Cut the sugar, lose body fat and quit smoking: the lifestyle habits of the ditch diabetes – S tackle diabetes

S tackle diabetes

Diabetes is one of the fastest growing health problems in India.

The growing prevalence of diabetes is mainly due to a combination of various factors such as rapid urbanization, sedentary lifestyles, unhealthy diets, smoking and even increased life expectancy.

Some factors can not be changed, such as your genes, age, or past behaviors, but there are many things you can do to reduce the risk of diabetes.

Dr. Varsha Khatry, Manager – Medical & Scientific Affairs at Roche Diabetes Care India shares some simple ways to not only reduce the risk of diabetes, but also prevent it.

1/6

Getty Images

Lose excess body fat

One of the main reasons for diabetes is body weight. Overweight is an important risk factor for diabetes.

According to studies conducted by WHO, every kilogram of weight loss reduces the risk of diabetes by 16%. Moving towards a healthy weight helps control blood sugar.

Your doctor, a dietitian and a fitness coach can help you develop a plan that will work for you.

2/6

Getty Images

Cut the sugar and refined carbohydrates from your diet

The consumption of sugary foods and refined carbohydrates can expose individuals to the risk of developing diabetes. The human body quickly breaks down these foods into small sugar molecules, which are absorbed by your bloodstream. The resulting increase in blood sugar causes the pancreas to produce insulin, a hormone that helps the sugar to come out of the blood and to enter the body's cells. As the body's cells are resistant to the action of insulin, the sugar remains high in the blood of patients with prediabetes. To compensate, the pancreas produces more insulin, trying to bring blood sugar to a satisfactory level.

Over time, this can lead to a gradual increase in blood sugar and insulin levels, until the disease turns into type 2 diabetes. Replace sugar or refined carbohydrates with foods that have a lower effect on blood sugar levels can help reduce your risk of diabetes.

3/6

Agencies