Lifestyle Changes For Diabetic People

Living with diabetes does not mean living in deprivation.... it just means living with caution....

DIABETES...the dreaded word... has become almost a common household name nowadays.  The numbers of diabetics are dramatically increasing in our society. Always be on a look out for the following symptoms...

Frequent urination,increased thirst, increased hunger, weight loss,delayed healing of wounds, pain in calves, burning feet, tiredness, itching especially in the genital area ,numbness , blurred vision etc. are some initial symptoms to be noticed.

Lifestyle disease as it is called, so it needs changes in the lifestyle of the diabetic patient ...patient ...ahhhh....no .... the person isn't a patient until he/she thinks so .. In fact diabetes can easily be managed and the person can live a long and healthy life if he wants to.

Some easy and quick lifestyle changes advised to such people are as follows-

1)DO SOME PHYSICAL ACTIVITY DAILY-

Two and half hours of moderate intensity physical activity or one and half hours of intense exercise per week is to be done . These can include brisk walking , cycling, jogging , swimming, skipping , any outdoor games etc.

2)MANAGE YOUR STRESS LEVELS-

Be mindful of your stress. Constant stress can elevate your blood sugar levels. Stress management techniques like meditation , yoga , reiki etc should be religiously followed.

If stress levels are reduced to a certain degree then there are less chances of developing diabetes related complications such as heart disease, stroke, hypertension, mental health conditions such as depression and anxiety etc.

3)CATCH UP WITH YOUR ZZZZZZZ-

Sleep deprivation tends to increase blood sugar level. So it is advised to have a sound sleep at least for eight hours in a day.

4)LOOSE THAT EXTRA WEIGHT-

Shed those extra kilos off your body and lo and behold your diabetes will be checked . Join an aerobic class or a zumba group or else dance madly and alone for sometime on a rocking music in the confines of your room.

5)HYDRATE YOURSELF- 

Just quenching your thirst is not enough. You have to stay well hydrated and drink plenty of water and other fluids. Remaining dehydrated is harmful for your kidneys and increases your risk of nerve damage. 

6) FOOD & DRINK-

A big no to ‘Drinks’… And ‘Food’ should be in moderation.... chosen wisely will help you wade off diabetes. Prepare a diet chart for a week and try to stick to it. Simple carbohydrates are not good for you, so stay away from them .Try to have low glycemic index foods with a GI of 55 or less. You can have beans and legumes like chickpeas, kidney-beans, green moong etc to your fill. Use whole grains to make your roti and brown rice is always a better option than its white brethren. Steel cut oats, dalia, ragi are good for you. The market is flooded with low GI Indian veggies like leafy greens, eggplant, cauliflower, drumsticks, cucumber, various gourds, broccoli etc. Also regularly have nuts like almonds, walnut etc. but soak it overnight before consuming them. Some fruits can be had but in moderation. Apples, guavas, oranges are good but grapes , bananas, chikoos, mangoes  etc have much sugar in them. 

7) A FEW GRANNY'S TIPS-

*A teaspoon of cinnamon powder with warm water on an empty stomach

*A teaspoon of fenugreek seed powder in the morning 

*A green cup of the tasty karela juice will certainly help you

*Indrajau is also helpful to cure diabetes 

By Dr Suranjana Ghosh (drsuranjanaghosh@gmail.com)