What is diabetes ?

Diabetes mellitus is the ‘disease of the century and has risen to epidemic proportions in this decade. Diabetes, in simple terms, refers to a state in which the body is unable to utilize glucose due to either decreased production of the hormone insulin by the pancreas or insulin resistance in the body. 

Diabetes may be classified as type 1 diabetes mellitus and type 2 diabetes mellitus:

• Type 1 diabetes mellitus occurs when the pancreas is unable to produce enough insulin. It usually occurs at a young age and essentially requires insulin therapy.
• Type 2 diabetes mellitus occurs when the body becomes resistant to insulin. Even though insulin is present in the body, the cells do not respond well to it. Type 2 diabetes is usually more common and can easily be managed by lifestyle modifications.

This article will accentuate type 2 diabetes mellitus and how to oversee it with little efforts each day!

Why is diabetes mellitus dangerous?

According to who, diabetes mellitus can predispose you to a ton of health problems, namely eye damage, cardiovascular diseases, kidney diseases, nervous system disorders and stroke.

Coronavirus time, the dangers related with this sickness have expanded a lot. People with diabetes have several times higher risk of developing post covid complications like stroke, lung damage, heart failure, etc. The risk of contracting post covid fungal infections, mainly mucormycosis (black fungus), candidiasis (white fungus), and aspergillosis (yellow fungus), is more with diabetes patients. Thus, an increase in morbidity in diabetes patients is evident.

Why should diabetes mellitus be detected early?

One of the most effective ways to deal with diabetes is its diagnosis at the earliest stage. The sooner the treatment starts, the better it gets.

If doctors’ advice is paid heed to and efforts are made to reduce weight and control blood sugar levels, diabetic patients can reverse diabetes in the early course of the disease (2 to 5 years).

The first five years of diabetes and how it’s tackled goes a very long way when it comes to the overall outcome of the disease in terms of longevity and illnesses which happen to diabetics in the long run.

So, it is highly imperative to know about the warning signs of diabetes, which, if observed, should be discussed with the doctor at the earliest.

How your body tells you that you might have diabetes?

According to nhs, here are some of the early symptoms of diabetes mellitus:

• The urge to urinate becomes very frequent in patients with diabetes mellitus.
•  Water doesn’t seem to quench the thirst, and the mouth feels cottony and dry.
•  Being unsatisfied even after you’ve eaten a complete and balanced meal over and over.
• Weight changes (either loss or gain) without trying or without any diet and exercise routine changes.
• Lack of energy and extreme tiredness- If you get fatigued easily, it is advisable to get your blood sugar tested.
• Wounds take longer than usual to heal or do not heal at all
• Vision becomes blurry and unclear, usually associated with headaches.
• Altered sensations in hand and feet (felt as tingling and numbness)

Likewise, one of the significant reasons diabetes is on the ascent in the young is principally because of way of lifestyle changes in the youngster, as a sedentary life and low-quality food, and this turns out to be particularly disturbing due to a direct result of the pandemic, as a large portion of us are at home away from our work environments. A lack of exercise and healthy food may result in unfortunate consequences like increased incidences of diabetes in children and youngsters and mismanagement of known patients. Thus, it is essential to know the necessary diet changes and lifestyle modifications for diabetes patients and those who want to prevent diabetes.

Diet changes you should implement today if you have  diabetes 

• Let’s look at the diet changes one can easily make a living at home in this pandemic to remain healthy and control diabetes.

  DO’s

  • Include fresh and fiber-rich vegetables in your diet like spinach, cucumber, carrots, cabbage, gourds, etc.
  • Fresh fruits, especially citrus fruits like orange, lemon, grapefruit, are to be included in the diet.
  • Use whole grain flour for making chapattis, bread, pasta, etc.
  • Increase protein consumption as proteins increase insulin sensitivity; consume more Dal, paneer, tofu, fish, eggs, and chicken.
  • Increase the number of healthy fats like nuts, ghee, seeds as fats increase the meal’s glycemic index. The more the fat, the slower the sugars are digested.
  • Increase the daily intake of water and try to replace sugary beverages with water or vegetable juices.
  • Use a sugar substitute for beverages like tea and coffee.
  • Preferably have small meals every two hours rather than a high-calorie dinner once in 6 hours.
  • Have meals at a fixed time daily to acclimatize the body to the increase in blood sugar levels and thus improving insulin hormone secretion.

  DONT’s

  • Don’t use refined sugar in beverages and food items; instead, use substitutes like raw honey, artificial sweeteners, etc.
  • Avoid sweetened beverages like soda, fruit juices, etc., as fruit juices give you all the sugar and no fibers.
  • Curb the intake of alcohol to less than three drinks per week and avoid smoking as drinking and smoking increases the inflammation in the body and interferes with insulin action
  • Avoid taking large high-calorie meals because they cause a steep surge in the blood glucose levels.
  • Do not fast as the blood sugar levels may drop too low below optimum and lead to hypoglycemia symptoms like dizziness, fainting, sweating, and increased heart rate. 
  • Avoid fried food and fast food as they do not provide any significant micronutrients and macronutrients, instead of lead to excess sugar and salt consumption.

Easy ways to control diabetes

Start exercising!

It is recommended by the American Diabetes Association (ADA) that people who have diabetes should exercise for at least 150 minutes per week. Exercise helps the body organs to take up glucose for their utilization and thus helps to decrease blood sugar levels. It is essential to stay active and prevent the body weight from increasing as being overweight and obese further makes you prone to complications. 

People with diabetes should include weight training, aerobics, brisk walk, and swimming in their exercise regime. Morning walks are highly effective in decreasing blood sugar levels. Avoid intense exercises and high-impact exercises.

Individuals with diabetes should never practice on an unfilled stomach, as they may get hypoglycemic and feel dizzy, sick, and nauseous. A light snack before exercise does the trick for patients with diabetes.

Sleep properly!

Also, another vital thing to look for is maintaining sleep hygiene. Sleep for at least 8 hours is essential for the functioning of the body clock, which directly impacts the hormone secretions in the body. Sleeping at a fixed time and not staying awake till very late in the night can help maintain the rhythm of the body clock. I try to avoid electronic devices just before bed and turning off the lights half an hour before bedtime helps a lot. Do not consume tea, coffee, and other caffeinated beverages after 5 in the evening.

Say goodbye to stress and hypertension!

Especially in the covid pandemic, everyone needs to look out for their mental health. People with diabetes should especially refrain from taking excessive stress as stress can imbalance the hormone secretion and worsen diabetes. Stress throws off your daily routine and can cause an increase in blood pressure, raised heart rate, and increased blood sugar levels.

Key takeaways

Diabetes is a disease of the lifestyle, and its management is most efficiently possible by adopting healthier living and food habits. Diabetes is indeed a disease caused by lifestyle, and the cure to it also lies in these small dietary and daily life changes!