1. Myth: Eating too much sugar causes diabetes.
Fact: Eating sugar has nothing to do with developing type 1 diabetes, it is caused by genetics. One of the biggest risk factor for type 2 diabetes is being overweight & diet high in calories from any source that contributes to weight gain.
2. Myth: Rice / Ragi etc. is bad for diabetes.
Fact: Carbs are the foundation of healthy diet whether you have diabetes or not. They do affect your blood sugar levels, which is the reason you need to keep an eye on how much you eat everyday. So choose wisely as starchy and sugary carbs are not a great choice.
3. Myth: You need to eat special diabetes meals.
Fact: The foods that are good for people with diabetes are also healthy choices for the rest of the family. With diabetes, you need to keep a closer watch on things like calories, amount & type of carbohydrate, fat & protein that you eat. A dietician or a diabetes educator can show you on how to build a healthy plate.
4. Myth: Fruit is a healthy food; therefore it’s ok to eat as much as you wish.
Fact: Fruit is a healthy food. It contains fiber and loads of vitamin & minerals. Since fruits contain carbohydrates, they need to be included in your meal plan. Talk to your dietician about the amount, frequency and type of fruit you should eat.
5. Myth: You can eat all meat and fat you want because they have 0 carbs.
Fact: It’s important to limit fat intake, especially saturated fat from meat and other food for heart health, as risk of heart disease in people with diabetes is 2 – 4 times higher than people without diabetes.
Enjoy Walking
Make an effort to walk as much as possible. Get off the bus/metro one stop before your destination and walk the rest of the way; park your car in the farthest available slot in the car park; use stairs instead of lift; walk the children to school; walk to the nearby market if feasible. And most importantly, take a stroll after each main meal even if you are at office.
15 minutes of brisk walking daily can burn up to 60 extra kcal helping you loose 3kg in one year.
Avoid Lift & Escalator
As far as possible, use stairs instead of a lift or escalator at your work or the mall. Just start with one storey and soon you will be ready for two. Also make an effort to climb the stairs briskly.
5 minutes of brisk climbing daily can burn up to 40 extra kcal helping you loose 2kg in one year.
Clean your House
Cleaning and dusting your house is a great way to exercise. Turn on the music, wear some comfortable clothes and start the cleaning process with energy and cheerfulness. When cleaning is not required, simply re-position your furniture for an all-new look and you can knock-off quite a few calories in the process.
15 minutes of dusting/cleaning can burn up to 40 extra kcal helping you loose 2 kg in one year.
Play with Kids
Kids typically do not mind friendly company. Team up with your own kids or those in the neighborhood. Sport activities like Football, Cricket or Frisbee throwing are amazingly beneficial for health.
15 minutes of active kids game daily can burn up to 45 extra kcal helping you loose up to 2 kg in one year
Avoid Television & Computer
Curtail and replace passive recreational activities like TV watching and web surfing with physical activities such as walking and indulging in sports.
Two hours of TV viewing daily retains 120 Kcal/6 kg in one year. If you nibble 50gm of junk food during this time, you will gain an extra 12 kg. This means a total of 18 kg in a year.
Try a Sport
There is nothing like sports to keep your lifestyle healthy and active. It is enjoyable as well as beneficial. And there are so many options to choose from – running, swimming, football, tennis, squash, badminton…and lots more! Engaging in sports burns calories, empowers your muscles and keeps your body toned up. It works best if you team up with a companion to ensure regularity and motivation.
- Exercise helps control blood sugar. This happens because during exercise, muscles consume more glucose than while at rest.
- Regular exercise improves insulin sensitivity and reduces insulin resistance, which is one of the main causes of diabetes.
- Exercise help reduce weight.
- Exercise increases good cholesterol called HDL.
- Regular exercise improves well being and prevents depression.
Diabetes-friendly foods are typically high in fibre and low in starch & saturated fat.
- Green leafy vegetables
- Tomatoes
- Cucumber
- Radish
- Soups
- Tea and coffee (without sugar)
Foods that don’t help but can be consumed in moderation:
- Rice
- Maize
- Potatoes
- Mangoes
- Grapes
- Bananas
- Alcoholic beverages
- Fried foods
- Meat
- Deep fried foods
- Dry fruits
Foods that are high in sugar content, especially refined sugar can prove harmful for a person with diabetes. These include:
- All sweets
- Biscuits
- Glucose
- Sugar
- Honey
- Cakes and pastries
- Chocolates and candies.
Both type 1 and type 2 diabetes can lead to complications. In some cases, sexual performance can be affected adversely by poor control of diabetes.
For men, diabetes can damage the erectile tissues leaving it impossible for a man to achieve or maintain an erection.
For some women with diabetes, vaginitis (inflammation of the vagina) can be recurrent. This can make sex painful, and is heralded by itching or burning sensations. Cystitis can also be a recurrent problem for women with diabetes.
Keeping blood pressure in control requires maintaining strict discipline in terms of diet and lifestyle using the following steps:
- Keep your body weight in control.
- Engage in regular physical activity such as brisk walking, swimming, cycling, dancing, etc.
- Limit your salt intake to approximately six grams a day.
- Consume a balanced diet consisting of vitamins, fibre and other nutrients.
- Drink alcohol in moderation.
Additionally, community support can be the strongest medicine of all: share your experiences and read about those of others. You will discover you are not alone in your fight against diabetes. You will have the opportunity to learn from people who have improved their health by following personalized medical advice and leading disciplined lives. And you will find that your virtual support group keeps you motivated, positive and connected.
