This blog has been compiled by Komal Adhlaka, a content writer for Proactive For Her.
What is Diabetes ?
Diabetes is a disease that occurs when your blood glucose or blood sugar is excessively high. Insulin, a hormone made by the pancreas, helps glucose from food that you eat to get into your cells to be utilized for energy. Sometimes your body doesn't make enough—or any—insulin or doesn't utilize it well. Then, glucose stays in your blood and doesn't reach your cells. Diabetes is a multifactorial disease. Your lifestyle changes have a big role to play. So, what you eat directly influences your hormones.
There are two types of diabetes:
- Type 1 diabetes: The exact cause of type 1 diabetes is not yet known. It is usually a result of the body's immune system (which battles harmful bacteria and viruses) mistakenly destroying the insulin-producing cells in the pancreas.
- Type 2 diabetes: It is caused by an expanded insulin resistance, related to weight gain, sedentary lifestyle, and unhealthy diet. Type 2 diabetes is found more often in men, particularly between ages of 35-54, where men are twice as prone to have diabetes.
Most symptoms of diabetes are similar in men and women. These general symptoms include, rapidly arising thirst, constant urination, weariness, unsteadiness, and weight loss. Men can develop diabetes along with other complications, for example, erectile dysfunction and muscle mass loss. One potential explanation behind this is the reduction of testosterone in men as they age. Diabetic women tend to experience conditions such as genital yeast infections, urinary tract infections, and polycystic ovary syndrome. Another concern for women is diabetes during menopause. Menopause and coexistent diabetes can prompt a further increase in blood glucose, weight gain, and difficulty in sleeping.
Diabetes and Nutrition
Good nutrition and frequent physical activity are crucial in keeping diabetes in check. The way to eat with diabetes is to choose a variety of healthy foods (in particular vegetables, fruits, grains, dairy, and protein) and consume them in portions recommended by your doctor or nutritionist.
Easily Digestible carbohydrates
Sugars (simple carbohydrates) and starches (complex carbohydrates) break down into blood glucose during digestion. Try to eat healthy carbohydrates, such as:
- Vegetables
- Fruits
- Whole grains
- Low-fat dairy products, such as cheese
- Legumes or sprouts, such as peas peas
- However, Avoid less healthy carbohydrates, such as foods with added sugars, fats and sodium.
Sugars
Completely eliminating sugar from your diet isn’t the motive behind a diabetic diet. If you have diabetes, you can still enjoy your favorite dessert now and then. The key, however, is moderation.
Spotting hidden sugars is a significant step to control your sugar-intake. Sugar is hidden in many packaged foods, fast foods, and staples such as bread, cereals, canned goods, pasta sauce, frozen foods, ketchup etc. Check labels for hidden spots. Choose for low sugar products and use fresh foods instead of canned goods. Be aware of the sugar content of cereals and sugary beverages. Avoid processed or packaged foods like canned noodles, soups etc. Prepare fresh meals at home.
Fiber-rich foods
Dietary fiber includes all parts of plant foods that your body can't digest or absorb. Fiber moderates how your body digests and helps control blood sugar levels. Foods high in fiber include:
- Vegetables
- Fruits
- Nuts
- Legumes, such as beans and peas
- Whole grains
Good fats
Foods which contain monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats can help lower your cholesterol levels. However, be mindful of not overdoing these fats since all types of fat are dense in calories. They are simply called “good” fats. You can try eating more avocados, nuts, and cook with canola oil and olive oil.
“Good-for-heart” fish
Introduce heart-healthy fish such as salmon, tuna and mackerel into your diet, and consume them at least twice a week. These are rich in omega-3 fatty acids, which can help prevent heart diseases. However, high-level mercury fish and fried fish should be avoided.
Alcohol and beverages
Drink water rather than sweetened beverages. Consider substituting sugar with a healthier sweetener such as honey or jaggery in your coffee or tea. If you drink alcohol, drink moderately. If you use insulin or diabetes medicines that increase the amount of insulin your body makes, alcohol can make your blood glucose level drop excessively low. To prevent this, eat something before you drink alcohol.
How to practice portion control?
You may have to regulate your carbohydrates based on your diabetes medicines or the kind of insulin you are prescribed. If you take "mealtime" insulin, your eating schedule can be more adaptable. Two common approaches to help you plan the amount to eat are the plate method and the carbohydrate counting or carb counting method.
The plate method encourages you to control your portion sizes. You don't have to count calories. The plate method focuses on the amount of every nutritional category you should eat. This method is most recommended for lunch and supper.
Carbohydrate counting includes monitoring the number of carbohydrates you eat and drink every day. Since carbohydrates transform into glucose in your body, they influence your blood glucose level more than other foods do. Carbohydrate counting can assist you in managing your blood glucose level. If you take insulin, counting carbohydrates can help you realize how much insulin to take.
The importance of physical activity
Not just the body, but the mind should also be at peace when you are diabetic. Keep control of your physical and mental activity to reduce the stress on the hormones.
Make certain to drink water before, during, and after exercise to stay hydrated. If you take insulin, you need to adjust the activity that you do with your insulin portions and meals so that blood sugar does not drop. You should target doing aerobic exercise for 30 minutes per day on most days of the week. Try brisk walking if you are over 50 years old. If you are young, try climbing steps, swimming, riding a bike, playing ball, tennis, and so forth.
Strength training is a light or moderate physical activity that builds muscle and helps keep your bones healthy. Try strength training a few times each week. Start with a light weight. Gradually increase the size of your weights as your muscles become stronger.
Stretching exercises are light or moderate physical activity. At the point when you stretch, you increase your adaptability, bring down your stress, and help forestall sore muscles.
Final thoughts
Maintaining a healthy diet along with exercise plays a key role in managing blood glucose levels and preventing diabetes related complications. Additionally, incorporating generous amounts of fruits, vegetables and fiber, helps reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases and certain types of cancer as well.
Disclaimer - This information is provided for educational purposes and should not be construed as medical advice. Please consult with your healthcare practitioners before undertaking any changes in your diet or adding supplements.
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