Friday, February 15, 2013
The "Cure" for Diabetes
The lay article from last week discussed weight loss surgery, such as gastric bypass or stomach band surgery, as a cure for diabetes. I was taken aback at first when thinking of a cure for diabetes because it seems that Type II diabetes has only been "treated" with diet and exercise. I'm not sure why I hadn't realized this before, but with the proper diet and exercise some people are actually able to reverse their Type II diabetes. I found a few bloggers who even swear by their "5 easy steps to curing diabetes." So it is an interesting concept that weight loss surgery may be marketed as a treatment for Type II diabetes instead. As we discussed in class, we all generally believed that prevention of diabetes is really the best "cure" and that diet and exercise should be the first choice for patients looking to reverse their diabetes. One of the reasons for using surgery as a last option is because it is invasive and requires a recovery period. An interesting alternative I found to lap band surgery can be found on this website, http://rocalabs.com/answers/ask-the-doctor/medical-answers/past-weight-loss-surgery-patients/. It is an edible formula that fills the majority of your stomach. Any thoughts on how effective the study discussed in the lay article would be if this formula was used instead of the stomach banding surgery?
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What an interesting alternative to gastric bypass and stomach stapling surgery. I have never even heard of Roca Labs Formula, or this method of calorie restriction. The researchers that did the study from the lay article seemed pretty convinced that gastric bypass and stomach band surgery were the best treatment for diabetes. Like you said Caitlin, the best "treatment" for diabetes is prevention. Unfortunately, we could say that about many diseases prevalent today, like HIV, cardiovascular diseases, and certain forms of lung cancer. We live in a society where we get what we want now and think about the consequences later. This formula is just another fast fix that will never be as effective or as low risk as eating right and exercising. The underlying issue are the habits of the people that develop diabetes. Even if they get the surgery performed or take this pill, they can still gain weight again if they do not change their mindset and habits. Also, the surgery is permanent, whereas the pill is self administered. The article mentions some adverse side effects of taking this formula, like diarrhea, bloating, and gas, which would not be very pleasant every day. If people get sick of having these embarrassing side effects, they will most likely stop taking it as often, rendering this treatment ineffective. It would definitely reduce the risk of an invasive surgery, but I do not think Roca Labs Formula would be an effective treatment for diabetes in the long term.
ReplyDeleteThat is a very interesting idea. I've never heard of this method in a tablet pill like form but have you guys heard of the "full bar" diet method? It seems pretty similar but you don't have to qualify like the website says is necessary for the Roca Labs "Formula" method. I don't know how effective these making you feel fuller so you eat less or crave less type of methods are but I feel like if weight loss and diet control is a good way to help prevent and restrict the effects of type II diabetes then why wouldn't these methods (if they actually work like they say they do) help people who are trying to work on their diet but have been unsuccessful with just limiting it on their own? Sometimes all it takes is a little pill a smidgen of placebo like mind play making you think something is helping you for it to actually work.
ReplyDeleteI'd also like to just point out that I think that video of the "doctor" who didn't actually give us any proof of credentials, not that I'm saying he isn't but you should always approach things on the internet on the side of caution, is fully endorsing this method to make it seem more legitimate. Seems a little scamy to me but I'm sure people who are desperate for help and with a little less of a science background might eat that right up. (No pun intended with the whole diet talk going on)
I worked at TMC for 5 years as a PCT and mostly took care of surgical patients. A few years ago lap band surgery became a highly performed procedure and so I had first hand experience with post op lap band and gastric bipass patients. You might be able to 'cure' the diabetes but in reality you have to 'cure' your habits first. What made you be so obese in the first place? It's the same thing with this alternative method of pills. There many pills and medications and techniques out there that can suppress ones appetite, because technically that's the goal of all these methods. However, if you lack SELF CONTROL all these methods will fail! I've seen patients come out of surgery and ordering something from the cafeteria that CLEARLY was against their diet. I do however believe these methods are a good way of helping those who are tired of being unhealthy, and are ready for a new healthier life style. This alternative method is better than lapband surgery because its less invasive.
ReplyDeleteThe cure for diabetes, infant pretty much all diseases and disorders is the raw food diet. My guardian has cured his fibromyalgia with this diet and there are well known clinics around the world beating cancer with this diet
ReplyDeletediet. The fact that people eat so unhealthily nowadays is why pege get diabetes and arthritis and pretty much any disease associated with old age can be cured, or better still avoided just by going on this really simple diet! It sounds ludicrous I realise but think about it, you don't see wild animals getting diabetes and they are obviously on the diet that nature intended them to be on, full of nutrients and fresh. Our natural diet would not have been taken up with cakes and glutinous food like that because apart from anything else, where would we have got so many grains like that when we were hunter gatherers. We would have eaten raw, fresh fruits and veggies, eggs, insects, meat and fish. Not ginsters sausage rolls and microwave meals. The only thing we might have cooked were the meat. This diet cures all sorts of things the establishment have deemed incurable, simply
simply because they don't want us tof. They want us to get ill so we spend loads of money on 'treatments' that just prolong your life so you spend more money.