Diabetes Mellitus – which is commonly known as diabetes, is a metabolic disorders or a group of diseases that result in too much sugar in the blood. Symptoms of high blood sugar include frequent urination, increased thirst and hunger. It causes many complications, if left untreated or not treated properly (taken care of). Acute complications may result in diabetic ketoacidosis, hyperosmolar hyperglycemic state or death. Serious long term complications seen are cardiovascular disease, stroke, chronic kidney disease, damage to eyes, hair-fall, etc..
Diabetes is due to either the pancreas is not producing enough insulin or the cells of the body are not responding properly to the insulin produced. There are three main types of diabetes:
1. Type 1- It occurs due to pancreas fail to produce enough insulin.
2. Type 2- It occurs due to insulin resistance, a condition in which cells fail to respond to insulin properly. A lack of insulin may develop in future. The common cause for Type 2 diabetes is a combination of excessive body weight and in-sufficient exercise.
3. Gestational diabetes- It occurs when pregnant women without a previous history of diabetes develop high blood sugar levels.
Complications: Both Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes increase the risk of long term complications, major being damage blood vessels. Diabetes doubles the risk of cardiovascular disease and most of deaths are due to coronary artery disease. Damage in blood vessels include damage to eyes, kidneys and nerves. Damage to eyes, known diabetic retinopathy is caused by damage to blood vessels in the retina of the eye, which may result in gradual vision loss and eventual blindness. It is recommended that diabetics visit an eye doctor once a year to control the risk of glaucoma, cataracts and other eye problems. Damage to kidneys known as diabetic nephropathy can lead to tissue scarring urine protein loss and later chronic kidney disease which may result in dialysis or kidney transplantation. Damage to nerves of the body known as diabetic neuropathy is most common complication of diabetes. The symptoms are numbness, tingling, pain, muscle atrophy and weakness.
Foods to avoid with diabetes: Eating the wrong foods can raise blood sugar and insulin levels and promote inflammation, which may increase risk of disease. Consuming too many carbs at a time may raise blood sugar levels dangerously. Therefore, it is important to avoid the foods as listed below:
01. Sugar sweetened beverages
02. Transfats
03. White Bread, Pasta and Rice
04. Fruit flavored Yogurt
05. Sweetened breakfast cereals
06. Flavored Coffee drinks
07. Dried Fruit
08. Packaged Snack foods
09. Fruit Juice
10. French Fries
Foods to control diabetes:
01. Fatty Fish
02. Leafy Greens
03. Cinnamon
04. Eggs
05. Chia Seeds
06. Turmeric
07. Greek Yogurt
08. Nuts
09. Broccoli
10. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
11. Flex Seeds
12. Apple Cider Vinegar
13. Strawberries
14. Garlic
Prevention and treatment: Prevention and treatment involve maintaining a healthy diet, regular exercise and normal body weight. Diabetic person have to control blood pressure and maintain proper food care. Type 1 must be managed with insulin injections. Type 2 may be treated with medications with or without insulin which can result in low blood sugar. Gestational diabetes usually resolves after the birth of the baby. Learning about the disease and actively participating in the treatment is important. People who have well managed blood sugar levels have less complications.
Some healthy and delicious recipes for diabetic meals:
01. Easter Dinner Recipes
02. 5 Star Roast Turkeys
03. Rosemarry-Orange Roast Turkey
04. Stuffed Savoy Cabbage with Tomato Sauce
05. Balsamic, Beet and Berry Salad
06. Tomato and Corn Bulgar Salad
07. Spinach Salad with Sugar Snap Peas and Carrot
08. Spinach Salad with Berries and Goat Cheese
09. Creamy Three-Mushroom Pasta
10. Balsamic Lentil Quinoa Lettuce Cups
11. Roasted Salmon with Dill, Capers and Horse Radish
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