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Introduction / How to prevent diabetes ?
This article is a comprehensive guide about how to prevent diabetes ?. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), there’re millions of people in the world today suffering from diabetes. India is called the capital of diabetes. Due to not paying proper attention to food & consuming unnecessary things, this problem is affecting the health of people at a very fast pace today. If we look at the report released by WHO in the year 2016, about 1.6 million people died due to diabetes alone. However, to avoid falling prey to this disease, you should pay the most attention to your diet.
Diabetes is a condition that needs constant management. You’ll have to maintain healthy blood sugar levels to avoid complications of diabetes. If you keep your blood sugar level under control, then you can avoid the risk of diabetes & its complications. Now the question arises that why does diabetes happen or what are the causes of diabetes ?. Many reasons can put you at a higher risk of getting diabetes. Type-1 diabetes is a rare type, which is difficult to prevent. Family history is one of the major causes of type-1 diabetes. Whereas, type-2 diabetes can be prevented with a healthy diet and lifestyle changes. There are many reasons which can be behind Type 2 diabetes. These include obesity, lifestyle, etc.
Understanding diabetes
The number of people living with diabetes in India is increasing rapidly. There are 2 types of diabetes. Type 1 & Type 2 diabetes. To treat both, it’s important to know the difference between the 2. To prevent diabetes, everyone must have complete information about it. But both increase the amount of blood sugar in the body. But there’s a big difference between the causes & treatment of both.
Meaning of diabetes
Our body gets energy from what we eat. Our body digests food & converts the sugar released from it into energy. Insulin plays a major role in this whole process. Insulin is a hormone produced in our body that controls our blood sugar level. It’s made in our body in a gland called the pancreas. Due to its effect, the sugar present in the blood gets stored in the cells of our body. In diabetes, either insulin is not produced in our body or the cells of our body are not sensitive to insulin & sugar is not stored in them & remains present in the blood.
How to prevent diabetes ? / Type 1 & Type 2 causes different
In Type 1 diabetes, our body stops making insulin. It is an autoimmune disease. Meaning the cells of the body attack the cells of the pancreas that make insulin & kill them. This may be due to genetic reasons. Type 1 can occur at a very early age or sometimes at birth.
Many factors are responsible for Type 2 diabetes. These include obesity, hypertension, lack of sleep & poor lifestyle. Experts also count genetic factors. In this, either insulin is made less in the body or the cells of the body are not sensitive to insulin. Since a poor lifestyle is responsible for Type 2, it can happen at any time, but it usually occurs in adults.
How to prevent diabetes ? / Treatment of Type 1 & Type 2 is also different
Since the body does not produce insulin in Type 1 diabetes, the patient has to take insulin from time to time through injection or pump.
In Type 2 diabetes, either insulin is made less or the body is not sensitive to it, so in this, the body is stimulated to make more insulin through drugs. Insulin is also given when needed. Since it’s basically due to a poor lifestyle, the emphasis is on losing weight, eating a balanced diet, exercising & reducing stress, etc. Doing so can make the body sensitive to insulin again.
Special food to prevent diabetes
Below you are being told about some such special foods, which have properties that can provide a lot of help in keeping you away from diabetes.
Salmon
To stay away from diabetes, if the 1st food is talked about, then it’s salmon. The doctor will also advise you to eat salmon fish. By consuming this non-veg food, you’ll be saved from being vulnerable to Type 1 & Type 2 diabetes. Not only this, but the omega 3 fatty acids present in it are also very beneficial for your heart health.
Curd / Yogurt
Yogurt is usually consumed in lunch or dinner, but you’ll be surprised to know that by consuming this food item, you’ll be saved from falling prey to diabetes. According to scientific research, along with reducing blood sugar, it also has the property of protecting against heart diseases. The probiotics present in it can prove to be very helpful in protecting against serious diseases like diabetes. If you want, you can also consume curd in the form of lassi.
Garlic
Garlic is consumed in Indian vegetables but many people also eat it raw which is very beneficial for health. If we talk about diabetes, even to stay away from this disease, consuming garlic will give you positive results. Garlic has the properties of reducing inflammation, lowering blood sugar & lowering low-density lipoprotein cholesterol i.e, the bad cholesterol. Apart from this, it can also reduce blood pressure. Due to these special properties, garlic can prove to be a very beneficial food to keep you away from diseases like diabetes.
Apple cider vinegar
All of you must’ve consumed vinegar at 1 time or another. Apple vinegar can prove to be very beneficial to keep you away from diseases like diabetes. By eating apple cider vinegar, it helps in controlling the blood sugar level & insulin level very fast. According to scientific research, consuming 2 teaspoons of this vinegar daily can actively help in keeping you away from the disease of diabetes.
Dry fruits
Consuming dry fruits can also prove to be very beneficial to avoid Type 1 & Type 2 diabetes. These fruits include dry fruits like pistachios, walnuts, cashews, Brazil nuts, almonds. These dry foods have the property of reducing the blood sugar level, due to which you will be saved from falling prey to diabetes. If you want, you can also consume them daily. These dry fruits will also help a lot in keeping you away from the problem of obesity.
Broccoli
Broccoli occupies a prominent place among green vegetables & is eaten to the great extent in Indian cuisine. If we talk about the contribution of this food to stay away from diabetes, the amount of vitamin C & magnesium is found in broccoli. According to a study done on the benefits of consuming broccoli on diabetic patients, it lowers insulin levels & also helps protect cells from harmful free radical damage. Due to this, you can stay away from the problem of diabetes.
Flaxseed / Linseed
Consumption of flaxseeds can also play an important role in protecting against the risk of diabetes. The amount of insoluble fiber is found in flaxseeds. Along with reducing the risk of heart diseases, this fiber helps a lot in maintaining blood sugar levels by controlling blood sugar due to which you can avoid the problem of diabetes.
Who is at risk for type 2 diabetes?
Your chances of getting it to depend on a lot of factors such as your genes and lifestyle. The risk factors include –
Having prediabetes. It means a person has blood sugar levels that are higher than normal. But it’s not high enough to be labeled as diabetes.
A person who’s overweight or having obesity & also having high blood pressure.
Being age 45 or older.
A person who has a family history of diabetes.
Someone who has a low level of HDL (good) cholesterol or a high level of triglycerides
A history of diabetes in pregnancy or given birth to a baby weighing 9 pounds or more.
An indisciplined & inactive lifestyle.
A history of heart disease or stroke.
Someone who’s having depression.
Having acanthosis nigricans. This is a skin condition in which your skin becomes dark & thick. Especially around your neck or armpits.
Smoking.
How to prevent Diabetes ? (Type 1 & Type 2). Exercise regularly
Reduce the risk of diabetes like this. These 5 ways will control blood sugar levels. Along with physical exercise, regular exercise is essential for mental health. It can also help you prevent diabetes. Exercise controls the insulin sensitivity of cells. Exercise regularly. You can start with simple exercises like running on a treadmill, yoga, cycling, swimming, freehand exercises, etc.
Replace other beverages with water
Most of the drinks you choose throughout the day contain added sugar. Therefore, if you want to take something to drink, then water is the best drink. Skip soda or packaged juices to avoid consuming too much sugar. Avoid cold drinks completely. Drink more water throughout the day. It’ll also help in detoxifying the body & will help you to keep the body parts healthy.
Include fiber in your diet
Fiber should be an integral part of your diet. It keeps your digestion healthy & makes you feel full for a long time. Fiber also helps in maintaining a healthy blood sugar level. It is also beneficial for your heart health & prevents weight gain.
Maintain a healthy & balanced weight
Obesity is 1 of the major factors that increase the risk of diabetes. According to studies, people with a healthy weight have a lower risk of developing diabetes than people who’re obese. So keep your weight under control.
Don’t ignore the early signs of diabetes
Now, this is the most important thing. Pay attention to your diet. Keep an eye on your lifestyle & make necessary changes. But doing all this does not mean at all that you ignore the symptoms of diabetes even when they appear. Always be vigilant on the symptoms of diabetes. If you recognize them in the beginning, then the situation can be prevented from getting worse. Now the question arises that what are the initial symptoms of diabetes ?.
Symptoms of Type 1 Diabetes – Being thirsty most of the time, frequent urination, bedwetting in children but those children who previously didn’t have the habit of bedwetting during the night, always feeling hungry, sudden weight loss, irritability & other & sudden mood changes, fatigue & weakness, blurred vision, tingling in hands & feet, dark patches of skin & very slow healing of wounds.
Symptoms of Type 2 Diabetes are quite similar to Type 1 diabetes – being very thirsty, peeing a lot, blurry vision, being cranky, tingling or numbness in your hands or feet, fatigue & feeling tired most of the time, wounds that don’t heal, repeated yeast infections, feeling hungry most of the time, all of a sudden weight loss & susceptible to infections.
How to prevent diabetes ? / Conclusion :
This article is for general information only. It cannot in any way be a substitute for any medicine or treatment. Always contact your doctor for more details. If you’re experiencing these Type 1 & Type 2 symptoms (mentioned above) then you should seek medical help immediately.
