Natural Ways to Prevent Diabetes Before it Starts
Jan. 6, 2021
Studies indicate that diabetes is one of the most common medical disorders to afflict people. Besides, it is no longer categorised as a disease of the elderly alone; data suggests that children are as susceptible to the condition as is anyone else.
Diabetes is more of a lifestyle disease. Also, it is not an infectious disease, but individuals with a family history of diabetes or women who had gestational diabetes are considered high-risk candidates. They are more likely to become prediabetic, a stage that if ignored, can turn into full-blown diabetes. It is crucial to understand that once diabetes sets in, there is no turning back the clock—it cannot be reverted.
There isn’t any complete cure for diabetes, as yet, but doctors can control the condition through prescription medication, strict diet restrictions, and lifestyle changes. Nevertheless, there are ways to prevent the disease, and we will show you just how it can be done. Lifestyle changes can prevent individuals in the prediabetic stage from turning into people with diabetes for life.
It is possible to prevent diabetes, with a bit of dedicated consistency. Follow the ten natural tips to arrest diabetes before it starts.
We recommend adopting a healthy lifestyle to stop the onset of diabetes. A healthy lifestyle will not just help in the prevention of diabetes, but also keep your heart healthy, cholesterol levels within prescribed limits, weight in check and give you an overall boost of good health, energy, and vigor. Sounds good, right!
Also read, How to Improve Good Cholesterol ‘HDL’?
Dietary changes are the first step to good health. Start by eating healthy. Refined carbs and sugar have a natural propensity for increasing blood glucose and insulin levels, in the body. Food items made from white flour (maida), cakes and sweets, and breakfast cereals comprise of simple carbohydrates and are unhealthy options. Take them off your plate, or eat them occasionally. Replace these foods with healthier alternatives that come from natural plant sources, such as vegetables, fruits, and whole grains. Limit or stop processed foods, eat foods in their natural form.
Their complex carbs and high fibre content are beneficial for overall health. High fibre foods improve gut health and help with weight loss, and prevent sudden spikes in blood glucose levels, after meals, and can be significant in preventing diabetes. Curb sugar cravings by drinking water or chewing on sugar-free gum. Jaggery is a good substitute for white sugar; it is also rich in nutrients and therefore, a healthier choice.
Stop drinking or limit your alcohol intake to just two pegs a day, not more. Alcohol raises triglycerides, which blocks arteries and increases blood pressure, which adversely impacts blood glucose levels and insulin.
High blood pressure can increase the chance of diabetes. So keep a check on your blood pressure; it can be done by eating right, exercise, losing weight, and eliminating stress.
Introduce an exercise regime into your daily regime. Pick an activity that you wouldn’t quickly get bored of—walk, jog, dance, lift weights, kickbox, swim, or play a sport. Practice yoga or do pranayama. Just move. Physical activity is essential for overall health, more so if you lead a sedentary lifestyle. Take a short five to ten-minute stroll in between work.
Lose weight if you are overweight. However, do not starve yourself or follow weight loss diet plans that you found on social media or Google. The right approach to achieve ideal weight is to eat healthily, better still consult a nutritionist or your doctor for advice on what to eat, to achieve the target BMI.
How much you eat is as important as what you eat. Healthy foods in unhealthy portions can be equally damaging to your health. Consume small quantities of food, but ensure that your plate contains wholesome foods, which are rich in vitamins and minerals, protein, carbohydrates, and fats.
Go back to cooking in cold-pressed oils, the way our grandparents used to. Refined oils should have no place in your kitchen. Cold-pressed coconut oil, mustard oil, sesame oil, olive oil, etc., are right for you. They are healthy fats rich in vitamins and minerals, and Omega 3 and Omega 6 fatty acids, which boost good health.
Drink at least two litres of water a day. Staying hydrated helps the digestive system function better. And that can have a positive effect on blood glucose and insulin levels. Consume coconut water, black coffee, and green tea, but avoid aerated drinks and sweetened juices, etc., as the high sugar content and other additives present in them can cause the blood glucose levels to spike.
There are no benefits associated with smoking, so give up the nicotine addiction. Cigarettes can cause insulin resistance in habitual smokers, which is a precursor to Type 2 diabetes. So quit before it is too late.
Turn to your kitchen pantry for foods that can stall blood sugar spikes.
There are also alternative treatments for diabetes. To know more, contact us or visit Bethaniya Clinic directly.
