Section 2 : Managing Diabetes

Now we all are well bossom with the domino effects of Diabetes which is doubtlessly a lifestyle monster that has launched into our lives. Now what?. Possibly we advance towards by dashing off that table sugar a supervillain of our lives collaborated with the gratis guidelines from all over the world which enlighten us to lash out the specific macronutrients from our diets or feast on salads or those miraculous drinks. On top of that now myriads of us ween to give up our favourite foods. Right!

Now from here the journey of our enthusiasm gives rise to browse or looking at the shelves of our local super markets for the best alternative to sugar, yeah you got it—- Our life saviour “artificial sweeteners” or better if I would say that now a days every one of us either with or without diabetes used to prefer these artificial sweeteners in a hope that they are of less calorific value, more healthy and helps us in weight loss. I really appreciate such, advertisements where a health freak girl advices her sweet Jija Ji to replace One teaspoon of sugar with the artificial sweetener in Lemon water. So loving na!

Well it’s scientifically true but let’s simply understand the simple common sense concept that when our food choice interchanges from its native state (farm grown, homemade, traditionally made) to unnatural phase (plant made) for eg: artificial sweeteners, lite biscuits or sugar free biscuits or those diet cokes, sophisticated yogurts, fizzy drinks, processed foods etc, then actually the whole scuffle emanates which our bodies have to put up with.

Let’s deem in a way that how actually these edibles are nutritive and whatever they are assuring us in terms of natural, sugar free, healthy, lite etc buzzwords, they still are more processed and much refined not those which are produced in their natural form by the Mother Nature and if taken moderately with active lifestyle nothing can trouble us up til there is no default genes inherited to us.

I know managing Diabetes is tough but it’s not impossible and equivalently it doesn’t mean that now we have to give up our favourite foods. Then what it is. Right? It is a combination of Moderation of anything ( a well balanced meal + physical activity) which is based on the principle that don’t have too much or too little of anything, Simple. And I think this is the main fundamental aspect of keeping ourselves healthy in any form. So let’s acknowledge the whole concept of managing our diabetes with few simple and commonsensical approaches.

Few Tips To Bother Ourselves!

Yes you heard right, here I would like you all to bear my accompany for the short tour to realize how incredibly we have gone to rack and ruined our whole body and ourselves:

• Irregularity in eating and sleeping patterns which distrupts our biological clock (it regulates functions— sleep schedule, appetite, body temperature, hormone levels, alertness, daily performance etc).
• Keeping long gaps between meals over short gaps (especially for diabetic patients).
• Mindlessly eating sugar free items— sugar free drinks, lite biscuits, sugar free ice creams, sweets, artificial sweeteners, all sorts of convience foods etc, are completely nutritient deficient, loaded with preservatives, taste enhancers and highly processed.
• Some miraculous drinks bizarre — fenugreek water (in excess can affect blood sugar levels, lowers your blood pressure, not good for pregnant females etc), cinnamon water (regular cinnamon is a rich source of coumarin which in high amount can lead to liver damage & toxicity, can make you hypoglycaemic, leads some allergies due to presence of cinnamaldehyde). It’s better to include these spices in your food while cooking. Understand everything in customary range is a safer choice.
• A Desultory way of snacking, dieting and avoiding few foods with a knowledge that it might cure the present disease but will definitely make you a package of deficiencies with increased chances of advent of others issues also.
• Remaining offhand about your health like: physically inactive, not exercising and maintaining a sedentary lifestyle approach which worsens the blood glucose level and leads to long term complications of nerve pain , kidney disease, heart disease, weaker bones, high blood pressure, increased level of LDL..in short more stressed and depresses you.

The Farther Tale Of Sweeteners .

Well before we go any further, conceived it that it’s wholly one’s own choice to pin one’s hope on these artificial sweeteners. Generally whether you are diabetic or not, always gollop modest sugar in devil-may-care form. Re-read it and emphasise on “less” not divest it from your diets. See many times we have seen that most of us believe that when a person gets diabetic he/ she cannot have any sweet fruits and go for regular usage of sugar free teas or cuisines with that artificial sweeteners which according to us are zero on calories but definitely gonna promote fat accumulation and is linked to the kind of hypothyroidism which will impact your gut health which then gonna affect your normal microbiota which is interlinked with impaired glucose tolerance and thus increases the risk of diabetes, weight gain, gastrointestinal issues, can usher over eating because of the presence of chemicals in these sweeteners . This is what a source of “Harvard Health Publishing” vocalize.

Forbye to it, “American Diabetes Association” also indicates that any fruit is fine to eat for a person with Diabetes, so long as that person is not allergic to a particular food. Not merely this even a meta analysis from the British Medical Journal found that high fruit intake was significant associated with a lower risk of type 2 diabetes.

We have understood that sugar in our tea, fruits or in any traditional homemade sweets don’t harm us but that sugary fed brownies, pizzas, burgers, cookies, cake, that packaged highly processed confectioners, those sugar free eatables and that which we virtuously add into our tea/ coffee/ sweets are the trouble maker, which we eat mindlessly during breakup’s, mood swings or at cravings.

Take Heed to What Body Needs.

• Ayurveda says that diabetes develop as a result of the diminished functioning of Agni ( fire) in our body which may trigger high blood sugar levels.
• Eat a well balanced meal, which means eat diverse diets from all the food groups. (Mentioned in my blog, “ Food: Let Revamp It’s Understanding”).
• Include cereals, dairy products, fish, leafy greens, whole grains, nuts, legumes etc as they are rich source of many vitamins which are specifically required for Diabetes as neuropathy is a common problem among them (pain, tingling, numbness in arms, hands, feet’s etc).
• Include whole grains in your diet as they improve the beta cells of pancreas to function and increase the insulin secretionand thus insulin sensitivity and moreover whole grains are enriched with minerals, vitamins, healthy fats, like— (barley, whole wheat flour, bulgur, oats, bajra, buckwheat flour, amaranth flour, Popcorn ( desi) etc). Barley is the best grain for managing diabetes.
• Eat fruits, don’t worry about the fact that they are too sweet and can fluctuate our blood glucose. Understand fruits are sweet in nature that sweetness is their Prakriti and they don’t harm us, eg- apples, bananas, cherries, grapes, orange, Sapota, peaches, berries, pear, plums, strawberries, papayas etc, as they are rich source of many micronutrients, antioxidants, dietary fibre.
• You can include cashews as snack in your diet as it is rich in fibre, protein, healthy fats, contains variety of vitamins, minerals and helps in preventing blood sugar spikes.
• Go with traditional cooking styles which uses generous amount of spices in food which our body easily assimilates and here are few spices which are anti- diabetic— asafoetida, turmeric, cinnamon, mustard, coriander etc
• Include amla in your diet as it is one medicine that triggers insulin secretion.
• Avoid skipping your meals and try to have your meals on time all day.
• Include diet rich in Magnesium, Chromium, Inositol, Manganese, Taurine, Zinc etc .
• According to American Diabetes Association, Get physically active by engaging in any regular exercise, workouts, strength training, aerobic exercise as they play a critical role for Blood glucose management and overall health in an individual with diabetes and prediabetes (do consult your doctor).