Diabetes is a very common lifestyle disorder that is almost assuming epidemic proportions today. India now has the dubious distinction of being called the Diabetes Capital of the World and, alarmingly, the diabetic population according to the WHO may grow 200% in the next 15 years.

In this short article, we will discuss:

to. What is it? What are the common symptoms

B. What are the causes

vs. what are some of the associated conditions.

D. How a proper diet can address the root cause

me. Diet myths associated with diabetes and the real facts

F. Some special foods for diabetics

gram. Summary of key points

1. So what is diabetes? And what are its common symptoms?

Diabetes refers to excess levels of sugar in the bloodstream. You would have heard the name insulin around the same time as diabetes. So what is the relationship between the two?

An organ called the ‘Pancreas’ secretes the hormone ‘Insulin’ which helps break down the glucose or sugar in our food and carry it to the cells where it is used as fuel for our energy requirements and body processes.

In diabetics, the secreted insulin is inadequate or the cells do not respond normally to insulin (also called insulin resistance). Then? Blood glucose levels skyrocket as they cannot be transported normally to cells, liver, and muscles. So what can that do?

1. Your eyesight can be affected in the long term, especially at night. There is an increased risk of glaucoma and even blindness.

2. Your feet are susceptible to infections and sores. It may even require amputation in extreme cases.

3. Diabetes is called a “silent killer” because it affects the ability to control cholesterol and blood pressure, leading to heart attacks.

4. Nerves are damaged causing pain and tingling or loss of sensation.

5. Kidney damage and even failure is common if blood glucose levels remain high.

Afraid? Take it easy! It sounds scary, but it can be easily controlled by a few small diet and lifestyle changes. The worst thing is that there is no permanent cure. It can only be controlled by changes in diet, exercise, and insulin injections.

Some of the common symptoms of diabetes are:

· Tired

Excess thirst and urination.

Hunger

Blurry vision

2. What are the symptoms of this ailment?

3 types of diabetes are known.

First comes type I diabetes. Although it can occur at any age, most of the time it is diagnosed in adolescents, children, and young adults. In this case, the body produces very little insulin and their entire lives depend on insulin injections. The exact causes are unknown, but some researchers have called it hereditary or a result of gestational diabetes in the mother.

Second and the most common variety is type 2 diabetes which usually occurs in adulthood, but now even teenagers are being diagnosed thanks to high rates of obesity. Obesity, stress, lack of rest, and sedentary lifestyles without exercise have been blamed as the main causes.

Third, there is gestational diabetes that develops during pregnancy even though the woman has no prior signs of diabetes.

3. What are the associated conditions?

As we mentioned earlier, due to the reduced ability to control cholesterol and blood pressure, hypertension (high blood pressure) is one of the most common and crippling conditions.

Diabetic foot and glaucoma have also become a concern, especially in older people.

4. How can a proper diet help?

Most people with type 2 diabetes are overweight or obese. Hence the weight loss and 30 minutes of moderate exercise definitely helps control the disease. In fact, losing about 5 kg can dramatically reduce the severity of the disorder.. Since a diabetic’s body is already short of insulin, the problem is compounded by excess weight. In addition, in the case of overweight people, fat is deposited around the pancreatic cells that are responsible for producing insulin in the body. According to some researchers, this fat damages pancreatic cells, further reducing insulin production.

The diabetic diet is based on the three principles of:

to. Consume fewer calories and healthier

B. Consume a consistent amount of carbohydrates (and replace simple carbohydrates with complex carbohydrates)

vs. Reduce total fat content while increasing healthy mono-saturated fats.

These keep blood glucose levels under control and improve insulin sensitivity. Meal planning with a qualified nutritionist and doctor is essential to creating a diet that keeps your blood sugar levels close to normal. Regular testing of your blood sugar levels will tell you how different foods affect your blood glucose levels.

However, there is no one size fits all diabetes diet, nor can a once planned diet be considered sacrosanct for life. The diet should be controlled regularly according to the response of the body.

behind

Follow the golden rule of eating small, frequent meals and drinking plenty of water.

You should take carbohydrates in the form of whole grains such as oatmeal, dahlia, attack bread, whole wheat flour, as they are a good source of fiber. The role of fiber in a diabetic’s diet is to stabilize sugars, control appetite, and lower cholesterol.

Oils such as olive oil, flax seed oil (alsi), until etc. should be used for cooking. These oils are a rich source of omega-3 fats that help increase good cholesterol.

Sugar must be substituted with an artificial sweetener such as aspartame, saccharin, stevia, etc.

Lean meats such as fish and chicken can be consumed. The yolk of the egg should be excluded. Avoid red meat altogether.

Milk and skim milk products should be used as it reduces calories and unwanted fat.

Not to do

The foods to avoid are mainly refined grains such as suji, maida, rice, and related products.

Fruits such as banana, cheek, lychee, mangoes, grapes, and custard apple should be completely avoided.

Starchy vegetables like potato, sweet potato, yam, and lotus stem should also be avoided.

Pickles, murabbas, fruit juices (both packaged and fresh), packaged soups, and thick soups with cornstarch should be excluded from the diabetic diet.

Diabetics are at higher risk of developing heart disorders. Therefore, saturated fats like ghee, butter, cream, etc. should be restricted.

In Ayurveda, meethi seeds, jamun, amla and karela seeds are used to cure diabetes as they help to lower the sugar level.

5. Some common myths associated with diabetes are:

to. Sugar is a poison for diabetics, especially children.

FACT: While excess sugar is really harmful, diabetics are not required to give up sugar entirely, but are advised to monitor their intake.

For children with diabetes, for example, to completely prohibit the intake of cakes, candies and sweets is to deprive them of their simple childish pleasures. But then, to control the disorder, these should be eaten in moderation and, during the party, the other foods (for example, rice, pasta, noodles, etc.) should be controlled (eaten in reduced amounts) to balance glucose levels and calories.

B. Say goodbye to tasty fatty or fried foods if you have diabetes.

REALITY As stated before, complete deprivation is not necessary. The occasional indulgence is fine as long as it is balanced and only occasional. Even otherwise healthy people who gorge themselves on fried foods daily and who gain weight will soon develop some ailment or another.

vs. Having bitter gourd juice means you can feast on other times

Fact: Due to its hypoglycemic properties, karela juice is good (but not that delicious) for diabetics, but don’t overcompensate with a breakfast of puris or ghee-laden ‘parantha’ thereafter.

6. Special foods for diabetics:

While fat-free ice cream, cakes, and sugar-free sweets have become all the rage, especially to meet the needs of the growing and thriving diabetic population, don’t be fooled by all the important claims. Fat-free ice cream is still rich in simple carbohydrates. The unsweetened mithai is still loaded with ghee and saturated fat. Therefore, he does not gorge himself on them with the illusion that they cannot possibly cause him any harm.

Ayurveda recommends black currant seeds, amla, karela, methi and also to control diabetes.

7. Summary:

Diabetes develops slowly and will not kill you in a day. A little discipline and lifestyle change will allow you to live a happy, healthy and stress-free life.

In this presentation we have covered the various types of diabetes and their causes, the associated conditions and symptoms of diabetes, how a healthy diet goes a long way in controlling the disorder, some dos and don’ts for diabetes And hopefully myths associated with this disorder have also been dispelled while emphasizing that diabetes is not a death sentence for all that is delicious and good in life and not everything that is sold to diabetics is actually good for them. Diet Solutions wishes you a happy and healthy life.