LIVING HEALTHY WITH DIABETES

Diagnosed with diabetes! No need to panic. A few changes in your lifestyle can give you a tension-free, healthy life.

Your two main goals should be to keep your blood sugar within normal limits and avoid all diabetes-related complications.

My22BMI has some simple and easy to follow a healthy lifestyle to help you fight diabetes and stay healthy.

THE PLAN

• GET YOUR BLOOD TESTS DONE:

Now the question arises what blood tests you should go for? The main purpose of these tests is to understand the status of your condition and how to proceed further with treatment.

1. Fasting blood sugar (FBS): It is done first thing in the morning after fasting for 8 hours.

If FBS is 100-125 mg/dl it’s known as Prediabetes, But if FBS is more than 126mg/dl in two or more tests, you are considered to have Diabetes.

QUICK MY22BMI TIP: Your aim for a blood sugar 70- 130mg/dl before meals.

2. Oral glucose tolerance test: A very important test to see how your body is processing glucose. Blood glucose level is checked before and two hours after.

After two hours if blood glucose is 140-199mg/dl it suggests Prediabetes or impaired glucose tolerance test. If it’s greater than 200mg/dl, it suggests Diabetes.

QUICK MY22BMI TIP: Your aim to have your blood glucose less than 180mg/dl two hours after your meals

3.HbA1C: It measures your average blood glucose in the last two or three months. A value of 5.7 -6.4% suggests Pre-diabetes. while greater than 6.5% indicates Diabetes.

QUICK MY22BMI TIP: Your aim for Hb1AC should be less than 6.5%.

• STEP ONE TOWARDS MANAGING DIABETES- ALWAYS KEEP YOUR BLOOD SUGARS UNDER CONTROL:

There are three ways to manage the blood glucose. Diet, exercise, and medications.

QUICK MY22BMI TIP: To set up a plan for managing your blood sugars, you need to monitor it regularly. Get a Glucometer, plenty of brands are available now. It’s portable, simple and easy to use and does not require much maintenance.

DIET:

The common belief is that you have to give up all your favorite foods as soon as you are diagnosed with Diabetes. It’s not true, but there are a few items that should be either avoided or eaten in moderation. Before we proceed to our diabetic diet, let’s talk about the five important food groups that should be included in our everyday meals.

Group I: Non-starchy veggies: like broccoli, capsicum, bottle gourd, carrot, cabbage, leafy vegetables, onion, lady’s finger.

Group II: Whole grains: like roti, brown rice, whole wheat bread, oats, bajra, jowar, barley, corn.

Group III: Lean Protein: like soybean, pulses, eggs, fish, nuts, skinless chicken.

Group IV:  Dairy/Dairy products: like low-fat milk, yogurt, cheese.

Group V: Fruits: like apples, berries, papaya, melon

QUICK MY22BMI DIET TIP: While cooking always use the oil in moderation.

A healthy diabetic diet should consist of all these above-mentioned food groups in the right portion size. One- half of your plate should have cooked or raw vegetables. One-fourth should have whole grains, and the other one-fourth portion should have lean protein along with one serving of fruit and one serving of dairy or dairy product.

SAMPLE MENU FOR LUNCH AND DINNER FOR A DIABETIC PLATE:

1. Whole grains: 2 Roti or 1 cup of brown rice
2. Proteins: 1 cup dal, or ½ cup of homemade fresh paneer.
3. Veggies: I cup raw salad and 1 cup of mixed vegetables.
4. Dairy: 1 cup Raita
5. Fruit: 1 cup pomegranate.

QUICK MY22BMI DIET TIP: While planning a diabetic plate, always be careful with the portions.

The right food in the right portion is the key to living healthy with Diabetes. It is always better to ask an expert dietician’s advice to know exactly what and how much to eat from the above-mentioned food groups for a better glycemic control.

Want an expert opinion? My22bmi would love to hear from you. Feel free to get in touch with us. Register for a free consultation.

WHAT IS GLYCEMIC CONTROL?

To understand glycemic control, we first need to understand the glycemic index. Glycemic index (GI) is the ability of carbohydrate-containing food items to raise the blood sugar after it is consumed.

High GI: 70 or more.  Medium: 56-69 and   Low: 0-55

Foods with a high GI are broken down into glucose and very rapidly absorbed in the blood hence increasing the blood sugar levels immediately. This rapid increase in the blood sugar levels also causes a sudden drop in the blood sugar which leads to cravings and overeating. Whereas food with low GI breaks down glucose in a more stable way leading to a gradual rise in blood sugars. Giving time to our cells to utilize the glucose properly hence keeping the sugar levels in control.

For example, Brown rice has a low glycemic index than polished white rice.

QUICK MY22BMI DIET TIP: Plan your meal choosing food items low in glycemic index and high in fiber content, like whole grains, wheat, millet, bajra, corn, rye, buckwheat flour, veggies and fruits, flaxseed, sesame seeds, pumpkin seeds.

EXERCISE

A regular exercise routine plays a vital role in maintaining optimum levels of blood glucose levels. Exercise enables our body cells to use insulin effectively. The cells take up the blood glucose for various processes and hence lowering the sugar levels in the blood.

QUICK MY22BMI HEALTH TIP:  A few patients may need to follow up with their doctor before starting any exercise routine. Speak to your Doctor about your plans and what kind of exercise you should begin with.

Common exercise tips are:

• Start with cardio, which increases the heart rate like jogging, running, swimming, even brisk walking at least 30 mins for five days a week.
• Check blood sugar before & after exercise to know your how your body responds to your exercise regime.
• Always carry a light snack with you while you exercise, in case your blood sugar drops suddenly. Feeling light-headed, dizzy, weak are some symptoms of low blood glucose.
• Wait at least an hour after eating.
• Keep yourself well rehydrated.

MEDICATION:

If the diet and exercise are unable to control your blood sugar levels, your doctor will prescribe medications to achieve the goals. Medication in diabetes comes in the form of oral tablets, insulin injections and sometimes a combination of both or insulin only therapy.

If your blood sugar levels remain high after meals, and Hba1C is not in limits, your Doctor may prescribe insulin injections to you.

QUICK MY22BMI DIET TIP: Eating meals at fixed times every day also makes it easier to manage your blood sugar levels.

Add a little discipline in your lifestyle, it will go a long way. Take control of your life, don’t let Diabetes control you!

Contact our qualified nutrition and holistic health experts over a one time Free Consultation Call and get to know what kind of foods are best for you.

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My22BMI is a digital healthcare startup addressing the problem of managing lifestyle diseases through personalized diet plans. My22BMI empower lives to eat healthy and smartly and believe food should be your first medicine. The expert health coaches provide personalized and balanced diet plans for heart health, gut health, skin & hair health, weight management, mother & child nutrition and hormonal health. Download our Android app from the Google playstore.