HEALTHY LIFESTYLE MODIFICATIONS YOU SHOULD CONSIDER IN DIABETES MELLITUS

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Diabetes mellitus (DM), earlier described in my post was described as a chronic (long-term) metabolic derangement of carbohdrates, fats, and proteins as a result of chronic hyperglycemia caused by defects in insulin secretion, insulin action, or both.

I must state that DM is not a life sentence, and thus, it is possible to live with DM with the help of healthy lifestyle modification. The primary level of care in medicine is health education and the promotion of preventive medicine. This implies that we advocate for lifestyles and measures tailored to the prevention of medical diseases, especially for people who may have some predisposing factors such as genetics or the environment.

IMAGE CREDIT IS MINE

IMAGE CREDIT IS MINE

Just yesterday, a man asked me a vital question after he ran some tests, which I helped to evaluate as being within the normal range of how he could have good and sound health. I was glad he took his health seriously and was willing to have a doctor’s guide to healthy living. I would thus be diving into a few tips for healthy lifestyle modification:

Benefits of Regular Exercise for Diabetes Prevention and Management

I have often heard people attempt to equate stress with exercise. Some say that because they walk long distances or do strenuous work, they are also losing weight. Exercise is the coordinated movement of certain or all parts of the body, usually done in an environment that is friendly and relaxing, with the aim of burning out excess fat deposited in various body parts. Excess glucose is usually converted and stored in other forms, such as fats, with a predisposition toward certain parts of the body. Hence, exercises are done with respect to those body parts and tailored to burn out the excess fat. Exercises recommended include squatting, cycling, and brisk walking. It is advised that these exercises be done at least three times a week on alternate days.

HEALTHY DIET

The concept of diabetes is excess glucose within the blood; hence, we either reduce foods that have high glucose levels, such as carbohydrates, or consume other classes of food. We know people may have grown to like foods rich in carbohydrates, and it becomes challenging when we tell them to stay away from such foods. We encourage diabetic patients to take wheat instead of carbohydrates, and whenever they need to take foods rich in carbohydrates, it should be in minimal or fist-full quantities with a garnish of generous vegetables and proteinous foods. It is also advised to space foods so as to prevent the overwhelming of insulin by the excess glucose.

Strategies for Weight Management

Weight is an important factor as it is a reflection of excess fat in the body, to put it in layman’s language. Weight in and of itself is not used to evaluate an individual in clinical practice. We would rather depend on the Body Mass Index (BMI), which is calculated using the weight and height of an individual as indices. Values equal to or greater than 25 are considered overweight, while values equal to or greater than 30 are considered obese. The use of drugs is not generally advised for weight reduction unless occasionally we prescribe lipid-lowering drugs when the lipid indices are bad, especially the low-density cholesterol known as the "bad" cholesterol. Engaging in exercise and diet modification are preferred methods of weight reduction with little or no side effects.

Cessation of Alcohol and Cigarette Smoking

The greatest desire of any sick individual is to get well, and as such, he or she would be willing to abide by recommendations that can save or prolong his or her life. The consumption of alcohol can increase triglycerides and reduce the potency of oral anti-diabetic agents as well as insulin. It may be difficult to totally withdraw alcohol from an addict, but it is wise to reduce it to the absolute minimum. It can be recommended to opt for other drinks, such as red wine, which is cardio-protective. Smoking a cigarette is one of the possible causes of diabetes mellitus (type 2); hence, it should be avoided even from the onset.

Stress and diabetes

Chronic stress causes the release of hormones that affect or can cause an increase in blood pressure and blood glucose. Stress can come in the form of mental or physical (sickness or injury) stress, which can increase your adrenaline (fight or flight hormone) and cortisol levels. It is vital to identify these stressors and avoid them, as they are capable of worsening the prognosis of diabetes management if left unchecked. Regular exercise, finding time to relax, talking with people, etc. help reduce stress.

REGULAR MEDICAL CHECK-UP

Generally, people wait until they break down before accessing the hospital, which is not good enough. As age advances, there are potential medical illnesses that should be looked out for either by virtue of age, gender, occupation, family, or environment. The majority of diagnoses are made at the presentation of complications, whereas early detection of such medical illnesses offers a better prognosis. It is thus wise to have a regular medical check-up biannually, annually, or as may be recommended by the physician.

The least medical advice I can give us is to drink water generously, as water itself is a form of preventive medicine.

Thank you for reading. I would love your comments and contributions 🤗

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