Type-2 diabetes, popularly known as adult
diabetes, is a chronic condition that affects the way the body
processes sugar, the body’s main source of fuel. When you have Type-2
diabetes, your body either resists the effects of insulin — a hormone
that regulates the movement of sugar into your cells — or doesn’t
produce enough insulin to maintain a normal glucose level.
Untreated, type 2 diabetes can be
life-threatening. There is also no cure for it, but it can be managed
or even reversed in some cases.
Diabetes is on the rise with increasing childhood, adult obesity and hypertension.
When it comes to Type-2 diabetes — the
most common type of diabetes — prevention is a big deal. For example, if
you are overweight or have a family history of the disease, you must be
very careful.
Diabetes prevention is as basic as eating
more healthily, becoming more physically active and losing a few extra
pounds — and it’s never too late to start.
Continue reading after the cut....
Making a few simple lifestyle changes
can help one avoid serious health complications of diabetes down the
road, with experts saying that up to 90 per cent of the cases of Type-2
diabetes can be prevented by eating and living right.
Authors of Eating Well, Living Well: Diabetes Prevention, Dr.
Richard Béliveau and Dr. Denis Gingran, note that given the serious
consequences emanating from Type-2 diabetes, preventing the disease is
certainly the best weapon in reducing the damage caused by a surplus of
blood sugar.
They also give lifestyle changes people can make to avoid becoming a part of the on-going diabetes epidemic.
Maintain a healthy body weight
Given that excess weight and obesity are
instrumental to the development of Type-2 diabetes, maintaining a normal
body weight is an essential aspect of any preventive approach.
Radically reducing the size of the stomach rapidly decreases obesity and
almost completely eliminates Type-2 diabetes.
Losing just five kilogramme, even over
several years, can reduce the risk by 50 per cent. At a time when being
overweight has become the norm rather than the exception, Type-2
diabetes undoubtedly illustrates the dangers of excess weight and the
need to be as slim as possible in order to prevent this disease.
Reduce intake of high-sugar foods
You can also significantly reduce the
risk of diabetes by paying attention to the amount and especially the
type of carbohydrates in your diet. Ingesting a food with a high
glycemic (sugar) load can be a mistake.
Conversely, consuming foods containing
complex carbohydrates (with a low glycemic load, such as whole grain
products and legumes) produces a much smaller amount of glucose and
insulin in the blood.
Choose the right fats
The type of fat you consume can also
exert a huge influence on the development of Type-2 diabetes. Certain
saturated fats, for example, promote inflammation, indirectly causing
insulin resistance. Conversely, oleic acid, the main fat in olive oil,
has an anti-inflammatory action, thereby reducing the risk of insulin
resistance. It is noteworthy that omega-3 fats can improve the insulin
response of our organs. As for heart disease prevention, using olive oil
as the main fat combined with sustained omega-3 intake is a key element
in diabetes prevention.
Get some exercise
Besides its central role in preventing
cardiovascular diseases, regular physical exercise is essential for
Type-2 diabetes prevention. Muscles are the main organs involved in the
absorption of glucose in response to insulin. Therefore,regular physical
exercise, by maintaining optimal muscular function, improves our
sensitivity to insulin, thus ensuring stable blood glucose levels.
Regular exercise not only reduces
glycemia but also notably improves blood pressure, an extremely positive
effect for heart disease prevention and one not seen in treatment with
hypoglycemic drugs. In other words, while molecules like metformin are
vital allies in fighting disorders responsible for diseases like Type-2
diabetes, we must never underestimate the remarkable effect of lifestyle
changes such as physical exercise on a number of processes induced by
these diseases.
Aim for 30 minutes of moderate physical
activity a day. Take a brisk daily walk. Ride a bike. Swim laps. If you
can’t fit in a long workout, spread 10-minute or longer sessions
throughout the day.
Flavour your food with spices
As incredible as it may seem, certain
spices can be instrumental in diabetes Type-2 prevention. The most
obvious one is undoubtedly cinnamon, an aromatic substance that improves
glucose tolerance and has the ability to interfere with the creation of
glycation products that damage blood vessel linings.
This property appears to be widespread
in the plant kingdom as spices and seasonings such as Jamaican allspice,
black pepper, thyme, and many other herbs can also block glycation
reactions. Turmeric also seems to reduce blood glucose levels, which is
why it is used in traditional Indian medicine (Ayurveda). In addition,
turmeric’s powerful anti-inflammatory activity is a very good preventive
weapon for reducing the damage caused by a sugar surplus in the
cardiovascular system.
-Helpguide
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