Introduction
There are different ways of treating diseases, some which have been relied on for ages while others have been in existence for long yet they have not been very popular. Some of the main reasons for such occurrences are due to people’s beliefs and traditions. One such method has been clinical medication which most people believe has the potential to treat a patient quickly and is more reliable. However, this method has its weaknesses especially in the treatment of long-term illnesses since it has its side effects. In such a case then, there is always a need for researchers to seek for better and less complicated methods of curing diseases. In the case of diabetes, the same is the case and since this is usually a long-term disease that does not necessarily pose a life threat at its early ages yet causes a lot of suffering to its victims, research has continually been undertaken seeking for a long-term solution to help diabetes patients avoid pharmaceutical medicine as much as possible due to their side effects in the long-run (Nair & Peate, 2009).
This study seeks to investigate evidence from a research which was carried out and revealed that there is one reliable yet very effective method of intervention and treatment of diabetes. The article for the research was written by Morris and Wyrie-Rosett and had the title “Medical Nutrition Therapy: A Key to Diabetes Management and Prevention”. The article seeks to explain the research carried out to provide evidence on a new method of prevention and management of diabetes through the use of a controlled-diet and counseling sessions known as medical nutrition therapy (MNT). The study provides enough evidence on the validity, reliability and effectiveness of the method and also recommends different ways in which it can be utilized in prevention, management and treatment of diabetes.
Summary of the Research
The research revealed that the MNT method of diabetes management and treatment is an effective way of dealing with the disease. The method involved creation of a close relationship between a dietitian and an individual patient since it involves a lot of discipline in diet and weight loss as well as a lot of counseling since the method primarily works through healthy living both physically and mentally rather than the other methods which apply medicines in management of diabetes without necessarily controlling the patient’s lifestyle.
In the process of MNT application, the dietitian keeps a record of the changes in the main components of food and other components of the blood such as blood sugars to determine the trend to take for the patient to recover. There is no specific procedure for the application of the method since different patients respond to the treatment process differently. However, the dietitian has a record of the probable ways in which to respond to different levels of the occurrence of the disease. Hence, the patients change their lifestyle in consistence with their response to the method (McCance, Huether, Brashers & Rote, 2010).
The use of MNT has also been viewed as one of the main methods of diabetes control and prevention, especially at the pre-diabetes stage. Since MNT involves a change of nutrition and general lifestyle, then it helps prevent the disease since most of the times the disease is associated to the victim’s lifestyle. Though the use of pharmacology-related therapies has been proven as an effective way of controlling diabetes, the research proved beyond doubt that the use of MNT is more effective and hence should be embraced, especially due to the fact that it has no side effects (McCance, Huether, Brashers & Rote, 2010).
Further, the Look AHEAD study that is underway and is supposed to take eleven years has already proven in its initial stages that the use of MNT is more effective in weight reduction and general management of diabetes than is the case for pharmaceutical medicine.
Integrating the MNT Method into Practice
As people get more and more conscious of their health and seek for ways of sustaining their health in this world that is full of health risks, dietitians and health practitioners need to emphasize preventive measures of health sustainability rather than on treatment. The same should apply for diabetes and hence there should be an emphasis on preventive measures rather than on treatment. This way, embracing the use of MNT as a preventive measure and where diabetes is prevalent, it can be used as a management tool. This way, there would be fewer losses to the victims in terms of their emotional and physical suffering as well as reducing on the risk of side effects and overreliance on medication (Nair & Peate, 2009).
The use of MNT as a tool of prevention and intervention for diabetes patients is one of the most effective and less risky methods for ensuring sustainable health for an individual. Medical practitioners, dietitians as well as counselors should focus on encouraging not only those already suffering from diabetes but also the whole society to undertake strict dietary practices in the form of MNT to ensure that they can effectively prevent, manage or even treat diabetes.
References
Nair, M., & Peate, I. (2009). Fundamentals of applied pathophysiology: An essential guide for nursing students. West Sussex, United Kingdom: John Wiley & Sons.
McCance, L., Huether, S., Brashers, L., & Rote, N. (2010). Pathophysiology: The biologic basis for disease in adults and children. Maryland Heights, MO: Mosby Elsevier.