The principal hormone, Insulin produced by the beta cells of the pancreas helps the body to utilize glucose. When Diabetes occurs, there is excessive glucose in blood and urine due to inadequate production of insulin or insulin resistance.
Untreated high blood sugar from diabetes can damage your nerves, eyes, kidneys, and other organs. But educating yourself about diabetes and taking steps to prevent or manage it can help you protect your health. Also following a proper diet, physical activity and taking the prescribed drugs as per the doctor’s instruction will help them manage it better.
Risk Factors :
Symptoms of Diabetes :
Symptoms in Men >>
In addition to the general symptoms of diabetes, men with diabetes may have :
Symptoms in Women >>
Women with diabetes can have symptoms such as :
Types of Diabetes :
Type 1 : Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease. The immune system attacks and destroys cells in the pancreas, where insulin is made. It’s unclear what causes this attack.
Type 2 : Type 2 diabetes occurs when your body becomes resistant to insulin, and sugar builds up in your blood. It’s the most common type—about 90% to 95%.
Gestational : Gestational diabetes is high blood sugar during pregnancy. Insulin-blocking hormones produced by the placenta cause this type of diabetes.
A rare condition called Diabetes Insipidus is not related to diabetes mellitus, although it has a similar name. It’s a different condition in which your kidneys remove too much fluid from your body.
Diabetes can be managed through :
A diabetic diet should be balanced with carbohydrates/proteins /fat/vitamins/ minerals and fibre containing foods. It is like a normal diet with a few modifications that need to be made as per age, gender, weight, and physical activity, the kind of medications or insulin you take. According to the National Institute of Nutrition (ICMR), the total daily intake of calories in the diet for a diabetic should be distributed as:
Carbohydrates : For a person who has diabetes, they need to restrict and alter the kind of carbohydrates added to the diet. Cereals, Pulses and Whole grams contain complex carbohydrates and can be included in the diet. But refined carbohydrates containing foods like Maida /sugars/sweets etc. can cause a rapid rise in blood sugar and are not recommended. The total amount of carbohydrates added to the diet need to be distributed in accordance with the needs throughout the day for breakfast, lunch, snacks and dinner.
Proteins : The food sources are Pulses/Whole grams, milk and milk products, egg, lean fish, lean meat, nuts, oil seeds etc. The sources from plants also add fibre to the diet and animal sources provide us with high biological value protein. But red meat needs to be avoided as it contains excess fat. The inclusion of proteins in the diet will help in improving metabolism.
Fats : When it exceeds the recommended amount, leads to Obesity and being Overweight. Have omega-3 fatty acids containing foods that help to improve good cholesterol and have anti-inflammatory property too. Fish, Walnuts, Flaxseeds, Chia seeds, Fenugreek seeds etc are the sources.Vitamins and Minerals:Found in green leafy vegetables, fresh fruits, dairy products, fish, nuts, etchelps to maintain immunity and stay away from infection.
Vitamins and Minerals : Found in green leafy vegetables, fresh fruits, dairy products, fish, nuts, etc helps to maintain immunity and stay away from infection.
Dietary fibre : Fibre present in vegetables, fruits, legumes and fenugreek seeds is soluble in nature and is relatively more effective in controlling blood glucose and serum lipids compared to the insoluble fibre present in cereals and millets. According to the National Institute of Nutrition (ICMR), an intake of 25g of dietary fibre per 1000 calories is considered to be optimum for a diabetic. Fenugreek seeds are a rich source of fibre. According to the National Institute of Nutrition, the addition of fenugreek seeds to your diet helps to reduce blood glucose levels and lowers the levels of serum lipids such as cholesterol and triglycerides.
Healthy foods recommended :
Healthy snacks :
Beverages recommended :
High blood sugar damages organs and tissues throughout your body. The higher your blood sugar is and the longer you live with it, the greater your risk for complications.
Complications associated with diabetes include >>
Gestational diabetes :
Unmanaged gestational diabetes can lead to problems that affect both the mother and baby.
Complications affecting the baby can include >>
A pregnant person with gestational diabetes can develop complications such as high blood pressure (preeclampsia) or type 2 diabetes. You may also require cesarean delivery, commonly referred to as a C-section. The risk of gestational diabetes in future pregnancies also increases.
Doctors treat diabetes with a few different medications. Some are taken by mouth, while others are available as injections.
Type 1 Diabetes :
Insulin is the main treatment for type 1 diabetes. It replaces the hormone your body isn’t able to produce.
Various types of insulin are commonly used by people with type 1 diabetes. They differ in how quickly they start to work and how long their effects last :
Type 2 Diabetes :
Diet and exercise can help some people manage type 2 diabetes. If lifestyle changes aren’t enough to lower your blood sugar, you’ll need to take medication.These drugs lower your blood sugar in a variety of ways :
Along with diet and treatment, exercise plays an essential role in diabetes management. This is true for all types of diabetes.
Staying active helps your cells react to insulin more effectively and lower your blood sugar levels. Exercising regularly can also help you >>
If you have type 1 or type 2 diabetes, general guidance is to aim for at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise each week. There are currently no separate exercise guidelines for people who have gestational diabetes. But if you’re pregnant, start out slowly and gradually increase your activity level over time to avoid overdoing it.
Diabetes-friendly exercises include :
Anyone who has symptoms of diabetes or is at risk for the condition should be tested. People are routinely tested for gestational diabetes during their second trimester or third trimester of pregnancy.
Doctors use these blood tests to diagnose prediabetes and diabetes:
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