Almost everyone loves food. But when some medical conditions such as diabetes mellitus strike the body, things become extremely difficult.
The food restrictions become hard to follow. Your body and mind crave sugary foods but your body cannot metabolize them well.
The net result is a tussle of mind and body and you are left disappointed and frustrated. Here are some tips to overcome these low feelings with the diagnosis of diabetes. How to do optimal diabetic control?
Diabetes mellitus: the metabolic disease
This medical condition of diabetes mellitus has affected innumerable people around the world. In this, the body cannot metabolize the blood sugar properly.
The insulin hormone that pushes blood sugar into the cells is either low or ineffective. The latter can occur in obese people. Hence, blood sugar remains high and there are ill-consequences for in the body.
Tips to control diabetes (Source: NDTV)A diabetic with uncontrolled sugar complains of giddiness, headache, fatigue, increased urine output, and poor wound healing. If the patient does not take water in sufficient quantities, there could be dehydration.
It affects the body’s arteries and causes plaques. Such patients have to restrain the intake of refined carbohydrates in their diet. This becomes hard since all delicious food items have sugar in them and the patients find it impossible to resist them.
Healthy food at regular times and frequently
A diabetic patient should have lots of veggies. These are low calories with ample amounts of vitamins and minerals and antioxidants. Hence they are good for them.
Fruits can be consumed but in moderation. Reduce sugary items and drinks. One can use artificial sweeteners in place of sugar for that sweet taste with no side effects.
Foods good in DM (Source: Amazon)Diabetics can have complex carbohydrates that need time in the gut to break down and be absorbed. Hence they do not raise blood sugar as fast and as high as simple sugars do.
Hence, foods with such complex starches are with low glycemic index and are safe for these patients.
Diabetics should switch to smaller frequent meals in a day. Eat every 3 to 4 hours when awake but have smaller portions of food.
Do not have a heavy meal at one time and then nothing for the next 8 to 10 hours. This is detrimental to their body. Do not skip meals. Do not skip breakfast. Have meals at regular times.
Other tips for diabetic control
Diabetic control can be done through other means too besides food. A diabetic in the type 2 category is usually overweight. The person should try to bring the weight towards normal with regular exercise.
This will improve insulin sensitivity and help better blood sugar control. Remain active physically. Try to do moderate exercises per day. Mere walking is also useful.
You need not sweat out every time. Be comfortable even during exercise.
Eat optimally for good blood sugar control (Source: Agamatrix)The patient should have regular blood and other clinical checkups. Practice foot care. Use prescribed medications properly. Cease smoking. Reduce life stress.
Do not go after unresearched products that friends, relatives, or advertisements say and claim. They could be harmful in the long run. They may not control your body’s sugar but instead also cause other ill effects.
Blood sugar control is difficult but not impossible. Practice the above tips for that near-normal life.