6 Lifestyle Changes to Prevent Diabetes.
Diabetes is caused due to excess blood sugar in the body. The reason for too much sugar in the blood is a hormonal imbalance of the hormone insulin secreted by the pancreas.
So, what can you do to prevent diabetes?
Diabetes is the result of long-term negligence of healthy lifestyle habits. Unless it is hereditary, diabetes can be prevented with conscious efforts and paying utmost attention to diet and physical exercise from a young age. If you start to realise the importance of a good dietary habits even after the age of 30, your insulin resistance (normal insulin secreting mechanism) has sustained significant damage.
Consumption of excess sugar leading to diabetes is only a myth. Sugar is not the only factor; all simple carbohydrates are. Refined flour, sugar, red meat, saturated fats, consumed over a long period of time in excess amounts contribute to insulin resistance in the body leading to diabetes.
Here are some simple tips you should keep in mind.
- Avoid consuming refined flour as much as you can. It is only a matter of time before you forget the difference between the taste of refined flour or any other flour with a lower glycaemic index like oat, gram or wholewheat flour. Buy the ingredients and cook the healthier version of your favourite dishes without refined flour at home.
- Make use of healthier oils like olive, canola, or peanut. Almost all street food and mass manufactured foods make use of saturated fats which is extremely harmful for the heart. Always read the labels before buying and look for terms like “palm oil” or “palmolien oil”, if they are listed as the ingredients, stop buying those products.
- Replace red meat with chicken, fish, or eggs. Red meat is saturated fat too, and directly contributes to heart blockages.
- Sugar, jaggery, or honey, all spike blood sugar similarly. Unless you are using an artificial sweetener or stevia, the body’s blood sugar is bound to immediately go up with every bite or sip of the sugary stuff you consume. It is best to avoid sugary foods or replace it with mashed bananas, date puree, applesauce etc.
- Do whatever you like but burn some calories every day, or at least 4 days a week. Weight training, HIIT, and strength training at least twice a week significantly reduces the chances of developing Type 2 diabetes.
- Maintain a healthy weight. Even if you think you are overweight, just focus on maintaining a healthy diet and workout routine. Monitor you blood sugar every 6 months, and you are good to go!
There is no need to restrict your diet too strictly, just a few conscious efforts are enough. Diabetes is a condition not a disease, there is no one medication, and it is not something you will ever be able to get rid of once it becomes “normal” for your body. Make sure you never reach that point and keep a check on its symptoms for early diagnosis and prevention.
