Can Loosing Weight Help Me Get off Insulin
Posted on Tue, Dec 20, 2011
At The Petteruti Center for Life Extension we have developed The Zaino Protocol for taking type II diabetics off insulin. I first conceived of this approach while treating obese type II diabetics. It is named after one of first patients to benefit from this treatment to come off his insulin completely.
Over the years we have been trained by conventional medicine to think of blood sugar as being the single most important variable to good health when it comes to diabetes management. Ignored over the years has been the impact of weight gain in the overall health of our diabetic patients. Many medicines commonly used to control diabetes can further add to the diabetics difficulty with weight management. Glipizide, glyburide Actos, and insulin can accelerate weight gain when introduced in the treatment of diabetics.
The Zaino protocol uses weight-loss as a primary focus in controlling blood sugar. The primary objective becomes controlling the body mass index and eliminating drugs that interfere with weight reduction. At the same time, weight-loss medications are carefully introduced and dietary changes implemented. This multifaceted approach many times can lead to the complete elimination of all insulin requirements or at least significantly reduced insulin demand. Consider the change in approach when compared to conventional medicine where frequently insulin is introduced leading to low sugar attacks. The hypoglycemia is then treated by more food intake which accelerates the cycle of weight gain. More weight gain makes the body more resistant to insulin thereby instigating higher doses of insulin. Higher doses of insulin stimulates more weight gain and the cycle continues.
Frequently I have seen patients whose doctors have been satisfied with blood sugar control despite the fact that they have gained 30 40, 50 or more pounds over the course of their treatment. Predictably, these patients are not happy with their condition. Back pain, arthritic knees, shortness of breath, increased risk of heart disease all complicate their lives. Not to mention the risk from insulin itself, the complications it imposes on their day to day living can be overwhelming for some patients. It is true that in some cases insulin is a necessary and important component in treating diabetics. However, it has been my experience that too often weight management is disregarded as an appropriate and healthy means of helping diabetics control their blood sugar.
If you're diabetic not presently on insulin or if you're a type II adult onset diabetic presently using insulin, aggressive medical weight loss as implemented at The Petteruti Center for Weight Management can help you live longer better and potentially insulin free.
-Dr. Stephen Petteruti
To learn more about Dr. Petteruti and The Petteruti Center for Life Extension contact us at 401-921-5934 or send us an email. Dr. Petteruti practices Family Medicine, Anti-Aging Medicine, Aesthetic Medicine and is a board certified bariatric (medical weight loss) physician in Warwick, Rhode Island.