Complications Of Type 2 Diabetes

Approximately 77 million Indians have diabetes, and it is estimated that nearly 57 percent of adults with the disease go undiagnosed. Despite how common the condition is, there are still a lot of myths around it that lead to an inadequate or incorrect understanding of diabetes and how to treat it. It's crucial to gain a thorough awareness of these little-known facts so that persons with diabetes and those who care for them can have a better understanding of the chronic illness and how to best manage their health. Hanish Gupta, Consultant Physician, and Cardiologist, at Life Aid Hospital, Delhi said, "Almost three-fourths of India's diabetes population have uncontrolled blood glucose levels, and half of them show poor blood pressure control. Further, at least one-third of them have increased cholesterol and lipids. Common reasons for these metabolic abnormalities include non-adherence to treatment, infrequent doctor visits, and lack of awareness of long-term consequences of poorly managed diabetes." Here are five common myths about diabetes de-bunked: Sugar Alone Causes Diabetes Fact: Diabetes is a complex condition related to several factors. These include being overweight or obese, leading a sedentary lifestyle, having an unhealthy diet, and more. It can also be related to genetic factors, such as a family history of diabetes. While people with diabetes are often advised to control their sugar intake, eating too much sugar alone does not cause diabetes. However, still, be mindful of your sugar consumption -- moderation is key. An overall diet high in sugar can mean higher calories, which can contribute to weight gain and consequently increase your risk of diabetes. On the whole, try to opt for low glycemic index options and foods high in fiber as well, to achieve the right balance. Diabetes can be Cured Fact: While in rare cases diabetes is reversible, in most cases, diabetes once developed, is a lifelong condition. But living with diabetes doesn't have to be scary. There are various ways to effectively manage the condition. With proper adherence to prescribed medication and dietary and lifestyle modifications, as well as monitoring of one's glucose levels, people with diabetes can live a full life. By discussing with a doctor what diabetes management approach works best in individual cases, people can achieve their target glucose range and achieve optimal health. Diabetes only Affects the Body's Blood Sugar Levels Fact: Diabetes is a chronic condition that affects how the body uses blood sugar. However, diabetes can affect more than just glucose levels. Research suggests that the condition -- especially when uncontrolled -- can cause other related complications, such as increasing the risk of problems relating to the heart, eye, kidney, nerves, or feet. This makes managing diabetes in a timely manner even more important. It is also advisable for people with diabetes to get regular health check-ups and keep an eye on their broader health, to identify and address any problems promptly. Some Types of Diabetes are milder than others Fact: While diabetes has different categories, like type-1 and type-2 and gestational (while pregnant), these cannot be defined as mild or severe. Across all types of diabetes, uncontrolled cases can lead to serious, long-lasting complications. Despite this, people with diabetes can lead healthy, better lives with proper diabetes management, regardless of the type. Diet and Lifestyle Changes Alone can Fully Manage Diabetes Fact: While lowering the intake of certain foods that raise your blood glucose and adopting a healthy fitness routine are key steps to managing diabetes, this does not mean that only these steps will be adequate for all people with diabetes to fully manage their condition. Abhijit Pednekar, Medical Affairs Director, Abbott India, commented, "Diabetes management is an ongoing process, which must be holistic and personalized. This involves adhering to dietary and lifestyle changes, prescribed medication, and regular glucose monitoring, which can collectively help individuals manage diabetes. By achieving better control over one's glucose levels, people can live healthier, fuller lives." Understanding facts about the condition, it can make the care journey less complicated. Following medical guidance and working with doctors to understand what works best for individual situations is important, and it can empower people to better manage their diabetes. (Agency) Read More► How to Take Care of Your Bone and Joint Health in Winters

You probably already know how important it is to keep blood sugar levels within the recommended range if you or a loved one has diabetes. Major, long-term health issues like vision loss, heart disease, and renal disease can be avoided or delayed with proper management of blood sugar, HbA1c, cholesterol levels, and blood pressure. Diabetes can have a serious negative impact on the eyes, which can result in blindness or visual impairment. This is due to the fact that high blood sugar can destroy the capillaries in the eye's most delicate tissues, which transmit signals to the brain and enable clear vision. A permanent loss of vision may result from this retinal damage brought on by high blood pressure. However, there is hope. One can avoid major eye damage by monitoring and regulating the blood sugar levels as per their doctor's recommendation. The following five actions can help safeguard vision during diabetes. Understand Numbers When blood sugar levels rise, the delicate blood vessels that nourish the most delicate areas of the eyes are often the first to sustain damage. High blood sugar specifically harms the retina. The thin tissue that makes up around 65 per cent of the back of the eye is called the retina. Many light-sensitive cells reside there, allowing the eyes to communicate visual information to the brain via the optic nerve. The blood vessels that supply the retina are harmed when blood sugar levels rise. Vision blurring may result from this, either temporarily or permanently. Diabetic retinopathy, glaucoma, and cataracts are three distinct eye conditions that are quite common in people with diabetes. Timely detection and interventions can minimize such complications. By keeping track of the blood sugar levels one can reduce the risk for these sight-stealing conditions. Stop Smoking Every physiological system is harmed by smoking, but diabetics are particularly vulnerable. Smoking harms the veins, arteries, and capillaries in the body, aggravating diabetes-related eye damage already present. Whether you're a smoker and have tried to quit, or want to quit for the first time, don't give up. Talk to your doctor about your options. Moving It Exercise benefits all physical systems in the same way that smoking does, so get moving! After lunch, go for a couple laps around the block. Take a few extra steps and park at the far end of the parking lot. Regular exercise can reduce your risk of developing diabetic eye disease since it lowers blood sugar levels. Put it on your calendar each week to remind you to make time for this appointment with yourself that will improve your life. Before beginning any workout regimen, discuss it with your doctor to find out the exercises they advise. Focus on Eating Healthily You are what you eat, we've all been told since we were young. Healthy eating leads to healthy eyes. Eat a diet that is well-balanced and contains meals that provide your body with good nutrients to safeguard diabetic eyes. Vitamins A, C, E, beta-carotene, lutein, omega-3 fatty acids, zinc, and zeaxanthin are some of them. Consuming a diet high in leafy greens, fatty fish like salmon, tuna, or mackerel, nuts like walnuts and almonds, beans, lentils, and mushrooms will help you reach this goal. Maintaining a low glycemic diet is important to manage blood sugar levels. Yearly Dilated Eye Examination The finest tip is reserved for last: get a full dilated eye exam from your ophthalmologist once a year, or more frequently if advised, to make sure that your efforts to control blood sugar are aiding in maintaining the health of your eyesight. A screening for cataracts, glaucoma, and diabetic retinopathy may be performed at this visit. Your pupils enlarge as your eyes dilate, allowing your ophthalmologist to inspect the retina, macula, and optic nerve up close. Your doctor can identify diabetic retinopathy in its early stages long before you have any symptoms by looking at these sensitive tissues. (Dr. Kuldeep Dole, Medical Director - PBMA's H.V. Desai Eye Hospital An Orbis Partner Hospital)    

The number of people with diabetes is rising globally. India itself experienced the greatest increase in numbers over the past few years. The most prevalent type of diabetes is type 2 diabetes mellitus. According to Diabetes Atlas 2021 of the International Diabetes Federation, the estimated number of persons with diabetes in India in the age group of 20-79 was 74.2 mn in 2021 and is likely to increase to 124.9 mn by 2045. Experts say that aside from genetics and family history, the risk factors for diabetes include ethnicity, age, obesity, physical inactivity, unhealthy diet, and behavioural habits. The onset of diabetes complications can be prevented or delayed by good control of blood sugar, blood pressure, and blood lipid levels. It is crucial to carefully sort through the burgeoning information on food and nutrients to determine what each recommendation means for you, and which one is helpful. Here are 3 snacks that you could add to your diet to manage type-2 diabetes better: Almonds Almonds aid in managing blood sugar levels for people with uncomplicated type-2 diabetes; a daily serving of almonds (30 grams/23 almonds) may improve both short-term and long-term markers of blood sugar control. Eating almonds as part of a healthy diet has been shown to improve glycemic and cardiovascular risk factors in Indians with Type 2 diabetes, according to a study led by Dr. Seema Gulati, PhD. There are several ways to include almonds in your diet: having a handful of almonds as a snack, sprinkling oven-toasted almonds on top of salads or chopping almonds and adding them to sauteed vegetables for extra crunch. Boiled Chickpeas Channa or chickpeas is a staple of the Indian kitchen. According to a research study, consumption of chickpeas helps to improve post prandial blood glucose control, suppress appetite, and reduce the quantity of food consumption in the subsequent meal. In another study, 19 adults who ate a meal made of chickpeas every day for six weeks experienced lower blood sugar and insulin levels than those who ate a meal made of wheat. Roasting chickpeas makes them convenient and crunchy, making them a good snack option. Alternatively, you could boil them and add them to your salads as well. Boiled chickpeas with seasoning is a popular snack in southern parts of India. Yogurt Dahi made at home has long been a staple of Indian cuisine. Yogurt has become very popular recently due to its many health advantages. A study found that yogurt consumption as a part of a healthy diet, may lower the risk of type 2 diabetes in older adults who are healthy and at high cardiovascular risk. When comparing yogurt consumption of 80-125 g/d to no yogurt consumption, there was a 14% lower risk of type 2 diabetes. Yogurt's high protein and favourable effects on gut health make it a potential aid in the management of diabetes. Buy plain yogurt without added sugar instead of flavoured yogurt. You could top it with nutritious ingredients like strawberries or banana slices or sliced almonds to make a delicious dessert. (Sheela Krishnaswamy, Nutrition & Wellness Consultant) Read More► Nutrition Can Help You to Combat Fatigue

Physical activity or a regular workout regime is a key element in managing type 2 diabetes. Until recently studies showing the significance of exercise to manage diabetes were very less. However, now we can see that there is plenty of research highlighting the importance of exercise to manage blood glucose levels effectively. The research indicates that participation in a regular workout regime improves blood glucose control, preventing or delaying the onset of type 2 diabetes, and boosts your body's sensitivity to insulin, countering insulin resistance. Also, regular physical activity positively affects blood pressure, and cardiovascular health, lower harmful LDL cholesterol and triglycerides raise healthy HDL cholesterol, strengthens muscles and bones, reduces anxiety, and improves your general well-being. How does exercise affect blood glucose levels? Early in the exercise, the glycogen stores are utilized as fuel. Further when the glycogen stores are depleted, the muscles increase the uptake of blood glucose along with the free fatty acids released from the adipose tissues. Muscles can utilize your blood glucose without insulin intervention when you're doing physical activity. What type of activity helps in diabetes management? All forms of exercise such as aerobic, resistance, or doing both in a structured workout regime has shown to lower HbA1c values in people with diabetes. Resistance training and aerobic exercise both help to lower insulin resistance, however, combining the two types of exercise proved more beneficial than doing either one alone. In a recent meta-analysis, aerobic, resistance, and combined exercise training were found to be associated with HbA1c reductions of 0.67 per cent following 12 or more weeks of training. Hence people with diabetes need to maintain a healthy workout regime. Resistance training for diabetes 70-80 per cent of the glucose in your body after a meal goes into the muscles. Maintaining a good muscle mass is essential for better glucose uptake. Hence adding resistance training to the workout regime becomes highly important. Emerging research suggests that resistance training has the power to combat metabolic dysfunction in patients with Type 2 Diabetes and seems to be an effective measure to improve lower metabolic risk factors in diabetes individuals and improve overall metabolic health. A meta-analysis of 10 included supervised resistance exercise studies, RT reduced HbA1c by 0.48 per cent. Resistance exercise further increases excess post-exercise oxygen consumption (EPOC). EPOC after exercise is related to the utilization of fat as fuel which is beneficial for weight loss. Resistance training appears to be a useful strategy to enhance overall metabolic health and lower metabolic risk factors in diabetic patients since it appears to improve insulin sensitivity and glucose tolerance. Aerobic training for diabetes In both type 1 and type 2 diabetes, moderate to high levels of aerobic activity are significantly linked to decrease cardiovascular and total mortality risks. In type 2 diabetes, therapies using aerobic exercise have dominated the research about the impact of exercise on glycemic indices. Large muscular groups are moved continuously and rhythmically during aerobic activity, which includes activities like cycling, jogging, and walking. According to the most recent ADA recommendations, individual aerobic activity sessions should preferably last at least 30 minutes each day and be carried out 3 to 7 days a week. Moderate to vigorous (65 per cent-90 per cent of maximum heart rate) aerobic exercise training improves VO2max cardiac output, which is associated with substantially reduced cardiovascular and overall mortality risk in patients with type 2 diabetes. In individuals with type 2 diabetes, regular training reduces hbA1c and insulin resistance Alternatively, high-intensity interval training (HIIT) promotes insulin sensitivity and glycemic control in adults with type 2 diabetes. Aerobic exercise boosts the number of mitochondria, insulin sensitivity, oxidative enzymes, blood vessel compliance and responsiveness, immune system activity, lung function, and cardiac output. While aerobic exercises are good on their account, it is important to make sure there is a combined activity of both aerobic and resistance training for better benefits. What precautionary measures should I take before exercising? Checking your blood sugars before your workouts can help you understand your body better and start taking necessary precautions. When your blood sugars are lower than 100 mg/dL, it may be too low to exercise safely. Eat a small snack containing 15 to 30 grams of carbohydrates, such as a fruit (banana or apple- they digest quickly and give you better energy) before you begin your workout. When your blood sugars are 100 to 250 mg/dL You're good to go. This is a safe blood sugar range before exercise for the majority of people. If you feel like you need extra energy, you can still eat fruit before working out. When your blood sugars are 250 mg/dL or higher, then it's not safe to exercise as the blood sugars are too high. Consult with your physician for controlling the blood sugars and then follow their instructions before doing any activity because exercise can sometimes raise blood sugar even higher. Exercise plays a critical role in the prevention and treatment of insulin resistance, prediabetes, GDM, type 2 diabetes, and diabetes-related health issues. Hence, it's ideal to follow a regular workout regime to maintain healthy blood glucose levels and thereby manage diabetes. (Chandni Haldurai is a Lead Nutritionist of Cult.fit)