Master Diabetes. Understand it to master it.

What is Diabetes?
Diabetes (diabetes mellitus) is a disorder of the human body that is characterized by high blood sugar levels, a condition known as hyperglycemia. It is caused either by an inadequate secretion of the glucose-regulating hormone, insulin, or an inadequate
response by the body’s cells to insulin.

What are the Different Types?
Diabetes is classified into two categories; these are type 1 and type 2.

Diabetes Mellitus Type 1 – Also called juvenile onset diabetes or insulin-dependent
diabetes mellitus (IDDM), Type 1 diabetes is characterized by a decreased or outright
absence of production of insulin. This is due to a disorder in the autoimmune response of the person, causing his own antibodies to attack the insulin producing cells in the pancreas.

Diabetes Mellitus Type 2 – Also known as adult onset diabetes, obesity-related diabetes,or non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM), Type 2 diabetes results from the inability of the body’s cells to respond to insulin. As the disease progresses, the production of insulin in the body decreases.

Gestational Diabetes – This is often called Type 3 diabetes although the designation is rarely used in medical practice. Gestation diabetes occurs among women during
pregnancy and is similar to Type 2 diabetes in that it is a result of the cell’s resistance to insulin.

What are the Risk Factors?
Below are a few of the most common risk factors associated with diabetes:

Obesity – One of the strongest risk factors identified for diabetes is being overweight.Most cases of Type 2 diabetes have a Body Mass Index (BMI) that is greater than the normal 25, which led scientists to conclude that weight plays a significant role in preventing the onset of the symptoms.

Waist Size – Another factor that is somewhat related to obesity is waist size. In fact,research shows that waistline may be a better predicator of diabetes risk. People who have the so-called “apple-shaped” figure (much of their weight is in the waist and upper abdomen) are more likely to develop diabetes than persons with larger hips, buttocks, and thighs (or the “pear-shaped” figure).

Sedentary Lifestyle – Exercise correlates with weight and waist circumference. As such,lack of adequate exercise is also a risk factor for diabetes.

Age – Although some types of diabetes occur even in children, the risk for diabetes
increases as the person’s age also increases. The average age of persons diagnosed with diabetes is 40 years.

Background – This includes family history and ethnic background. Scientists have yet to discover a direct hereditary pattern for diabetes, but several studies show that you have a greater risk of developing the disease if you have a family member diagnosed with diabetes.

What are the most common methods use for treating diabetes?
* Weight loss
* Healthy diet
* Regular exercise

Why should you control your blood sugar?
Controlling blood sugar can delay or prevent diabetes complications. In a recent study, for each percentage point reduction in A1c (for example 8% to 7%), there was a 35% decrease in risk for microvascular complications.

What about food habits?
Choose foods high in fibre such as whole grain breads, fruit, and cereal. They contain important vitamins and minerals. You need 25 to 35 grams of fiber per day. Studies have shown that people with type 2 diabetes who eat a high fiber diet can improve their blood sugar and cholesterol levels.
· The Diabetes Food Pyramid, released by the United States Department of
Agriculture (USDA) is composed of six food groups (arranged according to how
much you should eat from the least to the most and based on carbohydrate and
protein content):
Fats, sweets, and alcohol * Milk * Meat, meat substitutes, and other proteins * Fruits
* Vegetables * Grains, beans, and starchy vegetables
· Whole grain flours and cereals- user coarsely ground wheat flour ( or atta milled
at one or at the local chakki) instead of factory milled flour
· Switch to stone ground wheat brown bread; give up white rice for brown
· Dals especially the ones eaten with husk(chilka) like chana,moong and black
masoor are excellent sources of fibre
· Go easy on starchy vegetables - including potatoes, sweet potato, arbi, raw banana
and legues such as peas which are higher in calorie than other vegetables
· Avoid high sugar fruits like mangoes, bananas, chikoo, and leechis as well as fruit
juices and canned fruits
· Fish is a great substitute for high fat meats.
· A great source of good fats, olive oil is heart friendly
· Include a curd made for non fat milk in all meals
· Just sprinkling cinnamon on food items can lower blood sugar
The best diet is a high fibre diet with a sprinkle of cinnamon and a bowl of curd

SAY NO TO
· Sugar, honey, candy, sweets, mithai, soft drinks and desserts. Biscuits and cakes
as well as pasta, sandwiches, burgers and pizza , which are made from simple
carbohydrates like white flour.
· Greasy fried items like pakoras, samosa, fried fish etc, meat, minced meat
(keema), egg yolks an offal
· Unsaturated fats like butter ,desi ghee, vanaspati, margarine, processed cheese and
mayonnaise. Avoid all ready to eat items like soup ,curries and noodles

Sleep Right
Adjust your sleep timings accordingly so that you get a consistent eight hours of peaceful slumber. Numerous studies have revealed that sleep deprivation has a dramatic effect on blood sugar and insulin levels.

Avoid Sugar
If you need to avoid sugar, learn that Sugar has many names. Honey, Lactose, Glucose,
Sucrose, Maltose, Dextrose, Fructose, molasses, corn syrup, maple syrup, sweetener,
juice concentrate and other natural sweeteners

Alcohol and Diabetes
Use discretion when drinking alcohol on a diabetes diet. Alcohol is processed in the body very similarly to the way fat is processed, and alcohol provides almost as many calories as fat. If you choose to drink alcohol, only drink it occasionally and when your blood sugar level is well-controlled. It’s a good idea to check with your doctor to be sure drinking alcohol is acceptable.

Be Aware of
· Very sweet fruits like bananas, sapota(cheeko) and grapes are particularly high in
sugar.
· Cooking with sugar makes food high in sugar
· All the calories in cola come from the sugar added to it.
· Sweet breakfast cereals are coated with lots of sugar

A word on artificial sweeteners:
· Being 200 times sweeter than sugar increase our carving for sugar and
carbohydrates and may actually promote obesity

Some things to keep in mind:
· A US National Institute of Health study found that exercising for 30 minutes daily
reduced the risk of diabetics by 58 per cent.
· India has the largest number of diabetics in the world - 40 million.
· Diabetes is the leading cause of diabetes in the world.


Diabetes makes a super servant, but a malevolent master.The aim must be to make diabetes "serve" you. Use it to
leave a normal and healthy life.