Diabetes Mellitus encompasses a collection of conditions that impact the utilization of blood glucose, commonly referred to as blood sugar, within your body. Having Diabetes, regardless of its specific type, signifies an excessive presence of glucose in your bloodstream, which can consequently give rise to significant health complications. An imperative aspect of Diabetes is its potential to be effectively controlled through medication and potentially reversed through alterations in lifestyle and the utilization of Ayurveda practices.
Ayurveda recommends following a healthy lifestyle that balances the three pillars of life namely, diet, exercise, and sleep. Ayurveda’s approach to controlling diabetes focuses on improving functional health parameters in addition to managing blood sugar with herbal medications and diet, and lifestyle guidelines.
Ayurveda Lifestyle Guidelines
Adopting a Healthy Dietary Pattern
Food is the cause as well as a cure for multiple lifestyle conditions. Ayurveda says if the diet is right, there is no need for medicine; if the diet is wrong, even the right medicine won’t be effective. A diabetic patient must include these in their balanced diet:
- Natural fiber – Seasonal fruits and vegetables to be cooked well and consumed especially Fenugreek, Gourd varieties, Green-leafy vegetables, and fruits such as Jamun, Gooseberry, and Pomegranate. Fresh fruits as a whole are always preferred over fruit juices.
- Grains such as barley, millet, rice, and whole wheat.
- Pulses – Green gram, Horse gram, Toor dal for a natural source of protein.
Regular Physical Activity
Regular exercise is essential for a diabetes patient, regardless of age and gender. Exercise lowers blood sugar levels by transporting sugar to cells, which is then used as energy, and reduces insulin sensitivity, i.e., the body requires less insulin to transport sugar to cells. Obese patients with a sedentary lifestyle should begin with low-impact exercises such as brisk walking and gradually incorporate high-intensity aerobic exercises. Maintaining a healthy weight is essential to control blood sugar naturally. Yoga is also a low-impact but high-value exercise option that effectively improves physical and mental well-being. Sleeping for 7-8 hours at night and avoiding sleeping in the daytime or waking up late helps to regulate blood sugar as well.
Timely Health Check-Ups
Regular health checks are important once you are in your 30s or diagnosed with diabetes. Fasting and PP (Post-prandial or after meals) Blood sugar monitoring along with occasional HbA1c (Glycosulated blood sugar, gives an estimate of the average of 3 months of blood sugar levels) along with other blood parameters such as Lipid Profile, Kidney function test, etc is essential to keep a better track of your health status.
Ayurveda Treatment
Ayurveda interventions for diabetes and its complications are highly effective when followed under the expert care of Ayurveda physicians. Ayurveda works on the root cause of any disease and diabetes is no different! Various plant-based medicines and poly-herbal formulations are recommended to the patient after a thorough analysis of the health status.
These are valuable tools in diabetes prevention and health promotion. The diet and lifestyle changes are simple but profound, and they work well if followed under the guidance of healthcare experts.
