Watch your body weight !

We eat food more for its entertainment value than for its nutrient value. The distance between natural food and food on the table is increasing day by day. Foods deprived of fibre create more hunger and one tends to eat large quantities of such refined foods. Fibre-stripped food gets easily converted in to fat due to the lack of bulk. All this leads to weight gain, the precursor to most degenerative diseases.

So if you are diagnosed of diabetes get on to some discipline. Plan out your meals and get regular exercises. This can help your body maintain healthy blood sugar levels. If you're overweight, losing weight can be another big part of your diabetes treatment. It will help your body use insulin better. The best way to lose weight is to exercise and follow a specific food plan.

What to eat?

Incorporate more fibre in your diet. Eat whole grains, pulses, nuts, seeds, fruits and vegetables. You can also take a tablespoon of isabgol to increase your fibre intake. Eat sprouts everyday; they are rich in protein, calcium, and nutrients that help increase immunity and balance blood sugar. Avoid refined foods like white rice, maida, dessert, soft drinks, chocolates, sugar and foods rich in fat.

How fibre helps

Fibre cannot be digested, it passes through the GI (gastrointestinal) tract unchanged neither does it provide energy or nutrition. Then, what is it in fibre that is so health giving? For one it acts like a broom and cleans up the body by throwing out the toxins, fats and wastes. Think of fibre as a sponge passing through your GI tract. It has water holding and bulk forming properties. It cleans the GI tract and also helps lower cholesterol. 

The soluble fibre found in Guargum, psyllium husk, skin of apples, oat bran and most fruits and vegetables is effective in reducing cholesterol, controlling appetite and controlling blood sugar in diabetes. It acts as a barrier and delays the absorption of carbohydrates by lowering cholesterol and triglycerides. Thus reducing the risk of heart disease. It also helps normalize blood pressure and promotes the growth of friendly bacteria. The insoluble fibre found in wheat bran, brown rice and most cereals like jowar, bajra, and nachni has a laxative effect, which promotes stool regularity, cleanses the bowels effectively and improves digestion as well. Because of its effect on reducing transit time of the stools, it greatly reduces the risk of colon cancer.