can lead to long-term diabetes complications such as neuropathy, retinopathy and cardiovascular disease (CVD).
A lower body weight requires less insulin, so reducing your body fat helps the insulin that you make to work more effectively.
D2 is designed to enable you to lose weight in a safe and easy way, and then maintain a healthy weight.
Improving the quality of your diet can also mean that you don’t need to produce as much insulin. D2 is designed to do this in two ways by:
- Reducing your demand for insulin by reducing the Glycaemic load of your meals
- Excluding foods that increase insulin resistance and providing a balance of carbohydrates, protein and fats to help improve your sensitivity to insulin.
People with type 2 diabetes are up to five times more likely to develop CVD than those without the condition, because high blood glucose levels cause high blood pressure and damage the lining of the arteries.
In addition to weight loss, D2 is designed to reduce your risk of developing CVD, by including foods that help to protect your arteries (cardioprotective foods) and by reducing blood glucose levels.
Low GI and GL
Lower GI diets have also been associated with improved levels of ‘good’ cholesterol. Research has shown that people who have an overall low GI diet have a lower risk of heart disease.
D2 includes low GI carbohydrates, fibre and protein in every meal. Carbohydrate portions are controlled so that the glycaemic load (GL) of each meal is low. A low GL means that your body does not have to produce as much insulin in response to the meal.
The glycaemic index of food multiplied by grams of carbohydrate and then divided by 100 = the glycaemic load.
D2 provides you with approved food lists and portion sizes so you don’t have to worry about counting calories or fretting over the GI or GL content of your food.
The Cardioprotective diet
Low fat
A diet that is high in fat, particularly saturated (animal) fats, increases insulin resistance and raises LDL (“bad” cholesterol) and triglycerides (TG) levels, which, together with low HDL (“good” cholesterol), increase your risk of heart disease.
The meals and snacks you have on the D2 plan are all low in saturated fats.
Cardioprotective foods
These are foods are thought to protect your arteries from becoming damaged, furred up and narrow, a process known as atherosclerosis.
D2 includes cardioprotective foods such as:
- Fruits and vegetables
- Heart healthy monounsaturated polyunsaturated fats, and particularly omega 3 polyunsaturated fats
- Nuts
- Beans and other pulses
- Whole grains
Soya
All About Weight Mealpaks are based on soy protein. Soy foods are associated with a reduced risk of CVD and have been shown to reduce cholesterol levels.
Soya has additional benefits for people with type 2 diabetes, in that it may be better for their kidneys than animal proteins.
For more information on CVD, see:
The diabetes UK CVD page
http://www.diabetes.org.uk/Guide-to-diabetes/Complications/Cardiovascular_disease/
The British Heart Foundation
http://www.bhf.org.uk/
< Return to Diabetes