Your lifestyle decides whether you are leading a normal healthy life or an unhealthy one. So far, often doctors advise diabetic patients to change certain habits or patterns in their lifestyle to control diabetes. Diabetes is a situation in the body where the processing of blood glucose diminishes. Diabetes, if not taken with ample care, can increase the risk of fatal heart diseases. Therefore, treating it the right way is necessary. Read on further to know lifestyle changes to manage diabetes effectively!
5 Lifestyle Changes to Manage Diabetes
Lifestyle plays a vital role in diabetes management. Therefore, follow these essential lifestyle tips to keep a check on your diabetes.
Eat Healthy
Heedless eating is not your thing if you have diabetes. Whatever goes into your stomach affects the blood sugar level in your body. However, starving or going on fast might also damage your health. This boils down to one point– eat when it’s needed.
Plan your meals, including vegetables and fruits in your diet, and avoid added sugar and fat-containing foods. The importance of plant foods cannot be overemphasized as these contain vitamins, minerals, dietary fiber, and carbohydrates. Therefore, consciously choose whole grains like oats, rice, quinoa, etc; legumes such as lentils, chickpeas, and beans.
Besides, include non-starchy vegetables like green leafy vegetables and cauliflowers, and fruits.
Opt for protein-rich edibles. Keep a check on the intake of carbs as carbohydrates turn into sugar. Therefore, skip processed foods such as high-sugar, and low-fiber foods like juices, white pasta, white bread, corn syrup, etc.
Watching over your eating habits is even more momentous if you’re taking insulin or diabetes-controlling pills. Besides, keep a watch on your weight too. Moderation is the key here. You need to monitor the portion size of your meals and choose foods that do not aggravate your diabetic condition too.
In order to lose weight, go for foods with unsaturated fats that boost heart and vascular health as well as maintain cholesterol levels. Here are sources of unsaturated fats ( or good fats)-
- seeds and nuts like peanuts almonds, pumpkin, and flax seeds
- fatty fish, for example, tuna, salmon, sardines, cod, and mackerel
- sunflower, safflower, cottonseed, canola, and olive oils
Avoid fad diets which may support weight loss but may have less benefit for you in diabetes prevention.
Increase Physical Activity Level
Sitting idle on the sofa and eating popcorn is definitely not what you need to do in order to manage your diabetes. Exercising every day at least for an hour or so can do the job for you. Plan your training schedule under the guidance of your doctor. That is major lifestyle changes to manage diabetes.
Here is an idea of how to stay active every day-
- Consciously choose to stand and walk in between long hours of a desk job, you may walk while you talk over the phone as well to reduce your inactivity level.
- Perform resistance exercises that improve your balance and strength over a period of time. For this, switch to yoga and weightlifting.
- Include moderate aerobic exercises such as running, biking, swimming, and swimming. Doing 30 minutes of exercise five days a week would work great for you.
- Keep your strengths and weaknesses in mind while designing the exercise chart. Exercising aids in consuming the glucose which is produced in excess in your body, lowering the levels of blood glucose in the body.
Related Post- Important Information on Type 2 Diabetes
Take Drugs And Medicines on Time
It is quintessential to take proper drugs and medicines along with proper diets for the management of diabetes. You should avoid taking any medicine before consulting your doctor.
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Refrain From Alcohol
Many people choose to drink alcohol owing to the fact that alcohol lowers blood sugar levels for as long as 24 hours. However, there is more to the story. Not every diabetic person is allowed to consume alcohol as it might complicate the situation and cause serious damage to the eyes and nerves. Consider these lifestyle changes to manage diabetes seriously for healthy living!
Nevertheless, many occasional drinkers between the ages of 60-70 have a drink of one or two per day and it turns out to be okay. So, before you go out to have a drink with your friends, just call your doctor.
Follow Stress Management Tips
One of the biggest and most overlooked factors that are crucial for the management of diabetes is Stress Management. Stress causes irregularities in your hormonal secretion. Try meditation and follow a proper sleeping pattern. Fight back your stress and tension like a warrior.
Final Thought – Diabetes is really tough to manage but it can be managed properly, provided you have taken charge of your body and want to lead it to a better tomorrow.
Above mentioned lifestyle changes to manage diabetes may help you to control your diabetes problem.
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Cure Diabetes with Acupressure
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