Diabetes - Know Regimen For It!

Diabetes has become a modern lifestyle disease. Younger age groups are affected by it, and with changing lifestyles, it is only poised to get worse. While this may sound scary, the news to cheer about is that it can be controlled to a large extent. By making lifestyle changes, altering diet, and improving foot care, diabetes control can be planned effectively. Both the onset of the disease and disease progression and complications can be controlled to a large extent.

Read on to know some changes in terms of lifestyle, diet and foot care to improve diabetes:

1. Diet: You are what you eat, so it is advisable that you plan your meal carefully. Eat healthy and you will stay healthy. Include a lot of fiber in the form of whole grains, fresh fruits and vegetables. Reduce oils, sugar, salt, white rice, refined flour, etc. Increase unsaturated fatty acids and reduce saturated fatty acids. Ensure you get the right amount of antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals. Ensure ample hydration for the body. Get into a pattern of eating small, frequent meals and avoid binge eating. This goes a long way in controlling sugar levels in the body.
2. Lifestyle: Engage in exercise, both to keep your weight under control and to improve the function of insulin. This also helps to keep body fat under control. Talk to your doctor about what routine would work for you. Whether it is jogging, running, cycling, swimming or plain walking, take a pick and regularly do it. Your goal should be to spend 30 to 45 mins every day on brisk walking (at least 5 days a week). This helps the function of insulin and also helps in reducing complications arising from diabetes. If you are a smoker, this is the time to quit – the hazards and the benefits are way too many. A healthy lifestyle with exercise also helps to manage stress, as the exercise helps in stress management and weight management too. Reduced severity of diabetes induces a feeling of well-being too.
3. Foot care: One of the main complications of diabetes is known as diabetic neuropathy, where the nerves are affected. There is loss of sensation in the extremities and therefore a blister or a corn on the foot can go unnoticed and continue to grow. This may develop into an ulcer, which may then require extensive repair and heal at a slow pace because of diabetes. Diabetic people are advised to watch and wash the feet regularly, dry it nicely, watch between the toes, keep the toenails trimmed, smoothen out the calluses and corns, and use proper footwear. Go for foot exams once in six months or a year. Any small wound should be attended to by the doctor.

These are some simple ways to combat diabetes, which can be planned into your daily routine.