Diabetes is a deadly disease. It does not always kill you outright, but it slowly suffocates your life and leaves your heavily restricted, both in terms of lifestyle and diet. Unfortunately, it is an extremely common illness, and although not thorough study has been conducted, it is believed that India contains the most number of diabetics in the world. That is a very worrying thought.
Especially when you consider that diabetes is a very avoidable disease. A few simple lifestyle and diet changes implemented early on in your life will protect you against the debilitating disease. It’s a shame that such a preventable disease is allowed to run rampant. Make no mistake, because it does run rampant. When diabetes hits full stride, it can render you blind, lead to the amputation of limbs and also result in the total loss of kidney function, the last of which is the endgame of the disease.
Symptoms of Diabetes
The most common symptoms of diabetes are that of frequent urination and excessive thirst. This is because your body needs to eliminate the excess sugar present in your body and it does this through urination.Other symptoms include an increased appetite, fatigue, blurred vision and tingling in the extremities. The range of symptoms that diabetes presents itself as is quite telling, so if you’re experiencing some of these symptoms, it’s very important to take the conclusive test.
The test for diabetes itself is very simple. One’s blood is simply checked for high blood sugar levels. Technology these days has led to devices which can check your sugar levels in your very home. Completely noninvasive and pain-free, the test is a must for those who feel that they might be diabetic.
The Diet
If you are indeed diagnosed with the disease, the first thing on your agenda is a change of diet. Sugar goes out the window with diabetes, so say goodbye to sweets. In a diet for diabetics, the foods that are recommended all offer the capacity to control the blood sugar levels.
Oatmeal is an example of a food that is slowly digested over time and offers good blood sugar level regulating abilities. It’s the best kind of carbohydrate available. Brown rice is another good choice, especially for those who can’t do without rice in their diet. Whole grains like brown rice, oatmeal and Quinoa offer a lot of fiber as well, which promotes healthy bowel movements. Generally speaking, whole grains are very good for diabetics.
As for vegetables, diabetics should be looking to add Beans, broccoli and spinach to diet, because they are low in carbohydrates but rich in fiber, the benefits of which we mentioned above.
Fruits are always a good choice for a diet. It’s a great source for many minerals and vitamins and diabetics should really consider consuming a few different fruits every day. Think of it as a way of getting some natural, healthy sweetness into your diet.
While not fully conclusive, it is believed that cinnamon and coffee have anti-diabetic properties. Cinnamon in particular is believed to reduce the blood sugar level in the blood, so add to your oatmeal for an additional layer of flavour.
Lifestyle Changes
Lifestyle changes are another important part of someone suffering from diabetes. The foremost change that will need to be implemented is exercise, which no diabetic patient should be avoiding. This is partly because diabetes occurs in many patients who suffer from obesity, which is a major contributing factor for diabetes. Maintaining your weight and getting some moderate exercise will go a long way in holding diabetes back.
Other changes include the complete elimination of soda, junk and fast food, and sweets. They are incredibly high in sugar and your sugar-affected body needs no help from these items for the ruining of your body. There’s no way around this unfortunately.
Put these changes into action and start looking after your body today. If you’ve already been diagnosed, then make especially sure that you focus on keeping your body as sugar free as possible.