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The sugary problem

Photo: K.R. Deepak

Walk a mile An early morning brisk walk can do wonders

“India will soon be the diabetes capital of the world”. This is an oft repeated warning by the health organisations world wide, but hardly anything concrete has been done to stop this time bomb from ticking.

Today is World Diabetes Day and it is observed every year on November 14. “Diabetes Education and Prevention” is the theme for the years 2009-2013, and the campaign slogan for this year is “Understand Diabetes and Take Control”.

There are 185 million diabetic patients in the world as per a WHO estimate. India has the dubious distinction of having 51 million diabetics. This figure is likely to double by 2030. The fast changing life styles of Indians, obesity, lack of physical activity, sedentary life style and stress are making them more prone to this disease. Incidence of childhood diabetes is also on the rise because of childhood obesity and sedentary life style even among children.

Most of the food we eat is broken down by digestive juices into a simple sugar called glucose. Glucose is the main source of fuel for the body. After digestion, the glucose passes into our blood stream where it is available for body cells to use for growth and energy. Glucose is carried to the cells in the blood stream, but if you have diabetes, it can not be absorbed because the cells are locked up tighter. Glucose cannot get into a cell without a key. That key is insulin. Insulin is a hormone that comes from a gland, called pancreas. But in persons with diabetes, insulin is either not available or produced in insufficient amounts. Therefore, the glucose produced does not reach the cells but builds up in the blood, overflows into the urine and passes out of the body.

Diabetes can be controlled through “Diet, exercise, Insulin and oral medication”. There is no disease which provokes greater thought on diet than diabetes. Most people agree that meal planning is the most difficult part of managing diabetes. Meal planning is one of the three parts of the diabetes “balancing act” or triangle. The others are physical activity and diabetes medications. The best approach to healthy eating for a diabetic is to eat a wide variety of foods. This goes for everyone whether you have type I or type II or gestational diabetes. No single food group can provide you with all the nutrients your body needs. Your body requires nutrients to repair and replace proteins, tissues and cells throughout your body and to keep you rolling along. Your body needs three important nutrients to do this, i.e., protein, carbohydrate and fat, as well as vitamins and minerals. Various combinations of these nutrients are found in different foods. So by eating a variety of foods, you are sure to get all the nutrients you need. This is much better than taking vitamin supplements, because nature combines the needed nutrients in food in a way that your body can best use them.

The fundamental element in the approach to the treatment of any diabetic is diet, irrespective of whether he or she receives oral hypoglycaemic agents or is on insulin therapy. The basic purpose of diet is to provide a diabetic with a combination and balance of nutritious food so that metabolism is optimised and energy needs are met within the absolute or relative insulin deficient state. As diet forms the most essential part in the treatment of diabetes, the success or failure with any drug that lowers blood glucose level depends on dietary adherence. It is thus imperative that diet should be so rationalized that there is adjustment of eating habits to fit the individual’s need and does not just prove to be food deprivation or denial of one of the many pleasures of living.

Diabetes or no diabetes, regular physical activity improves your overall health and helps protect you against lowering of blood glucose levels, burning more calories, improvement in insulin sensitivity, lowers glycated haemoglobin levels, decreases triglyceride levels, increases HDL (good) cholesterol, improves in mild to moderate hypertension, conditioning of the cardiovascular system, increases strength and flexibility and improves your attitude, sense of well being and quality of life.

The Diabetes Foundation of Visakhapatnam, has been constantly on the move to create awareness among the public about diabetes, prevention and treatment.

ANURADHA REDDY

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