Diabetes and the impact of your lifestyle on it

Question

 

It is true that at times there is nothing we can really do about a lot of diseases. But diabetes is not really one of them. Research has shown that healthy lifestyle changes could be a preventive measure against diabetes. And if you have it already, alternating your lifestyle pattern could help you control it to a great extent. Here are some ways to manage the same by altering your way of life-

 

Go for regular medical check ups

You really cannot just keep sitting at home and complain about symptoms of blurred vision or frequent urination at night. You are so busy at work that in spite of that boil being on your underarm for more than 2 weeks, you don’t have time to visit the doctor. The first lifestyle management habit here is making a conscious effort to check your sugar levels and watch out for these symptoms. Doing so will help you know where you stand - especially in keeping sugar levels in control.

 

Reduce body fat and weight

Obesity is one of the key players and contributors for diabetes. Starting from high fat content to sedate lifestyles and being overboard on that BMI are primary factors here. The first thing you have to do is reduce and manage your weight and fat.

• Get up earlier by 30 minutes and head for a walk. Alternatively, do yoga at home, strength training, take a zumba class or do whatever cardio exercise that gets your heart rate up. That’s the only way to lose weight and fat.
• Also adopt a more active way of living. Walk when you can stand and keep moving through the day, instead of being a couched potato. Take the stairs instead of the elevator and keep getting up from your seat every 30-40 minutes. Sit back again after a break.

Diet Changes

No weight or fat loss plan is complete without diet changes. Considering you don’t want to be dependent on that insulin injection all your life, here’s what you can do-

• Switch to green and plant fiber along with lentils. Refuse red and heavier meat forms. Higher the fiber levels, the lower your sugar levels.
• Have less of trans fats that are all referred to as hydrogenated fat or saturated fat. Switch to avocado, nuts, yogurt, etc. instead.
• Sugar in all processed forms should be avoided. Including alcohol and drinks. You can have natural sugars in the fruits, even like mangoes but in moderation
• Drink at least 10-12 glasses of water a day - and no it will not make you urinate more at night. Just reduce water intake post evening.
• Sleep for about 7-8 hours a day. Chronic sleep deprivation has a direct impact on your diabetic sugar levels, making it shoot up.
• Eat smaller but more frequent meals. Fasting for too long is not recommended for diabetic people because it can a sugar spike or fall.
• Avoid all kinds of processed foods because they are high in artificial sweeteners, preservatives and even sodium, which is not healthy for even regular people. And with diabetes, it causes all kinds of problems for your system.

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