You are young and feel that you are hale and hearty and suddenly are diagnosed being a diabetic. What next? You may panic and start throwing tantrums here and there. However, this is not the end of life; you are supposed to handle the situation using your wit and patience. Though it can be tough being a diabetic especially when you eat or have food considering the snowballing of the insulin inside your body, hence knowing the dos and don’ts becomes an important exercise. However, before we head straight to the eating dos and don’ts, let understand some basics starting with the definition.
The Definition
Diabetes mellitus is basically a chronic metabolic disorder in which the human body fails to convert sugars, starches and several other foods into energy. A number of foods you eat are generally converted into a kind of sugar called glucose during the digestion phase. The bloodstream then is seen carrying the glucose via the body. The hormone, insulin then is seen turning the glucose into instant energy or stored in another form for further use. There are basically two types of diabetes.
Type 1:
This is a popular one also called as Juvenile Onset diabetes. In this kind, the body produces small amount of insulin. It is evident mostly during the childhood or during the teens and can be inherited to the next generation. People suffering from this kind of diabetes would require daily injections of insulin. They should have the right balance in their daily intake of food and the activities they carry out with their insulin shots in order to survive.
Type 2
This is also called as Adu*t Onset Diabetes, which is seen occurring for around 35 to 40 years. The more common of the two kinds, it simply accounts for around 80 % of the diabetes. Here with the pancreas are seen producing appropriate amount of insulin and you could find the body cells reflecting the sensitivity towards it. This kind of diabetes comes via obesity and the best way to control and combat is to lose your weight and exercise along with dietary control. At times, oral medication or insulin injections can also help you in this regard.
Symptoms Of Diabetes
There are couple of them, which include extreme hunger and thirst, frequent urination, dry, itchy skin, sores or bruises, which heal slowly, drastic weight loss, tingling in feet or hands and unusual drowsiness. Irrespective of the kind of diabetics you have, you are supposed to have a right balance in your diet and exercise. Let’s not return to our original topic, the eating dos and don’ts of diabetes as under:
Do’s – Food to Consume if you are Diabetes patient
You can find certain special food, which are perfect for diabetics. Let’s check the list of the same.
Bitter gourd – Usually known as Karela is a vegetable, which comprises of higher dosage of plant insulin, which helps a lot in reducing the blood sugar levels effectively. You can consume the juice for 3 to 4 Karelas on a daily basis in the morning in an empty stomach. Like a vegetable dish too, you can try to consume on a regular basis. Making powder of the seeds of karela of 1 teaspoon and consuming along with water can also make a great difference.
Fenugreek – Commonly known as methi is one of the best foods to curb diabetes. All you can do is to gulp a teaspoonful of these seeds and consume it with a glass of water on a daily basis. Soak these seeds overnight and have them with water in which you find the seeds were soaked. You can even make a chutney out of the seeds and think of eating sprouted, powered and dried or get them mix in the wheat flour to have it with chapattis.
Indian Blackberry– This is another effective fruit, which can help in curbing diabetes. You can powder the stone of the fruit and eat them as it comprises of glucoside that helps in coverting the starch into sugars.
Garlic – This is one of the best option to reduce the lower blood sugar levels. Garlic is called as rich in potassium, which replaces the potassium while getting lost into urine. It comprises of sulphur and zinc that are important elements of insulin. Better consumer 3-4 flakes of freshly crushed garlic on a daily basis.
Onion – Owing to the diuretic and digestive attributes, the onion is seen working against the diabetes. Raw onion is among the useful elements.
Flax seed -This is one of the richest sources of Omega 3 fatty acids. It simply helps in controlling the diabetes just because it maintains the sensitivity of the cell membrane, which is known to facilitate insulin and thus take away the glucose by the cells.
Fibre – Soluble fibre – These are found in kidney beans, apples, soyabean and oatmeal to name a few, which helps in controlling diabetes. These facilitate slow digestion and helps in the absorption of nutrients that result out into a slow and steady release of glucose. They also are seen soaking up the excess amount of bile acids that are found in the intestinal tract, these are the same acids, which are converted later into blood cholesterol. These also help in emptying the stomach and thus boost up the satiety, which further can help Type 2 diabetics to get the weight loss goals.
Cinnamon solution– The water extracts of cinnamon promotes the glucose metabolism and reduces cholesterol. You can even boil the cinnamon sticks in water and then drink this fresh quantity of water.
Antioxidants– As you know, how Diabetes is associated with medical conditions like heart disease, diabetic retinopathy, kidney disease immune deficiency. There are many, which are seen caused by free radical damage, hence do keep in mind to include antioxidants especially the Vitamin C (lemons, Zinc, Vitamin E, Selenium and chromium in your daily food as they easily curb your blood sugar levels.
Don’t s – Food to avoid if you are Diabetes patient
Salt – is the greatest for diabetics and you get it in good quantity from vegetables in the inorganic form and it also reduces the intake of inorganic salt.
Sugar– Sucrose or call it table sugar, it will provide nothing but loads of carbohydrates and calories. At the same time, you are supposed to have calcium in order to digest sucrose. Lower amount of sucrose intake could simply lead to calcium, which is being leached off the bones.
Fat– Consuming excessive amount of fat is a big No-No for a diabetic, hence better stay away from the fried items in your day to day diet in totality. At the same time, do keep in mind that you are supposed to consume less amount of quantity of oil in order to absorb a number of at soluble vitamins particularly Vitamin E.
For Non Vegetarians – Make sure you try and avoid the intake of red meat completely. Better have a vegetarian diet, if you fail to do so, slash down the consumption of poultry products particularly eggs. However, you can eat lean fish 2 or 3 times a week.
Whole Milk and Products- Make sure you switch over to low fat milk and products like curd (Yogurt). While replace all the high fat cheese food with low fat cottage cheese.
Tea & Coffee – Do not have tea or coffee of the conventional tea or decaffeinated coffee daily. Try switching over the herbal teas.
White Flour and relevant products – Replace all these white flour based products with whole grains, whole wheat and soya breads along with unpolished rice.
Foods with high glycemic index
Simply avoid the white rice potatoes, breads, banana and carrots, these can boost up the blood sugar levels.
Wrapping up
There is no permanent cure to Diabetes, however, the menace can be kept under control with regular medicines, proper diet control and carrying out set of exercises on a daily basis. If you are able to abide by the do’s and don’ts of diet control followed by a proper workout session, you are bound to keep the menace called Diabetes under control.
article reminds me of my previous roommate!