Eating a well-balanced diet that includes all the essential nutrients required by the body can help you live a healthy lifestyle. A proper meal plan helps to attain ideal body weight and reduce the risk of chronic diseases like cardiovascular, hypertension, and Diabetes.
As per National Noncommunicable Disease Monitoring Survey (NNMS), it is projected that by 2025 the number of cases of Diabetes in India will be 69.9 million, with a vast majority still undiagnosed. It is primarily due to unhealthy eating habits and poor physical activity.
What is Diabetes?
Diabetes is a chronic disease that affects how our body turns food into energy. Our body breaks down most of the food we eat into sugar (glucose) and releases it into our bloodstream. When our blood sugar increases, it signals our pancreas to release insulin. Insulin acts as a key to letting the blood sugar into your body’s cells for use as energy. Long-term high glucose levels are linked to body damage and the failure of various organs and tissues.
Some diabetes patients are symptomatic, especially those with type 2 diabetes during the early years of the disease. People with marked hyperglycemia (high blood glucose), especially children with absolute insulin deficiency may suffer from polyuria (more frequent urination), polydipsia (frequent thirst), polyphagia (excessive hunger), weight loss, and blurred vision.
Types of Diabetes
There are three main types of Diabetes.
Type 1 Diabetes
Type 1 diabetes, once known as juvenile diabetes or insulin-dependent diabetes, is a chronic condition. In this condition, the pancreas makes little or no insulin.
Type 1 Diabetes can be developed at any age but occurs most frequently in children and adolescents. An autoimmune reaction causes this. This reaction prevents your body from producing insulin. Symptoms of type 1 diabetes can be developed quickly.
Type 2 Diabetes
Type 2 diabetes is an impairment in the way the body regulates and uses sugar (glucose) as a fuel. This long-term (chronic) condition results in too much sugar circulating in the bloodstream.
Type 2 Diabetes is more common. It develops over many more years and is usually diagnosed in adults. We cannot find any symptoms. If you are at risk, you should have your blood sugar checked. This can be prevented by eating healthy food and being physically active.
Gestational Diabetes
Gestational diabetes is diabetes diagnosed for the first time during pregnancy (gestation). Like other types of diabetes, gestational diabetes affects how your cells use sugar (glucose). It is mainly seen in pregnant women who have never had Diabetes. There may be a higher that the baby will be affected. This Diabetes usually goes away after your baby is born. However, it raises your chances of developing type 2 diabetes later in life.
Importance of a nutritionist for diabetes control
Diabetes diet is very challenging:
A diabetes diet means eating more nutritious foods in moderate amounts and sticking to regular meals. It’s a healthy diet plan that’s naturally rich in nutrients and low in fat and calories. In fact, a diabetes diet is the best diet plan for everyone. Our certified nutritionists at MintBagg can help keep your glucose level safe by making healthy food choices part of your grocery orders and auto-tracking your eating habits to help achieve your diabetes goals easily.
Nutritionist helps you stay on track with your diet for long time:
A nutritionist can play an essential role in your health by evaluating your diet plan according to your health conditions and offering you food choices according to your pallet. Based on your health goals or medical needs, a nutritionist can help reverse chronic Diabetes through balanced diet plans and the required motivational help.
A Certified Nutritionist helps to manage diabetes:
A Certified Nutritionist is required to help you achieve specific diet goals like daily protein intake, reducing sugar and carbohydrates, and simultaneously balancing required vitamins and minerals. As daily nutrition plays a crucial role in balancing the insulin percentage, keeping oneself physically fit and active is equally important. Sometimes, we need a helping hand from experienced nutritionists for a diabetic lifestyle to motivate us to maintain a well-balanced nutritional diet. The periodical remainders and nutritionist feedback will ensure you meet your goals consistently.
For more information on our customized diet plan, you can check our website link and download our android app on the play store.
**References-
1. American Diabetes Association. Diagnosis and classification of Diabetes mellitus. Diabetes Care. 2014; 37 Suppl1:S81–S90. [Pub Med]
2. Craig ME, Hattersley A, Donaghue KC. Definition, epidemiology, and classification of Diabetes in children and adolescents. Pediatr Diabetes. 2009;10 Suppl 12:3–12. [Pub Med]
3. Galtier F. Definition, epidemiology, risk factors. Diabetes Metab. 2010;36:628–651. [Pub Med]
