India is Diabetic Capital of world, and 12.4 % Bangalore population has diabetes. It is projected that maximum increase in diabetic patients would be in India.
The deadly risks of diabetes include heart attack, stroke, high blood pressure (BP), recurrent foot infections often leading to amputations, and decreased immunity.
The good news is it can be prevented, and even if you have, it can be managed without medicines. The time to act is now
Main symptoms of Diabetes.
Pic: Wikimedia Commons
- Check if you have family history of diabetes
- Are you Obese or overweight
- If you are inactive
- If you have high blood pressure
- Wounds that do not heal soon
- Recurrent Fungal infections
- Increased appetite
- Increased thirst
- Increased frequency of urine
- Unexplained weakness
Next step
Check Blood sugar fasting and after meals. If sugar levels are high, do not get depressed. Contact your physician and follow his advice. Most of the times it can be reversed by just changing diet and lifestyle.
The secret is not chasing sugar levels, but reducing calorie intake, and increased burning of calories. So all high calorie food is out, low calorie but filling foods in. These include fruits rather than fruit juice , green vegetables, beans, carrot, broccoli, pumpkin, peas, lentils, high fibre diet, curd.
Ideally you must cut down on alcoholic beverages. Know your limits of salt , sugars and fat, and exercise. A 45 minute brisk walk daily would do the trick.
Most importantly, being aware is the first step to control diabetes. Be fearless of diabetes , not by ignorance, but by knowledge.