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Beat diabetes with alternative therapies – Diet and Lifestyle

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diabetes-diet and lifestyle
November 14 is World Diabetes Day.

This is part of a series of articles based on beating diabetes with alternative therapies.

Universally, everyone agrees that diet is the most important factor in healing or even managing diabetes. If one can cultivate the discipline to abide by dietary regulations, diabetes is likely to come under control. Ironically, diet is one area where a diabetic does not get adequate guidance. The instructions are limited to prohibiting or curtailing the use of refined sugar, jaggery, rice, potatoes and fried eatables. However, besides the things to be avoided, a diabetic should also be supplied with a list of things to be eaten, the right amounts of those foods, and the proper timings for taking those foods.

Some diabetics, heeding the advice of their relatives or friends, observe fasts or opt for fad diets consisting of one or two food articles. This gradually leads to depletion of vitamins and minerals stored in the body, and gives rise to symptoms of that deficiency. Besides, sooner or later, the tongue may rebel against a monotonous diet.

Read more about causes, symptoms, diagnosis and treatment of diabetes.

The fact, however, is that a diabetic can choose his diet from a variety of food articles. He need not stay away from the tastes he likes. Similarly, he need not consume food that is entirely different from that prepared for the rest of his family. Wheat, rice or bajra are similar in their nutrient contents. Likewise, most vegetables have similar nutrients. Thus, there is no reason why a diabetic should eat the same cereal or the same vegetable day after day.

 Blood Sugar Chart

Category of a person

Fasting Value*

Post prandial value 2 hours after consuming glucose

Minimum value

Maximum value

Normal

70

100

Less than 140

Early diabetes

101

126

140 to 200

Established diabetes

More than 126

More than 200

*All values are in milligrams

For the diabetic, an ideal diet is one in which 55 to 60 per cent consists of carbohydrates, 20 to 22 per cent of fats and 18 to 20 per cent of proteins. Further, a diabetic should receive a larger than usual quota of vitamins and minerals, and it is also desirable that the fibre content of the diet is high. For if a diet is rich in fibre, the absorption of glucose through the intestines is slowed down. Consequently, the blood sugar level rises gradually. The pancreas is able to cope with such a situation very easily. Vegetables, fruits, whole cereals, and whole pulses are excellent sources of fibre. By removing bran from the flour, by eating polished rice, by keeping away from fruits-vegetables, and by consuming processed, refined and soft foods, we invite not only diabetes but also other diseases, right from constipation to cancer.

 On the basis of the above, the calorie break-up of a meal needs to be taken into account, and a diet plan for the whole day planned. In fact, there are even some foods that one can consume in an unrestricted manner, and wonder foods that can actually be therapeutic 

Skin and Foot Care

Increased chances of contracting an infection, inadequate blood-supply, and impaired sensations are the three factors which endanger a diabetic’s skin and feet. A diabetic should wash and dry his skin well, and always remain alert to prevent an injury to the skin. He should take extra care while scratching his skin or while shaving. He should see that his skin does not graze against the wall or a rough surface. In spite of all precautions, if the skin is injured, the wound should not be allowed to get infected,   and he should take immediate action.

 ‘Care for your feet more than your face,’ is a motto that diabetics will do well to heed. The feet should be washed twice a day with soap and warm water. While washing the feet, the nails, the toes, and the skin between the toes should be minutely observed. The feet should then be wiped dry with a soft cloth. In diabetics, the skin between the toes easily gets injured or infected with fungus. So a diabetic, after washing his feet, should apply a cream or an ointment like lanolin between his toes. Further, a diabetic should never move barefoot. In his home, he should wear light slippers. While going out, he should wear soft (e.g., canvas) shoes. Tight or pointed shoes are not desirable for a diabetic because they obstruct blood circulation, heels are a no-no, and new shoes should initially be worn only for short periods so that a bite does not develop.

Physical Exercise

There is no doubt that brisk, long walks in the morning and evening for at least 45 minutes a day, are not just beneficial, but absolutely necessary for diabetics. As Dr Tiwari says,  ‘No matter what the therapy, the crucial factor is to digest what one has eaten, and therefore, exercise is absolutely mandatory.’

Yoga

Beyond regular walks, if one incorporates a regular yoga practice, there could be nothing better. ‘It is best to start your yoga therapy with the simple stretches called the pawan muktasana series,’ says yogacharya Shameem Akthar, who advises that one should then move on to poses that are more effective. The two most important glands to be addressed in asanas are pancreas and pituitary, and hence all inversion exercises are helpful. With the natural pressure on the abdomen exerted by these poses, the sluggish glands are revitalised, and the pancreas particularly, which is on an overdrive in this problem, is rejuvenated.

 ‘Sugar levels also act up due to stress, and so rest and relaxation is of utmost importance,’ points out Salomi Sheth, a certified yoga instructor in Mumbai, who has found that physical exercises alone do not help, and that a holistic approach that relaxes the mind and body is called for.

 It is this approach that yoga centres follow across the board. For instance, the teachings at the Sivananda Centre are based around the ‘Five Points of Yoga’ which are proper asanas, proper breathing or pranayama, proper relaxation through the savasana or corpse pose, proper diet that is, a vegetarian diet, positive thinking, and meditation.

The author Jamuna Rangachari is a writer based in Mumbai, India. Her main interests include positive values, spirituality and holistic living.

Content Source: Life Positive

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