With around 70 million people in India suffering from diabetes, it hosts the largest number of diabetics in the world, of which many patients of diabetes in India are still undiagnosed. More than 95% of these patients have type 2 diabetes. Type 2 diabetes results from the body’s ineffective use of Insulin. It is usually diagnosed in age group of 35-45. It can be prevented by healthy diet and exercise.
WAYS TO LIVE A HEALTHY LIFE WITH DIABETES
Here are the six effective ways that can help diabetics to live a healthy life with the disease.
1 . Make Healthy Food Choices
-Switch to oils with high volume of monounsaturated fats & polyunsaturated fats like olive oil, canola oil, soybean oil or rice bran oil. Limit intake to one tablespoon a day.
–Restrict intake of foods that have a high glycemic index like white breads, white rice, fatty foods, and soda
–Consume foods with low glycemic index like multigrain aata, whole grains, daals, most fruits, non-starchy vegetables and carrots.
-Limit consumption of fast food.
2 . Watch Your Weight
Losing weight can help to regulate blood sugar levels.
-If you have type 2 diabetes, losing just 4-6 kgs can lower your glucose levels.
– People who have abdominal adiposity (fat around belly) are more prone to type 2 diabetes than those with fat mostly in the thighs, hips, and buttocks .
3 . Exercise Regularly
-Get your doctor’s approval before starting an exercise program. Even if you do not lose any weight, exercise can help keep type 2 diabetes under control.
–Start slowly with a low-impact exercise such as walking, swimming or jogging.
-Exercise at least three times a week for about 30 to 45 minutes.
-Always carry a source of carbohydrate with you so you’ll be ready to treat low blood glucose.
4 . Manage Stress Better
-Stress can make blood sugar levels harder to control.
-Engage in any relaxation technique such as yoga, meditation, deep breathing exercises to ward off stress
5 . Perform Home Screening Regularly
-Invest in a good quality and easy to use glucometer.
-Check your fasting sugar levels regularly atleast once a week.
6 . Go For Regular Health Checkups
People living with diabetes may have to deal with long term and short complications. Therefore, it is important for you to get regular checkups to detect any complications.
-Get your HbA1c levels checked atleast twice a year.
-In addition make sure that your eyes, kidneys, heart and skin are in optimal health.
-Visit an eye specialist once a year to detect any signs of eye damage (diabetic retinopathy).
-Get your kidney function tests done atleast 2 times a year.
–Inspect your feet regularly for any signs of numbness, pain or growth that may lead to ulceration and complications.
Remember that regular moderate physical activity coupled with healthy diet can significantly reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes and help manage diabetes better. So, Stay Healthy and Beat Diabetes with 1mg!