How to prevent Diabetes

Prevention is better than cure, and this is the absolute truth when it comes to battling Diabetes

If you want to prevent Diabetes from occurring within in your family and friends than you should understand and remember the basics of it.

Diabetes mellitus is neither a singular nor isolated form of occurrence. It a group of diseases, marked by high blood sugar levels which occurs when our body is unable to produce and utilize insulin optimally. Insulin is a hormone produced by the pancreas and it is important to maintain blood sugar. 

Common symptoms of Diabetes include 

1. Increased thirst and Urination

2. Increased Hunger

3. Weight loss

4. Fatigue

5. Blurred Vision

6. Extreme craving (for fatty and sugary food items)

Uncontrolled Diabetes can lead to complications such as Blindness, Loss of Memory, Kidney malfunction, Fatty Liver, Heart Disease, Nerve Damage leading to Amputations.

Type 2 Diabetes is most common variety. it develops when the body fails to utilize the insulin properly and is most commonly now found in overweight children. 

Here are 5 ways you can prevent it 

1. Curb it young: Forget the myth that children cannot get diabetes. Today, children as young as 12 years of age are suffering from Type 2 Diabetes. Introduce a healthy diet routine for the children as well as for adults in the family. Children are known to emulate what they learn from their elders and thus it is imperative that inculcate healthy eating habits in them right from childhood.

2. Stay Stress-free:  Reduce stress in daily life. Stress causes sudden surges in insulin levels.

3. Workout: Exercising regularly helps to keep diabetes at bay.

4. Say No to junk food: Keep Junk Foods restricted to once or maybe twice a month. These days almost all restaurants offer healthy but tasty options to choose from and therefore family or business outings can no longer be an excuse to indulge in heavy, calorific food that is devoid of any real nutrition.

5. Mind your weight: If you are more than 5 Kgs overweight, then please consider going on a diet immediately to reduce sugar levels in your body. Not only would you feel more energetic but also more ‘alive!’

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'Congratulations! You're pregnant!' Almost all women long to hear these words and nothing should come in the way, even diabetes. So, if you are a Type 1 or Type 2 diabetic, here are a few things you should keep in mind to have a healthy baby.

1. Your blood sugar must be monitored regularly-
The most important thing you can do to have a healthy baby is to keep your blood sugar as close to normal before and during your pregnancy. Testing is recommended a minimum of four times a day. Glucose passes through the mother's blood to the fetus and hence if your blood sugar fluctuates, so will your baby's. High blood sugar levels are especially harmful during the first 8 weeks of pregnancy when the baby's brain, heart, kidneys and lungs are formed.

2. Your pregnancy is considered high risk-
High blood sugar levels can increase the risk of a miscarriage as well as the risks of your baby being born with birth defects. Diabetes can also increase the risk of developing preeclampsia during the second half of your pregnancy. This could result in a C section or premature birth. Thus, maintain regular checkups and keep your doctor in the loop of all your activities.

3. You should watch out for signs of ketosis-
When you have low blood sugar, the body produces ketones that can be passed on from you to your baby. This production of ketones is a result of the body's burning of fat instead of glucose to provide energy and can develop a condition called ketosis. Symptoms you should watch out for are stomach aches, nausea, fatigue, muscle stiffness, frequent urination and fruity breath.

4. You need Vitamins and Supplements-
Most women require vitamin and mineral supplements at the time of pregnancy. Of these, folic acid, iron, calcium and vitamin D are the most important. These supplements help in the healthy growth of the baby.

5. You should exercise regularly-
Maintaining a regular physical activity routine is very important for diabetics who are expecting a baby. This will help you regularize your blood sugar, relieve stress and strengthen your heart. Avoid activities that increase your risk of falling and aim for at least thirty minutes of daily exercise such as walking, swimming or yoga.

6. Check your medication-
Some medication can be detrimental during pregnancy such as cholesterol and blood pressure medication. Consult your doctor to find a suitable alternative if needed. You may also need to change the kind of insulin you take and its frequency and amount. As you get closer to the delivery date, your insulin requirement may even double or triple.

The key to preventing complications during pregnancy is controlling your diabetes. So take your insulin regularly, maintain regular checkups and eat healthy. You need to be seen by your obstetrician more frequently. Your pregnancy will be monitored closely by more frequent ultrasounds and NST. If your sugar level remains under control and pregnancy is advancing well, a natural onset of pains is aimed for and normal delivery is expected.

Diabetes - How To Handle It While Pregnancy?

At this point of time, diabetes is one of the most chronic, fastest growing lifestyle disease in the world. Also known as diabetes mellitus, the condition is basically a metabolic disorder, wherein the human body cannot store and use fuel for the energy. This fuel or glucose is the one that powers all our bodily organs and ensures that we have the energy to carry out activities throughout the day.

And while diabetes is a popular medical condition, a lot of people don't have much information about it. Although, they know the major types of diabetes, they have no clue about the difference between them. Here we outline type I vs type ii diabetes-

***Type I diabetes- Formerly known as juvenile onset or insulin dependent diabetes, type I diabetes is the one in which your body's immune system destroys all kinds of cells that release insulin. Over a period of time, this results in elimination of insulin production from the body, because of which the cells cannot absorb glucose or sugar and produce energy. Type I diabetes have episodes of low blood sugar level and it cannot be problem. Symptoms usually start from childhood or young adulthood.

***Type ii diabetes- The adult onset or non-insulin dependent diabetes can develop at any age, particularly after the 30s, although the cases of same are rising rapidly among children. This type of diabetes involves production of insulin, but not in a right way, a condition known as insulin resistance. For this kind of diabetes, the person usually might not have symptoms before the diagnoses and there are rarely any episodes of low sugar level. It can be easily prevented or delayed by following a healthy lifestyle and indulging in regular exercising.

If you have any of the above symptoms or have more questions related to diabetes, click on consult privately to ask me.

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You Surely Know About Diabetes. But Do You Know Its Various Types?

Both women and men suffer from infertility troubles. There are a host of causes that may lead to infertility in men such as lifestyle choices and obesity. Male infertility is characterized by irregular sperm function or reduced sperm count. Infertility has emerged as a common problem as a result of the modern day lifestyle. Extremely hectic schedules, stress, burnout, depression, unhealthy diets; all of these can contribute to fertility issues.

The various reasons for infertility in men are:
1. If you are overweight, then it is time to lose those extra kilos. Obesity leads to a number of health problems, one of them being erectile dysfunction.
2. Various hormonal problems such as complications of the hypothalamus, pituitary and adrenal glands may lead to low testosterone levels in the body.
3. Various infections such as inflammation of the testicles and epididymis that causes blockage of the tubes carrying the sperm can be a cause.
4. Various medications such as using anabolic steroids, antifungal medications and chemotherapy may hamper production of the sperm and thus hit fertility.
5. Both alcohol and cigarettes may cause problems in sperm production, and cause erectile dysfunction. Excessive drinking may lead to complications in the liver resulting in infertility.

The reasons of infertility may range from medical causes to lifestyle choices; some of the causes may be related to the environment. A common cause of infertility is due to problems with transportation of the sperm. These are mainly due to blockages in the tubes that carry the sperm.

Symptoms of infertility in men are:
1. You may experience low libido
2. Your sperm count may be low
3. You may experience lumps or swellings in the testicles
4. Chromosomal complications such as reduced body hair
5. You may have chronic respiratory problems.

What Causes Infertility in Men?

Pregnancy brings with it the need to be extra careful about the overall well-being of the mother-to-be. Extreme caution has to be taken in managing health, as antibiotics and a lot of other treatment modalities are best avoided during pregnancy. With diabetes becoming common in the younger ages and women choosing to delay pregnancy, there are multiple women who are diabetic and choose to get pregnant later in life.

With diabetes being a chronic and a lifestyle condition, it definitely has its effects on pregnancy. However, the key is to manage diabetes cautiously in such a way that its effects on pregnancy, both the mother and the developing baby, are minimal. The increased blood sugar levels from the mother pass on to the baby, so keeping a close watch on the blood sugar levels is very important.

The maximum effect of diabetes on the baby is during the first few weeks of pregnancy. It is when the vital organs (brain, heart, lungs and kidneys) are forming, and high blood sugar levels can be harmful. This is slightly tricky as most women realise they could be pregnant only after about 6 weeks. If pregnancy is planned, it is best advisable to keep a check on sugar levels much ahead of the pregnancy.
The baby could be used to high levels of sugar while in the womb, and once delivered, it could have too low sugar levels. This needs to be monitored.
Preeclampsia, which is increased protein in the urine and high blood pressure, can happen during the second trimester. This may require the baby to be delivered prematurely.
Babies born to diabetic mothers are often bigger. The baby s pancreas is used to higher sugar levels and so the extra sugar gets converted to fat, which is the reason for the bigger babies. This may also necessitate C-sections.
Pregnancy can induce the development of diabetic retinopathy, which may prevent vaginal delivery, as the woman may not be able to exert the required pressure.
Abnormal calcium and magnesium levels, which need to be monitored for a while after birth
Most diabetic women reach full term if the sugar levels have been under good control.
Diabetic pregnant women are high at risk. However, with advanced medical care, these risks and complications are managed very well producing healthy babies from normal deliveries with effectively no harm to the mother s health. Once a diabetic woman tests positive, it is advisable to seek medical help to plan diet/meal plan, physical activities, exercise regimen, lifestyle changes, and medication dose adjustments. This is not a one-time activity, but needs to be closely monitored with daily blood sugar levels throughout the pregnancy. 

How Can High Diabetes Affect Your Pregnancy?

Ayurveda is an age old system of medicine that is holistic in nature. Treatment in Ayurveda focuses on getting rid of the cause of the disease. The medicines in Ayurveda are natural and thus, do not have any side effects. There are various remedies in Ayurveda to balance your blood sugar level. Blood sugar occurs either due to decreased insulin sensitivity or inefficient absorption of glucose by the cells in the body. 


The various remedies to balance blood sugar in Ayurveda are
Diet: You should pay close attention to your diet, as diet plays a primary role in maintaining healthy blood sugar levels. Eating foods that can cause your blood sugar levels to hit the roof should be strictly avoided. Simple sugars are the main culprit, and any food that contains simple sugars like refined foods and most fruits need to be avoided.
Exercise: Exercise is a must if you want your blood sugar under control. Include cardiovascular exercises like running and swimming that helps in burning calories and regulate blood sugar. It also helps you lose fat and reduce weight. Exercises also uses the sugar in your blood thus, causing a drop in the blood sugar levels.
Avoid stress: If you are feeling stressed lately then you may employ relaxation techniques such as meditation. You can start off with simple meditation techniques such as focusing on your breath. Count to 4 while you inhale and then hold your breath for seven seconds, then exhale while you count to 8. Repeat this procedure for 10-15 minutes on a daily basis.
Herbs: You can include fenugreek in your diet, you may consume them by soaking them overnight in a glass of water and then drinking the water after straining it. It has been known to reduce blood sugar levels. Holy basil or tulsi is another herb that has a beneficial effect on the blood sugar level in the body. It also corrects hormonal imbalances and improves your overall wellbeing. You can also add cinnamon powder while cooking to maintain insulin sensitivity. 


Ayurvedic treatments to balance blood sugar

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