Diabetes is a chronic, metabolic disease characterized by elevated levels of blood glucose (or blood sugar), says World Health Organization, which over a prolonged time period leads to serious damage to the heart, blood vessels, eyes, kidneys, and nerves. The most common form of diabetes is Type 2 diabetes. In this, the body doesn’t make enough insulin or becomes insulin-resistant. Lifestyle causes – poor diet, sedentary lifestyle, lack of sleep, stress – all these can lead to Type 2 diabetes. Dr PG Talwalkar, Consultant Diabetologist, SL Raheja Hospital, Mahim – a Fortis Associate, tells us 10 daily habits that can help cut down blood sugar levels.
10 everyday habits to lower high blood sugar
Dr PG Talwalkar says that following the 10 steps below will help one control the blood sugar levels:
1) Exercise regularly for 30 minutes or walk daily.
2) Cut down on cooking oil. Make sure not to consume more than 3-4 teaspoons of oil daily, or half a litre a month.
3) Avoid the consumption of fast food like burgers, pizzas, and sweetened aerated drinks.
4) Avoid sugary treats, jaggery, mithai, etc.
5) Avoid maida-based products like naan, biscuits, and white bread. Instead, eat whole grain products such as roti, brown bread, upma, etc.
6) Practice meditation to reduce stress.
7) Practice yoga at least thrice a week.
Also read: Yoga asanas for diabetes: Lower your blood sugar level with these 6 simple asanas
8) Sleep for at least 7 hours each day. Good sleep is non-negotiable.
9) Control your waistline (should be less than 90 cm in men and less than 80 cm in women)
10) Don’t eat too much or too little. Prevent undernutrition in women of childbearing age. Also, prevent undernutrition as well as overnutrition in infants and children.
If you have diabetes, you have to be careful while selecting what you should eat and what you should not. According to WHO, about 422 million people worldwide have diabetes, and 1.5 million deaths are directly attributed to diabetes each year. Both the number of cases and the prevalence of diabetes have been steadily increasing over the past few decades.