World Diabetes Day: Pledge to combat diabetes with almonds

Every year World Diabetes Day is celebrated as a campaign to generate more awareness around an illness that impacts over 72 million people across India and is slowly becoming one of the most common diseases across the country. The Indian Diabetes Federation estimates this number to increase to more than double and reach 134 million by 2025, and this presents a serious public health challenge. According to the World Health Organization, a combination of factors have contributed to the increase in the number of Indians suffering from diabetes including rapid urbanisation, sedentary lifestyles, increasing life expectancy  and unhealthy diets .

With this year’s theme centred around ‘The family and Diabetes’, let’s take a minute to analyse how we can protect our families and loved ones by making some simple and yet important changes. Enlisted below are a few key tips that will help you manage this lifestyle disease better:

Tip 1: Change your snacking choices

For a type 2 diabetic, the first step to managing the disease is imbibing healthier food habits. The next step is to snack right! A lot us tend to binge on fried or unhealthy snacks without worrying about the repercussions. A simple and gradual way to change this is to revise your snacking routine. Replace your usual choices with food items like almonds, makhanas or yoghurt that are healthy and filling and will also help in building your overall health.

Stressing on the importance of eating right, leading Bollywood Actress, Soha Ali Khan said, and “We Indians really love our snacks in all forms - sweet or savoury. Many of us tend to overindulge in them, and this can have a larger negative impact over a course of time. A good way to change this is to opt for healthier snacking alternatives. In my case, I make it a point to keep food like a handful of roasted or flavoured almonds, fresh fruit or oats stored away in a small box nearby, to ensure I don’t snack on unhealthy food that gives me empty calories.”

Tip 2: Find ways to be more active

Regular physical exercise is good for anyone who is trying to manage their blood glucose. This will also help keep your blood pressure under control, manage your weight, maintain your energy levels and decrease risk for any heart diseases which are quite common amongst diabetics. Start by adding small doses of daily exercise and increasing it gradually to 30 minutes or 1 hour every day, and over time this will contribute in managing the disease better.

Fitness enthusiast and Supermodel, Milind Soman said, “Choosing a form of exercise you enjoy will help keep you fit and motivated. My suggestion is if you enjoy a particular dance form, like to run, or prefer to swim, or enjoy aerobics – does exactly that. I also recommend complementing your fitness regime, by substituting unhealthy snacks with healthier options like almonds which make for crunchy and delicious pre or post workout meals.”

Tip 3: Watch your weight

Obesity and abdominal fat is often linked with increased blood sugar levels. A recent study also highlighted that those diabetic patients who regain weight, lose out on the initial benefits of reduced risk of cardiovascular diseases compared to those who maintain their weight. A few studies have also directly compared cardio metabolic risk between people who successfully lost weight and maintained the weight loss to those who regained weight, particularly among people with type 2 diabetes. That said, being cognizant and making a clear effort to manage weight is an important aspect in managing type 2 diabetes better, and will lead to a more holistic lifestyle.

Tip 4: Take notes

Another good thing you can do to better manage your blood sugar levels is to maintain a daily log and account of your day. This can include details of the amount of medication you might have taken during the day, the food you consumed, details of your physical activity, as well as things that caused you stress during the day. Over a period of time, this will give you a deeper insight into your progress, and help manage your lifestyle in a better and more organized way.

Speaking about this, Ritika Samaddar, Regional Head-Dietetics, Max Healthcare – Delhi said, “Keeping a track of the changes in your lifestyle, along with your daily schedule, as well as your medicine and food intake is important for anyone suffering from type 2 diabetes. Maintaining a daily log or diary is a great way to avoid misses and also to map the impact. The good thing is that nowadays there are many mobile apps which can help you here. In the long run, this is a good habit that will help in managing the disease better.”