Friday, October 10, 2014

Diet and Exercise Tips for Type II Diabetes

We came across this article by Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumbar this week and we needed to repost. The best way to manage diabetes Mellitus IS nutrition and exercise.  Stay educated and stay healthy! Thank you Dr. Mazumbar for the tips!
The best way to manage Type II Diabetes is strict Diet control, regular physical exercise and if required Hypoglycemic drugs (drugs that bring your blood sugar down). Hypoglycemic drugs usually are not prescribed in the initial 3 months of diagnosis of Diabetes Mellitus. The idea here is to attempt to control disease with diet restrictions and regular physical exercise. The way to monitor the control of blood sugar levels over the long term is through Glycosylated Haemoglobin levels (Hb1AC).
Diet tips in Diabetes Mellitus
  1. Have shorter and frequent meals at regular intervals.
  2. Strictly follow a diet chart which includes low carbohydrates, low fat, and limited amount of protein.
  3. Have lots of vegetable salads before every meal to fill your stomach and satisfy your hunger.
  4. Avoid food items which have high glycemic index like sugar candies, rice, sweet corn etc.
  5. Avoid consumption of alcohol and smoking.
Exercise tips in Diabetes Mellitus
Any exercise which helps in burning the calories will help.
  1. Brisk walking: It’s considered as one of the best exercises. For best results, walk at a speed of five kilometers per hour or 12 minutes per kilometer. Start with 15 minutes per day and gradually increase it to an hour.
  2. "We need people with diabetes up and moving," Dr. Griffing (MD, professor of endocrinology at the Saint Louis University School of Medicine in St. Louis) says. "If you can finish your exercise in one 30 minute stretch, fine. But if not, break it up into increments you can manage and the increments should add up to at least 30 minutes a day."
  3. Warm up for 5 minutes before the exercise and cool down for 5 minutes after exercise. This will help in increasing blood flow and warming up your joints.
  4. Drink plenty of water before and after the exercise to stay hydrated.
  5. Take care of your feet by wearing shoes and clean socks. Check if the shoes fit you well and are comfortable. Check for any blisters, redness or signs of inflammation before and after the exercise.
  6. Increase the activity in general – such as climbing stairs, cleaning furniture. However, don't rely on housework or other daily activity as your sole exercise. Too often, people overestimate the amount of exercise they get and underestimate the amount of calories they consume.
  7. Have a friend or mentor who is going to motivate you regularly and set attainable goals.
  8. Check blood sugar levels regularly and note them in a diary.

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