Nuts & Bolts

Implementing National Guidelines from a Weight-Neutral Lens

Providing DSMT and MNT from a weight-neutral perspective requires professionals to synthesize myriad national guidelines in the context of weight-inclusive care. Dr. Michelle May will speak about how she updated her diabetes self-management training program to be weight-neutral. She’ll provide specific examples of the revisions made in her book, Eat What You Love, Love What You Eat with Diabetes and in the Am I Hungry? Mindful Eating for Diabetes consumer program and professional training.

BONUS - This presentation includes the white paper by Michelle May Implementing National Guidelines from A Weight Neutral Lense

https://vimeo.com/321118963

Individuals at risk for developing diabetes and those already diagnosed are often fearful and discouraged, believing that an overly restrictive, sugar-free, fat-free, pleasure-free way of eating is the only means to stave off or manage the disease. This belief can even keep some patients stuck in a cycle of restrictive eating and binge eating. At the same time, many health practitioners are becoming aware of the benefits of a mindful eating or an intuitive eating approach but stop short of recommending their use in patients with diabetes. Is there really a way to maximize blood sugar control while enjoying food? Is there a way to put guidelines into practice without triggering overeating or binge eating? Absolutely! This session will outline the benefits of implementing a “gentle nutrition” perspective to normalize eating, enjoy food, and provide hope to those managing diabetes.

https://vimeo.com/320613987

Insulin Resistance: Signs, Symptoms, and Causes

It is very often assumed that weight gain “causes” insulin resistance and that insulin resistance leads to diabetes. Weight loss is therefore often recommended to “prevent” diabetes. While an association can make it look like a causal effect, we actually have no evidence of a causal relationship between weight and diabetes. In reality, diabetes is actually a multifactorial disease with a strongly genetic pathogenesis. Less than 5% of people can lose more than 5% of their weight and keep it off. Regardless of weight loss, healthy behavior can benefit insulin resistance and therefore delay the onset of diabetes. Unsuccessful weight loss efforts can lead to increased stress/depression and decrease motivation for healthy behavior. Evidence shows that it is more beneficial to focus on healthy behavior rather than weight. We are gathering more evidence that improving insulin resistance leads to decreased weight rather than decreasing weight leading to improved insulin resistance.

Clinical Implications of Faith-Based and Dietary Fasting with Diabetes

Fasting is a traditional practice of many faiths which involves abstaining from food, drink or both. Intermittent fasting has also become an increasingly popular trend in the last few years. Fasting may offer several health and spiritual benefits, however it may pose a risk for some people with diabetes. One of the most commonly studied faith-based fasting with diabetes is in Muslim populations fasting for Ramadan. There are Clinical Practice Guidelines for healthcare practitioners to support patients with diabetes during Ramadan. As the diversity of North America’s ethnic population continues to increase as well as the emerging research on intermittent fasting, dietitians are more likely to see clients fasting with diabetes. This presentation will help dietitians understand the current clinical and nutrition recommendations to best support patients fasting with diabetes.