Let us look at diabetes. Because diabetes is now almost a pandemic. And it can lead to a host of serious complications.

‘I have been diagnosed with diabetes – help! I have been handed a life sentence!’ And the usual reaction is one of fear, hopelessness or even denial.

But it doesn’t have to be!

There’s a whole lot of stuff one can do, and actually get back to how things were before ‘that’ happened. If we can decide to take control, and not permit the diagnosis to overwhelm us.

To start with, let’s understand what’s happening. Diabetes – and we’re talking of Type II diabetes or ‘Adult Onset’ diabetes – occurs, to put it very simply, when our body cells don’t respond to insulin like they’re expected to, and as the condition progresses, the body is unable to produce insulin as required. Insulin is required to ‘escort’ sugar into the cells, where it is used for energy. When the circulating level of sugar is too high, the cells have enough sugar for their need, they stop responding to insulin – hey! Don’t get more sugar in, we don’t need any more. So sugar level in the blood rises, because the cells aren’t taking in any more. Now the body senses the high sugar level and produces more insulin, because that is the natural response for utilizing sugar. But the cells don’t respond. This is the stage known as Insulin Resistance, or Pre Diabetes.

At this stage, there are many interventions available to us. But if, as is common, Pre diabetes is not diagnosed ant treated, the condition escalates into full-blown diabetes. Several oral medications are available for the treatment of diabetes, acting at various stages, such as improving insulin secretion, improving sugar utilization,etc,. If the pancreas which produce insulin, get ‘tired’ due to chronically making high levels of insulin, they may ‘give up’. Treatment at this stage is, therefore, with the use of insulin to replace the body’s own production.
What can we do?

1. Establish a Diagnosis.

	Fasting Blood Sugar	Postprandial Blood Sugar	HbA1C	Fasting Serum Insulin
Normal	70-92	Less than 120	4.5-5.4	2 to 5
Prediabetes	93-120		5.5-6.4
Diabetes	120 and higher		6.5 and higher

Now you may wonder : Why does the Lab report I got, give much higher “Normal” values?

This is because doctors rely on “diagnostic criteria” set by the American Diabetes Association (ADA) decades ago, to define what are normal and abnormal blood sugar levels. The science used to define these diagnostic levels is outdated and inaccurate. The ADA resists changing these diagnostic criteria for reasons that are almost entirely political.

2. The earlier you accept that the blood sugar level is NOT normal and begin taking steps, the better the chances of complete control and avoiding all complications.

3. Diet : Understand what is good and what is not.

Sugar and all its avatars, including honey, high-fructose corn syrup, apparently ‘natural’ products like honey and jaggery and molasses, and, very important – all sugar substitutes except stevia need to be avoided. Sugar is the most addictive substance on earth. Read labels to detect presence of hidden sugars. Best, avoid all processed foods. Stick to freshly home cooked meals. And this holds true not just for diabetics but  for all of us.

 

Positive side effect : Lose the pot belly you’ve been living with despite all your crunches!

Avoid bad fats in diet. But don’t give up fats. No fried foods. NO trans fats. This means no bakery goods, no biscuits unless specifically made without trans fats. Anything with an expiry date has trans fats added to prevent the fat in food turning rancid, and is out of bounds.

Sugar makes you fat. Fat makes you thin. WHEN correctly used.

Fiber is very important to keep you full and reduce calorie intake. Start a meal with a salad.

Q: Should you substitute foods with low-fat and sugar-substitute variants?
Surprising answer: No!!
Because low-fat foods often have sugar and other flavorings added to make them palatable. They are not good for you. Just limit your intake of the regular variety. Sugar substitutes, as we have already seen, can lead to many unpleasant side effects such as headache, depression, worsening of diabetes, even development of some cancers.

4. Exercise is a crucial part of management. Even in patients who don’t need to lose weight.

Whenever you actively use a muscle, you burn both fatty acids and glucose. During and after periods of activity, your falling sugar level is sensed by the pancreas, and they relax their output of insulin. Aim for 150 minutes a week of moderate activity such as fast walking. Include resistance training to build lean muscle and reduce body fat.

5. Weight loss, even 5% of body weight, will help normalize blood sugar levels. Aim for normal BMI, which can easily be calculated using online calculators. More important is waist measurement – upper limit of normal is 38’’ for women and 40’’ for men.

6. Drugs will be prescribed by your doctor. Especially Metformin, sometimes combined with other drugs. Injectable Insulin if control is not obtained with oral drugs. Do not be afraid of insulin use. The needles are really tiny and do not hurt. Honestly.

7. Supplements such as a good multivitamin, Coenzyme Q10, Garcinia, aid in the general health and also in recovery. Healthy vitamin D levels help people maintain normal blood glucose levels.

8. A Positive Mental Attitude, as in any situation, will help greatly in controlling the disease and avoiding all complications. There is no need to be afraid; there are so many things we can do. However, it is important to accept the diagnosis, and take steps to overcome it. Which we can.

Diabetes can be REVERSED. And we can Stay Healthy.