“Life is not over because you have diabetes. Make the most of what you have, be grateful.” Dale Evans

Know your disease to manage it better. Diabetes is an epidemic. This is a quick summary of every aspect of the dreaded disease.

What is Diabetes?

The encyclopedia of Britannica defines Diabetes asunder;

1. Insulin is a hormone secreted by beta cells, which are located in clusters of cells in the
2. Insulin’s role in the body is to trigger cells to take up glucose so that the cells can use this energy-yielding sugar.
3. Diabetes patients have dysfunctional beta cells, resulting in decreased insulin secretion.
4. This results in glucose level in the blood remain high. This is known as high blood sugar and in common men’s language Diabetes.

There are two types of Diabetes. Type 2 type of Diabetes is widespread. As many as 90% of the total Diabetes patients are suffering from Type 2 Diabetes.

Symptoms:

About a 3rd of the diabetes cases goes unnoticed. Knowing symptom is very important.

As per the Diabetes UK following are the symptoms of Diabetes.

1. Going to the toilet a lot, especially at night.
2. Being really thirsty.
3. Feeling more tired than usual.
4. Losing weight without trying to.
5. Genital itching or thrush.
6. Cuts and wounds take longer to heal.
7. Blurred vision.

Watch this Video for symptoms of Diabetes in Children.

Test your fasting and post lunch blood sugar to know whether you are already suffering from Diabetes or no.

Causes:

There are a variety of risk factors for type 2 diabetes, any or all of which increase the chances of developing the condition. It all depends on individual, however major causes are;

1. Obesity
2. Living a sedentary lifestyle
3. Increasing age
4. Bad diet
5. Physical and Mental Stress
6. Hereditary

Complications:

This is a very dangerous disease. As per the American Diabetes Association, if not treated and controlled diabetes, can have many complications.

1. Vision fades
2. Kidney can fail
3. Cholesterol and Blood Pressure rise
4. Your nerves fray
5. You may lose a foot
6. You are prone to cardiac problems
7. You may die

Cure:

1. Medication
2. Light Exercise
3. Yogasana and meditation
4. Walking
5. Diabetes-friendly Diet

Diabetes, Australia recommends; everybody benefits from regular exercise. If you have diabetes or are at risk of diabetes, it plays an important role in keeping you healthy. Following are the benefits of exercise;

• Insulin to work better, which will improve your diabetes management
• Maintain a healthy weight
• Lower your blood pressure
• Reduce your risk of heart disease
• Reduce stress.

Indulge in regular exercise in moderation.

Ayurveda & Diabetes:

Diabetes, UK, suggests some plant-based therapies that have been shown in some studies to have anti-diabetic properties include:

1. Aloe Vera
2. Bilberry extract
3. Bitter melon
4. Cinnamon
5. Fenugreek
6. Ginger

Jiva Ayurveda recommends following diet and lifestyle for diabetes patients.

1. Include whole grains in the diet, such as wheat bread/pasta and brown rice.
2. Cheese and yogurt prepared with skimmed (nonfat) milk may be taken.
3. Use bitter gourd, spinach, raw banana, and black plum.
4. Make a flour mixture of 1 part barley, 1 part black chickpeas, and 4 parts whole-wheat flour and use this to form pancakes and bread.
5. Avoid sweet fruits like pineapple, grapes, mangoes, etc.
6. Avoid sweet, sour, and salty foods, potatoes, sweet potatoes, colocasia (taro), yams, fresh grains and pulses (legumes), whole yogurt (high in fat), and heavy, oily and spicy foods.
7. Start doing some light exercise, such as brisk walking. Build up to a brisk walk of 30-40 minutes in the morning and again in the evening.
8. Avoid sleeping in the daytime as it increases Kledaka Kapha.

Some home remedies are;

1. Dry the leaves of a mango tree and grind to a powder. Mix 1 teaspoon dry powder in a glass of water and drink it daily to reduce high blood sugar levels.
2. Take 2 teaspoons of bitter gourd (karela) juice once a day. One can also increase its use as a cooked vegetable.
3. Take 1 teaspoon of Indian gooseberry (amla) juice mixed with 1 teaspoon of bitter gourd juice twice a day.

“I am a type-2 diabetic, and they took me off medication simply because I ate right and exercised. Diabetes is not like cancer, where you go in for chemo and radiation. You can change a lot through a basic changing of habits.” Sherri Shepherd

Know about your disease and learn how to manage the same under professional advice.

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