DIET AND LIFESTYLE APPROACHES FOR PREVENTION AND MANAGEMENT OF DIABETES
What is diabetes?
Diabetes is a chronic disease that occurs either when the pancreas does not produce enough insulin or when the body cannot effectively use the insulin it produces. Insulin is a hormone that regulates blood glucose. Hyperglycemia also known as high blood sugar is a common effect of uncontrolled diabetes and if continued over time will leads to deterioration of various body’s systems, especially the nerves and blood vessels.
What are the symptoms of diabetic patient?
Symptoms of diabetes may occur suddenly. In type 2 diabetes, the symptoms can be mild and may take years to be noticed. Symptoms of diabetes include:
Over time, diabetes can damage blood vessels in the heart, eyes and kidneys. People with diabetes have a higher risk of health problems including heart attack, stroke and kidney failure. Diabetes can cause permanent vision loss by damaging blood vessels in the eyes. Many people with diabetes develop problems with their feet due to nerve damage and poor blood flow. This can cause foot ulcers and may lead to amputation.
What is Therapeutic Diet?
A therapeutic diet is a meal plan that controls the intake of certain foods or nutrients. It is part of the treatment of a medical condition and are normally prescribed by a physician and planned by a dietician. A therapeutic diet is usually a modification of a regular diet. It is modified or tailored to fit the nutrition needs of a particular person.
Purpose of Therapeutic Diet:
Type of Therapeutic Diet:
Diabetic or calorie-controlled diet (ADA)
These diets control calories, carbohydrates, protein, and fat intake in balanced amounts to meet nutritional needs, control blood sugar levels, and control weight. The purpose of the diet is to keep the patient in good health, to keep blood sugar level within normal level and to keep urine free from sugar. Portion control is used at mealtimes as outlined in ADA “Exchange List for Meal Planning. The diet planning will be balanced but have restriction on carbohydrates like rice, biscuits, sugar, jams, sweets, honey and sweet potatoes. Most commonly used calorie levels are 1,200, 1,500, 1,800 and 2,000. Moreover, this diet used healthy fats that come from fish oils, olive oil, nuts, flaxseeds, avocados and high-fiber cereals made from whole grains, fresh fruits and veggies.
What are lifestyle approaches for prevention and management of diabetes?
Exercise
Physical activity is another important part of diabetes management plan. During workout, our muscles use sugar (glucose) for energy. Regular physical activity also helps our body use insulin more efficiently. These factors work together to lower the blood sugar level. The more strenuous the workout, the longer the effect lasts. However, even light activities such as housework, gardening or being on the feet for extended periods can improve blood sugar.
Management of stress
Stress may induce your body to release hormone cortisol which in turn triggers liver to release glucose. Thus, prolonged stress may cause a rise in blood sugar level. Additionally, it may be harder to closely follow usual diabetes management routine if an individual is under a lot of extra pressure. Patient with diabetic should learn relaxation techniques and avoid common stressors. Exercise can often help relieve stress and lower blood sugar level.
Monitoring of blood sugar
Diabetic patients, even healthy individual should monitor blood sugar levels regularly. This action can help everyone to maintain their sugar levels under normal range. Most importantly patient with diabetes should have their sugar levels recorded to ensure that their health is in optimal condition. Otherwise, patient with diabetes might not be aware whether their sugar level is in an acceptable range or have passed a dangerous level.
Take medication on time
Alongside lifestyle modification such as nutrient-dense diet and regular exercise, a person with type 2 diabetes might need to manage their blood sugar levels through medication that was prescribed by a doctor. In order to ensure their blood glucose is always under control, diabetic patient must take precaution to always consume their medication on time.
Conclusion
In conclusion, appropriate diet and lifestyle approach is important in preventing and managing diabetes. Diet which are rich is fibers, low carbohydrates and healthy fats helps in management of normal blood sugar level. Together with this, physically active, good management of stress and regular monitoring of sugar level gives more benefits in the prevention and management of diabetes. So let’s live healthy!!
References
Ghosh, Amrita. (2018). Therapeutic Diet: What We Need to Consider. Bengal Physician Journal. 5. 25-27. 10.5005/jp-journals-10070-5209.
Tarigan, Rinawati. (2022). hubungan gaya hidup dengan terjadinya penyakit diabetes melitus di rsu daerah dr r.m djoelham. Jurnal Keperawatan Priority. 5. 94-102. 10.34012/jukep.v5i1.2105.
