Control Diabetes With Healthy Diet And Exercise

by Max Jones | Aug 25, 2015 | Diabetes | 0 comments

Diabetes is a serious disease, ruling our planet for a very long time. This disease is found in adults as well as children; however with a proper diet and some form of exercise people can keep their diabetes under control.

Diabetes is a condition when blood sugar levels shoot up very high. This condition arises when the body is not able to make enough amount of insulin for keeping blood sugar levels in check.

Insulin is very necessary for our body; it is secreted by pancreas and is very helpful in taking glucose in the blood to different cells of the body. In absence of proper amount of insulin, cells remain deprived of glucose while the latter’s level in blood rises abnormally high. Type-2 diabetes is caused when different organs like liver in the body are unable to utilize the insulin produced by the pancreas, but those who are suffering from diabetes should not get disheartened. It is not a deadly disease as considered by many people. Diabetes is easily controllable through a good diet and some exercise.

Inactivity and obesity are the major risk factors of diabetes, so people with diabetes should be careful about what they put into their tummies and should include some or the other kind of physical activity in their daily routine.

Also Read: Complete guide to Diabetes

Diabetes management through healthy eating:

Diabetes diet plan is very necessary for those who want to manage their diabetes and want to keep their blood sugar levels under control. There are various things that you can do to plan your meal according to you needs.

Here is a quick guide to what you can do:

1. Choose your carbohydrate sources wisely:

Carbohydrates increase the blood glucose levels, so be smart before choosing what you want to eat in the form of carbohydrates. The best way is to avoid refined carbohydrates like white rice, pasta, corns and white bread etc. And choose other healthier alternatives like brown rice, peas, sprouts, whole grain or multi-grain bread instead of white bread.

These are the healthier options as they are rich in fibre content and body has to put in extra efforts to break them down into glucose.

2. Cut down any hidden sugars

Be cautious about the hidden sugars present in not so sugary looking items such as soft drinks, juices, honey, yogurts, packaged food items, syrups and jellies, etc. They are rich in glucose and instantly hike the blood sugar levels.

3. Eat regularly and keep a check on your fat intake:

Be smart with choosing the fat sources because people with diabetes are at higher risks of having heart disease and saturated fats and trans fats may lead to added risk of heart problems. So, avoid unhealthy fats and opt for healthier versions- olive oil instead of butter or refined oil. Prefer grilling instead of frying, choose nut as a form of snack and avoid using red meat and use fish servings instead.

4. Have a balanced diet:

Have a balanced diet including pulses, beans, dairy products, fruits, vegetables and whole grains. These food items will help to lower the carbohydrates levels and increase the fibre content.

Diabetes management through exercise:

Exercise does not mean that you should hit the gym and sweat out on the heavy machines, but it actually means to indulge in some physical activity so that your metabolism could be updated, and the utilization of the diet you consume takes place in a good way. When you do some exercise, the glucose in the blood is used up by the cells to produce energy.

If you do not want to go for gym you can choose many other forms of exercises to keep yourself active like:

1. You can pick up some active sports like badminton or football. These outdoor sports are good form of exercise for the whole body; they help you to relax your mood, and you can learn a new game as well.

2. Do household works: Simple household chores like dusting and cleaning itself are a form of light exercise. If you are not able to move out of the house, then doing household work and gardening can help you to lose calories without taking out time to do exercise.

Along with exercising, make it a practice to keep track of your blood sugar levels. Check your blood glucose levels before and after exercise, especially if you are taking insulin or are on a pre-diabetic diet. Keeping a track on your blood glucose levels, going for routine checkups with your doctor, eating a healthy diet and doing some physical activity for 30 minutes a day, all these can improve your condition of diabetes to a great level.