Among our diabetic patients, there has been a consensus that eating-control is difficult to achieve, even when wrong food choices involve serious illness. The consensus is also that some foods trigger compulsive eating, uncontrollable by ordinary acts of consciousness. We think that compulsive eating is as much part of diabetes as is elevated blood sugar.

The Psychosocial Dimension

The basic problem with proposing diet revision as therapy is that eating behaviors are not rationally determined. The social basis of eating patterns often conflicts with individual needs and opposes the attempts made by an individual to modify diet as a means of restoring and maintaining health. The idea of " a diabetic diet" as a fixed set of instructions and a restricted food list is stubborn and fits with a passive-dependent attitude of the patient who says "fix me".

We think that compulsive eating is as much part of diabetes as is elevated blood sugar. The control of diabetes is, therefore, more complicated that it seems at first glance. It is not simply a matter of choosing the right foods but it is a matter of learning a whole new way of coping with hunger, desires, cravings, social pressures, and a host of self-regulatory challenges that most people never deal with.

A new attitude of approach to diet revision is required especially when you have a chronic illness. The new attitude is based on self-responsible, self-monitored and self-directed change. The Alpha Nutrition Program assumes that the patient is in charge and makes his or her own decisions. The professional role is to support this effort and assist in trouble-shooting when symptoms recur or the irrational aspect of eating behavior is dominant.

There are several key concepts that help us understand the process of "healing" a chronic disorder. First we consider the resistance to change, then the lifestyle pattern of the patient, then the tendency of patients to have irrational behaviors around food - to experience food cravings, compulsive eating and relapses even after they have discovered the important benefits of diet revision. 

The book,  Managing Diabetes 2  and the Alpha Nutrition Program talk about the behavioral issues of diet change and food control.
 

Managing Diabetes 2

Alpha Nutrition Program

Click the book title in the center column of the table (left) for more information. Click the green buy now button to order printed books for mail delivery from Alpha Online. Click the yellow download button to download PDF files from Persona Digital Online.

You can order the book separately or order a Diabetes Rescue Starter Pack that includes two books, the Alpha Nutrition Program and  Managing Diabetes 2,  plus one 500 Gram jar of Alpha DMX 
Save $ when you order Diabetes Rescue Starter Pack Online

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Alpha Nutrition is a trademark and a division of  Environmed Research Inc. Environmed was founded in 1984 at Vancouver, BC, Canada. Online Since 1995. Experts in Self-Managed Care. Experts in Elemental Nutrient Formulas.  All Alpha Nutrition formulas, printed books and Starter packs are ordered online. We ship through the Post Office to all destinations in Canada, Continental USA, Alaska, Hawaii. Prices are listed as Canadian dollars. US $ prices depend on the daily dollar exchange rate. Persona Digital is a separate online site dedicated to downloading eBooks, music, tutorials and other digital documents. All Alpha Education Books are available as inexpensive downloads from Persona Digital.