Diabetes Mellitus
The prevalence of diabetes in India today is over 30 million and in the rural areas, it is approximately 3 % of the total population, which is more than 1000 million today. That makes the estimate of actual number of diabetics in India being about 40 million. This translates into India having the highest number of diabetics of any one country in the entire world. Secondly, presentation of diabetic condition in Indians has begun to appear much earlier in life, which means that the long term complications are becoming more common. The reason for this is our changing lifestyle and eating behavior. Modifying these two factors can definitely help in preventing this rising incidence. The good news is that this epidemic can be resisted by adapting a healthy lifestyle which includes eating healthy too. The concept that once a person is diagnosed as diabetic, he or she will have to stop eating all the good things of life or have a very strict dietary regimen is totally baseless. There is no such thing as a diabetic diet. What is required is to eat healthy and maintain a certain way of life which will not interfere with healthy eating.
There are certain risk factors associated with diabetes, most of which are similar to those of cardio vascular diseases, most significant of them being overweight. It is has been estimated that losing just 5%-10% of your total weight can help you lower your blood sugar considerably. This risk is higher if you have more fat around your abdomen as compared to your thighs or hips, known as the ‘apple’ shaped body. This type of fat is closely associated with insulin resistance and diabetes. In fact the waist size is a better predictor of diabetes risk than basal metabolic index (BMI). The risk of diabetes also increases if you are a female with a waist circumference of 35 inches or more or a man with a waist circumference of 40 or more.
Environmental factors, like the changing eating pattern of the younger generation, which is going farther away from the so called home based healthy diet is another very significant cause of the rising incidence of this disease. A sedentary lifestyle added to this eating culture makes a perfect recipe for the making of this chronic non communicable disease. Certain medicines required to treat other conditions can increase insulin resistance or decrease insulin secretion. These may include corticosteroids, diuretics and beta blockers used to manage chronic inflammatory conditions, high blood pressure etc.
The service provided by this clinic will help you plan a healthy diet which is closest to your eating preferences and manage your blood sugar levels at an acceptable level. There will not be too many restrictions regarding eating but you will be counseled regarding a judicious way of eating from a variety of foods available around you.