Diet and diabetes
Dr Anjali Mukerjee suggests a nutritious and healthy menu for diabetics
Diabetes is now a worldwide epidemic. A highly preventive disease, it can shorten one’s lifespan. Diabetes makes people age faster, even the affluent. In fact, type II diabetes is the kind that afflicts the affluent. It precipitates owing to an urban lifestyle that includes little or no exercise, consumption of refined foods, poor stress management and excessive drinking, to name a few factors. Gorging three to four times a week on desserts, white breads, pasta, white rice, maida biscuits, pizzas, burgers, pastries, naan, rumali roti, noodles and other highly processed starches and restaurant foods hampers our ability to utilise insulin and makes us pre-diabetic. At this juncture, there’s a risk of developing high blood pressure, atherosclerosis, obesity, high cholesterol, high triglycerides and type II diabetes. A high triglyceride reading coupled with a low HDL implies a pre-diabetic condition known as insulin resistance. This condition leads to premature and unnecessary ageing, affecting your heart, arteries (causing high blood pressure), liver, eyes, extremities, appearance, moods, and emotional state of being.
Managing diabetes in senior citizens is a challenge, as several diabetes-like symptoms overlap with visible signs of ageing. When planning a diet for an elderly diabetic patient, the emphasis is often laid on major nutrients and its total proportion in relation to diet. The common man often does not know the nutrient composition of foods and therefore does not understand what to eat and how much to eat. In this article I have tried to highlight the foods that can be eaten by senior diabetic patients.
THE DAILY MENU
Diabetes is a nutritionally treatable condition. Methi (fenugreek) has been used since ancient times to manage diabetes and cholesterol. It is rich in fibre and clinical tests (on animals) show that it can bring down blood glucose and cholesterol. It also helps improve digestion and reduces phlegm. One teaspoon of methi seed powder taken twice a day before meals for a month may help reduce blood glucose levels in some diabetics. If you are on medication, you may be able to reduce drug dosage in about a month after checking with your physician. We have been able to control blood sugar at our centres successfully by using methi seed powder in combination with other herbs and diet modification.
If modified to factor in higher fibre, protein and vegetable content, a vegetarian diet can have tremendous benefits. Vegetables have antioxidants that reduce free radical activity that is highly pronounced in diabetics. Raw and partially cooked vegetables contain enzymes necessary for digestion, absorption and almost every chemical activity in the body. They are rich in phyto-nutrients that are biologically active and extremely beneficial in preventing diabetic complications (neuropathy, nephropathy, etc). Additionally, they help prevent cancer, lower cholesterol, relieve arthritis, and reduce acidity. Whether you are a vegetarian or a non-vegetarian, you can always derive benefits by increasing the intake of both cooked and raw vegetables. However, if you have high cholesterol along with diabetes, it would be better to turn vegetarian.
HEALTH TIPS
Increase fibre in your diet as it controls blood sugar. You can do this easily by eating whole grains, whole pulses, nuts, seeds, fruits and vegetables. You can also take one tablespoon of isabgol daily and add some wheat bran or oat bran in your chapatti to increase fibre content.
Most pulses have a low glycemic index. Have a bowl of channa dal, moong dal, rajma or kabuli channa with vegetables as a meal by itself. It helps keep blood sugar in control. Eat frequent meals every three to four hours to prevent fluctuations in blood sugar.
Avoid eating sweets and fried foods as they can worsen the condition.
Eat some sprouts every day. They are rich in protein, calcium and nutrients that help increase immunity and balance blood sugar.
Stress depresses immunity and promotes diseases. It produces cortisol, a hormone that can slow down your immune system. Stress triggers free radical damage and can upset blood sugar and make you age faster. You can control stress by using relaxation techniques like meditation, pranayama, listening to music or taking a short holiday.
Avoid refined foods like white rice, maida, dessert, soft drinks and chocolates.
Take antioxidants like vitamins A, C, E and selenium. They help protect the body against unnecessary ageing.
Certain minerals like zinc, chromium, selenium and magnesium help control blood sugar imbalances. Discuss this with your doctor if you are diabetic.
Stop smoking; it increases clot formation that is already pronounced in diabetics.
Certain herbs available in pharmacies are especially good for controlling diabetes. ‘Karneem’ made from karela (bitter gourd) is one such herb. Syrup made from jamun, known as ‘jambukasav’, is another such herb that can help control blood sugar. You may have to gradually reduce your dosage of diabetic medication after consuming these. Check with your physician before doing so.
Try to walk for 30-40 minutes daily for better digestion and preventing unnecessary rise in blood sugar.
Nutritionist Dr Anjali Mukerjee is the founder of Health Total, a nutrition counselling centre. Website: www.health-total.com
If you have a question for Dr Mukerjee write to contact.mag@harmonyindia.org
Featured in Harmony Magazine
September 2009 |