Introduction to Type 2 Diabetes

In type 2 Diabetes the pancreas makes less insulin than required, so the Blood sugar level in the body gets increased, and the body gets harmed due to the increased blood sugar levels.

What are the major harms due to increased blood sugar (Hyperglycemia) levels?

Due to the increased blood sugar levels (Hyperglycemia), the blood vessels in the body that supplies the blood to the organs of the body get damaged and it increases the risk of many diseases.

In other words, a person suffering from type 2 diabetes is prone to many diseases:

Heart Problem

The person who is suffering from type 2 diabetes is 5 times more prone to heart disease than a normal person, who is not suffering from diabetes, because due to high blood sugar levels heart blood vessels gets damaged.

Brain Stroke

The person who is suffering from diabetes is also more prone to brain stroke than a normal person, because due to high blood sugar the blood vessels in the brain get blocked due to this the flow of blood and oxygen gets interrupts and can lead to stroke in the brain or can burst the blood vessel.

High Blood Pressure

The person who is suffering from diabetes is also more prone to high blood pressure, due to high blood sugar there is an increase in LDL (Low density lipoprotein) increases the cholesterol levels in the blood, this high cholesterol deposits in the blood vessels and increases the blood pressure and this increased blood pressure is responsible for heart disease, kidney failure, and brain stroke.

Kidney Failure

The patients who are suffering from high blood sugar, they are very much prone to kidney failure, high blood sugar damages the nephrons (the tiny filters) in the kidney and damages the blood vessel which increases the blood pressure, this increase in blood pressure is also responsible for kidney failure.

Diabetic Retinopathy

The patients who are suffering from diabetes and have high sugar levels in the blood are very much prone to the diabetic retinopathy, diabetic retinopathy is an eye condition that can cause vision loss, blurred vision, and blindness, high blood sugar affects the blood vessels in the retina and this damage in the blood vessel causes diabetic retinopathy.

Alzheimer’s Disease

Many recent studies shows that the people who are suffering from uncontrolled diabetes has higher levels of blood sugar are more prone to Alzheimer and dementia.

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How to manage high level of diabetes?

People who are suffering from type 2 diabetes, it is very important for them to maintain their high level of sugar and diseases cause due to high level of sugar.

Ways to Manage Type 2 Diabetes:

1. Take proper prescription time to time from a qualified endocrinologist (specialist doctor for diabetes), take proper medication.
2. Avoid sugar and artificial sweeteners, sugar is very much harmful for diabetics, instead of having white sugar and artificial sugar have fruits whose glycemic index low after suggestion by the doctor or dietician to fulfill the requirement of sugar in body.
3. Take a short meal every 2 to 3 hours, instead of having large and heavy meals 2 times a day have short meals 6 to 7 times in a day.
4. Avoid sugar level increasing, high calories, and food that are rich in monounsaturated fat. avoid foods prepared from fine flour like pizza, burger, avoid sweets, and avoid oily food.
5. Have low fat milk at least 500 ml a day because milk is a very good source of minerals and vitamins.
6. I suggest light exercise walking 3 to 5 km in a day, try to do it in morning time between 6 am to 8 am in morning, if possible do it on green grass barefoot it is very much beneficial for diabetics, and nervous system.
7. Walking 30 minutes after dinner at least 10,000 steps are also very much beneficial for person suffering from diabetes as this helps to control the increasing glucose level because walking helps controlling diabetes and releases insulin hormone also.
8. Try to be calm don’t take much stress as stress is very much harmful for diabetes patients, many researchers suggest that high levels of stress hormone might stop insulin producing cells in the pancreas it can also increase the risk of type 2 diabetes.
9. Add light, healthy fiber and mineral rich food in diet.

Fiber Rich Foods

• Soluble fibers are present in fruits, vegetable, oats, barley, multigrain flour etc.
• Fiber rich vegetables are Pears, carrots, beetroot, broccoli, brussels sprouts, kale, spinach, tomatoes, sweet potatoes, bottle gourd, luffa gourd, cucumber, these are vegetables rich in fiber.
• Fiber rich fruits are apple, raspberry, avocado, banana, oranges, pears, blackberry, kiwi fruit, strawberry, blueberries, berry, prunes, plums, apricot, mangoes, grapefruit, figs, peaches, cherries, pineapples, raisin, guava, watermelon, citrus fruit. among these fruits some fruits have high glycemic index so, please consult with our doctor or dietician which fruits are better for you and the quantity you can have in a meal or in a day.
• Fiber rich grains are quinoa, barley, bulgur, soybean, maize etc.
• Fiber rich nuts and seeds are fresh coconuts, walnuts, pistachios, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, flaxseeds, chia seeds.
• Fiber rich beans and peas are chickpeas, kidney beans, black beans.
• Fiber rich dry fruits are figs, dates, prunes, apricots, and raisins.

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Summarizing Some Key Points to Maintain a Healthy Life with Type 2 Diabetes

1. Take time to time proper prescription of endocrinologist.
2. Do proper diet according to the dietician and doctor suggestion, add more fiber rich diet in daily meals, have 6 to 7 small meals in a day and have a light meal at night.
3. Do proper exercise to burn calories, and walking will also increase the production of insulin hormone.
4. Try to be calm and composed, it also helps in maintaining type 2 diabetes.
5. Most commonly used medicine for type 2 diabetes patients is metformin mostly in underdeveloped and developing nations, the longtime side effect of this medicine is reducing vitamin b12 levels, please check your vitamin b12 levels time to time. Diabetes is a very much common disease in today’s lifestyle, but one shouldn’t bother with it, remember only one thing try to maintain a healthy lifestyle as suggested above with these steps one can live a healthy and long life with type diabetes. Even, I know many persons who have been living a healthy life with type 2 diabetes for more than 50 years.

“I wish all the readers have a healthy, long and successful life.”

This article is written under guidance of Dr. Anil Kumar Sharma (Former Additional Director Department of Ayurveda Rajasthan)

The post Effective Strategy to Manage Type 2 Diabetes first appeared on DelightingME.