As you are already aware of increasing diabetes prevalence among indian population, it is very important to control and start preventive measures to control diabetes among us. To control diabetes it is important to control risk factors which predispose individual for getting diabetes.
Diabetes risk factors are either modifiable or non modifiable. certain risk factors like age, ethnicity, family hereditary etc are non modifiable or can not be changed but modifiable risk factors can be changed so that we can prevent or delay the disease.
based on modifiable risk factors following measures can prevent or delay the diabetes.
Tips to Prevent Diabetes :
- Staying Lean : Weight loss by means of diet and exercise helps to prevent or delay the disease. According to broca’s index Ideal weight (in Kgs) = Height (in cms) – 100 for example if a person’s height is 172 cms then his ideal weight is roughly 72 kgs. If you are not able to loose weight even after 3 months of diet and exercise then certain weight loss medication like metformin, orlistat etc can be started but it is necessary to consult a diabetologist or weight loss specialist before starting such medication.
- Control Hypertension : restrictive salt intake and regular physical exercise helps to control your blood pressure. If your blood pressure is more than 140/90 mm of Hg even after regular exercise and diet restriction consult your physician to start anti-hypertensive medication.
- Control Stress : Majority of people working in corporate surrounding in metro cities like mumbai suffer from work stress and tension. In physical or mental stress situations body releases stress hormones (cortisol, epinephrine etc) which increases blood pressure and have action opposite to insulin (raises sugars). peaceful sleep of atleast 8 hours at night & other stress relieving remedies like music, yoga, meditation etc helps to control stress.
- Avoid Excess Alcohol intake : Alcohol abuse with or without carbonated drinks (fizz) gives you empty calories leading to weight gain. also may lead to hypertension and dislipidemia. Limit your alcohol intake to not more than 2 standard drinks for men and single drink for women at a time.
- Quit Smoking : Smoking is not only a risk factor for diabetes but also a risk factor for cardiovascular morbidities. Smokers have 2 times more risk of getting diabetes than non smokers.
As you get older chances of getting diabetes increases so it is advisable to check your blood sugar levels every year when you are above 40 years of age.
You can also read my previous article on Calculating the risk of diabetes for better understanding.
If you found this article helpful, please share it with your friends & family.
Awareness is Prevention.
Dr. Nikhil Prabhu ( Diabetes Specialist )
Dr Nikhil Prabhu is a consultant Diabetologist from mumbai. he has been practicing for more than 10 years and currently over 7000 patients are under his treatment for diabetes and thyroid disorder from mumbai and navi mumbai area. | you can book his appointment for tele-consultation on 9082523295 | follow us on YouTube for more diabetes & health related tips
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