The world is in the midst of a diabetes epidemic. People the world over are being diagnosed with elevated blood sugar levels with the advent of modern technology, better mobility and a wide range of food choices. Prediabetes is a period before diabetes. People who have been diagnosed with elevated blood sugar levels but that are not high enough to qualify as diabetes.
Fortunately there is help at hand, progress from being prediabetic to diabetes can be prevented or delayed by taking affirmative action by controlling the many risk factors that accelerate the onset of diabetes.
Setting the alarm bells ringing
Prediabetes usually presents no symptoms; despite this it is associated with an increased risk of developing diabetes and cardiovascular disease. It can remain undetected for years, but prompt diagnosis and treatment can prevent you from progressing to becoming a diabetic.
One possible sign of prediabetes is darkened skin in certain parts of the body like around the neck, armpits, elbows and knees. Your odds of becoming a type 2 diabetic increase when some of the risk factors discussed below are not addressed immediately. These include
Weight – Being overweight is a huge risk factor that needs immediate attention. The more fatty tissue you have especially around the abdomen, the higher the chances of developing insulin resistance.
Waist Size – A large waistline indicates insulin resistance, a waist size above 40 inches in men and 35 inches in women should set the alarm bells ringing.
Calorie Rich Diet – A red meat-based diet or too much of carbohydrates along with consuming beverages loaded with sugar is associated with a higher risk of developing diabetes.
Physical Inactivity – An active lifestyle based on cardiovascular exercise, yoga and walking go a long way in reducing insulin resistance.
Age Factor –The risk of developing prediabetes increases after the age of 45.
Family History – A known family history of diabetes running in the family bloodline should indicate your propensity to developing prediabetes.
Race & Ethnicity – Indians as a race have shown a higher predisposition to developing prediabetes.
Gestational Diabetes – If you had gestational diabetes while pregnant, you and your child have a higher risk of having prediabetes.
Disturbed Sleep – Obstructive sleep apnea leads to daytime tiredness and stress a risk factor to prediabetes.
Polycystic ovary syndrome – Woman who suffer from irregular menstrual cycles, excess hair growth and obesity have a higher risk of prediabetes.
The other factors to be control are high blood pressure, high cholesterol levels and tobacco abuse.
There are four keys to escaping the “diabetic trap” , these include shedding excess body weight, cultivating and active lifestyle, eating healthy and seeking medical help to manage the risk factors that lead to diabetes. These are attained with our Diabetic Retreat
A. Shed excess weight
Losing Weight
Losing weight is one of the safest ways to starve off the onset of diabetes. Ayurveda panchakarma is an excellent way for improving metabolism and lose weight. Udvartana or herbal powder massage to reduce weight.
Also, one can adopt the intermittent fasting method.
You can drink water and other low-calorie beverages while fasting to deal with hunger pangs. Meals can be a varied mix of healthy foods like fruits, vegetables, whole grains, healthy fats and lean meat.
Controlling Food Portions with the Diabetic Plate Plan
A diabetic plate plan helps determine the right proportion of food types to help regulate blood sugar levels. This method helps to create a perfectly proportioned meal with a healthy balance of vegetables, protein and carbohydrates. It is a simple procedure that does not require any counting, measuring, weighing or calculating.
You will need a plate that is not too large, but big enough to satisfy your appetite. This plate can be divided into three sections
- Fill the first half of your plate with vegetables that do not contain starch.
Non-starchy vegetable that are low in carbohydrates do not raise blood sugar levels and are rich in vitamins, minerals and essential fibre. Common vegetables to fill the first half of your plate are cabbage, cucumber, carrot, okra, tomato, brinjal, mushrooms, green beans and bell pepper.
- Fill one quarter of your plate with lean protein foods.
These are foods high in protein and low in fat like fish, skinless chicken, soy products, cheese and nuts.
- Fill the remaining quarter with Complex carbohydrates.
Foods rich in carbohydrates could include brown rice, Millets,oatmeal, potato, fruits and dairy products like milk and yoghurt.
A. Cultivating an Active Lifestyle
Cardiovascular Exercises
New research has emerged to recommend people with prediabetes to take up regular weight training. Strength training primarily relies on the body’s metabolic system using glycogen as fuel.
Once the glycogen stored in the muscle runs out. Your body starts to mobilize extra glycogen from the liver and blood. This helps to decrease blood glucose levels thus helping to regulate blood sugar levels effectively.
Brisk Walking
Brisk walking is highly beneficial when you are prediabetic. It is a good way to get physically active and to build insulin sensitivity. Here are some benefits of making walking daily a way of life.
- Builds body mass, reducing the risk of Osteoporosis.
- Limits sickness, by halving the odds of catching a cold.
- Is an effective workout for your arms and shoulder muscles.
- It engages the Abs muscle effectively.
- Limits the risk of Colon Cancer for woman by 30 %.
- Improves balance, that preventing falls.
- Reduces the risk of glaucoma.
- Halves Alzheimer’s disease risk by over 5 years.
- Improves heart health by increasing the heart rate and circulation.
- Regulates blood pressure by five points.
- Strengthens legs including the quadriceps, hip flexors and hamstrings.
Yoga and Pranayama
Yoga is a discipline that originated in India more than 5000 years ago. It involves a group of physical, mental and spiritual practices aimed at balancing the body, mind and emotions. The practice of yoga helps to achieve good glycemic control and reduce the complications in people with diabetics.
Pranayama is a yogic practice focused on breath control. It helps to elevate the body’s “prana shakthi” or life energies. This helps to have a calming effect on your nervous system which reduces stress levels effective in prediabetes treatment.
C. Eat Healthy
Consume Low Glycemic Index Foods
Noted physicians Dr. David Jenkins and Dr. Thomas Wolevar formulated the glycemic index for foods in 1981. It’s a measure of how foods that contain carbohydrates raise blood sugar levels over a two-hour period. A food’s glycemic index (GI) is expressed on a scale of 0 to 100. The Glycemic index is especially useful for diabetics to help them control their blood sugar levels.
Foods are classified based on three Glycemic Index (GI) levels
- Low GI: 55 or less
- Medium GI: 56 to 69
- High GI : 70 or above
As a general observation Low GI food have proven to improve blood circulation, aided in weight loss and helps reduce cholesterol levels. Some healthy low GI foods to effectively manage diabetes are
- Fruits : Grapefruit, Lemons, Lime, Apples, Berries
- Non Starchy Vegetables : Tomatoes, Carrots, Cauliflower, Broccoli, Okra
- Legumes: Lentils, Chickpea, Kidney beans etc.
Super Foods to Try When Prediabetic
Nature has provided us with super foods that help manage blood sugar levels effectively, some common ones are
Walnuts – Walnuts are proven to help improve insulin sensitivity, while helping to control blood glucose levels. They are rich in dietary fibre that takes longer time to break down to ensure a slow release of sugar into the blood stream.
Avocado – Avocados are a good choice for diabetics as they are low in carbs and high in fibre. They are loaded in healthy mono unsaturated and poly unsaturated fats. These fats help raise your good cholesterol levels to ward off the risk of heart disease and stroke.
Black Jamun – Jamun have strong anti-oxidant properties that help improve immunity among diabetics. These fruits are acidic and astringent by nature and are loaded with essential minerals your body needs.
Fenugreek – Fenugreek seeds are high in soluble fibre that helps slow down digestion and absorption of carbohydrates. Fenugreek seeds are a rich source of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants that help repair body cells damaged by unstable free radicals.
Spinach – Spinach is very good for diabetes management as the water soluble greens have a negligible effect on blood sugar levels. They are super slow in calories that can help in stabilizing insulin levels in the blood.
D.Seek Medical Help with Shathayu Ayurveda
Diabetes Programme at Shathayu Ayurveda has virtually everything you need to successfully manage pre-diabetes or type 2 Diabetes, including expert physician monitoring, Ayurveda therapies , Panchakarma , Yoda Meditation , Healthy vegan Meals ,Diet and lifestyle Guidance.
Shathayu Ayurveda Treatment to Diabetes is remarkably helpful to:
- Lower blood sugar to near-normal levels
- Reduce the need for medications
- Lose weight safely under medical attention, and
- Reduce the risk of complications associated with diabetes, including heart attacks, Joints pain and strokes
Shathayu Ayurveda’s superlative approach to wellness and holistic health has helped thousands of patients to manage their lifestyle related conditions for over 120 years.
If you have been diagnosed with elevated blood sugar levels and are worried about becoming a diabetic. You can seek the help of our qualified ayurvedic doctors. We help you manage complex lifestyle illness like obesity, diabetes, blood pressure, polycystic ovary syndrome among women and stress effectively.
Please don’t hesitate to email us at info@shathayu.com or call our helpline at +91 95904 84848 our health care executives will be happy to help.
Conclusion – Winning the war on diabetes
You can take affirmative action to combat the onset of diabetes. Are you worried about your elevated blood sugar levels but not yet on medication? By attacking the risk factors with eating a healthy balanced diet, shedding extra weight and inculcating an active lifestyle you can avoid getting into the “diabetes trap”.