'Diabetes' is a condition where the amount of glucose in your blood is too high because the body cannot use it properly. This
is because pancreas does not produce any insulin, or not enough insulin, to help glucose enter your body’s cells – or the insulin that is produced does not
work properly (known as insulin resistance). What are the causes for Diabetes and how to overcome it? Explained here:
- Overweight is the biggest risk factor for developing diabetes. Everybody should make sure that they always stay with ideal body weight.
- The risk of developing diabetes increases if the waist circumference is more than 35 inches for women and 40 inches for men.
- As there are too many empty calories in alcohol, it is advisable for women to limit their alcohol (not wine) intake to one drink a day and men to two.
- Low consumption of saturated fat sources like butter, red meat, cream, cheese & palm/ coconut oil will help in fighting diabetes as these fats increase the risk of diabetes substantially. Also everybody should avoid fried foods to keep trans fats away.
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- Having apples, kiwi and avocado fruit on daily basis help keep diabetes away too.
- Beans / Barely are rich in soluble fibre which help in blood glucose control.
- Always having small quantity of foods will prevent everybody from suffering from diabetes.
- While whole eggs can be included in the diet, humble egg white is a true diabetes- prevention star. It helps keep blood sugar levels in check effectively.
- Vitamin C content fruits like oranges, strawberries, amla, lime and brocoli helps in preventing diabetes.
- Eating too much protein, especially animal proteins, may cause insulin resistance which is a key factor in diabetes. A balanced diet and lots of fibre is the key.
- Regular exercise / Yoga can help lose weight and it also improves the ability of the muscles to use insulin and absorb glucose.
- Salmon fish (for non-vegetarians) & flaxseed (for vegetarians) which contain omega 3 puts anybody at a lower risk of developing diabetes . They act both as heart-saving foods as well as diabetes-preventive.
- Excess sugar, contained in soda, energy and sports drinks, processed foods like muffins, cereal, candy and granola bars etc. put anybody in high diabetes risk. Quitting excess sugar will help.
- Olives are good source of Mufa. It controls blood sugar, reduces insulin and fights diabetes.
- A small quantity of cinnamon can keep the blood sugar in control. Cinnamon power can be sprinkled over apple slices with a few walnuts as snacks will help prevent diabetes. Even pumpkin seeds sprinkled on cereal and / or roasted ones will provide protection against diabetes.
- The Jamun & its seed are rich in combolian glucoside which prevents the breakdown of starch and carbohydrates in to sugar. Also, wall-nuts are high in the good fat alpha-linolenic acid and this makes them an effective diabetes-protective food.