Did you know that diabetes is a growing concern in India? According to recent studies, around 77 million individuals in India struggle with a diabetic life, which can skyrocket to over 134 million by 2045. All of this can be avoided with a few simple changes to your lifestyle. Everyone knows that a healthy diet and regular exercise are the keys to a happy and long life. But no one wants to give up on flavorful food and comfort, do they? Don’t worry, you don’t have to! You do not need a strict vegetable diet or fancy gym membership to stay fit. You can do that at home too!
Here are simple diet and exercise tips for Indians to control and prevent diabetes while enjoying being desi.
An Exercise Plan To Control Diabetes
When it comes to diabetes, healthy food is not the only way to control it, you have to move a little too. You must be wondering, “Which exercise do I start with?”
Because there is no such thing as perfect exercise! People often mix up different exercises in everyday workouts and complain that it isn’t working for them. You must stick to one exercise plan until your body gets used to it. Eventually, you can add some more workouts to it.
To prevent shoulder pain, knee pain, back pain and any other muscle pain, make sure to warm up and cool down after every session with simple stretches. Here’s one for you to get started:
1. Start By Walking
If you’re new to exercising, you should always prepare your body with mild movements; walking is the simplest way to do that. When you walk, your body uses energy, which helps burn the extra fat you have with diabetes. Additionally, it makes your heart healthier, so that it can pump blood to all your organs easily.
Start with a 30-minute walk every day for a week so that your muscles and your heart prepare for the heavy workouts beforehand. If you have a busy schedule, take morning, after lunch, and after-dinner walks for 15 minutes to maintain consistency. You can even add a few stretches to it to avoid stiffness and stay active.
2. Yogasanas
Yoga is one of the oldest practices for staying fit and managing diabetes. It has a variety of exercises specific to the problems and works efficiently. Once again, do not confuse yourself with the thought of “where to start?” Here’s a complete plan for you!
You can start with 3 repetitions of sun salutations a day. Suryanamaskaras (The Sun Salutations workout) is a set of 12 exercises designed to keep the complete body healthy and active. The workout comes with multiple benefits for managing diabetes, such as improved blood circulation, improved insulin sensitivity, reduced stress, strengthened muscles, and helping to manage weight.
Additionally, to control diabetes, reduce stress, stay flexible, improve digestion, and stay healthy, you may practice other yoga asanas, such as:
Legs Up The Wall Pose (Viparit Karani)
Plow Pose (Halasana)
Bow Pose (Dhanurasana)
Half Spinal Twist ( Ardha Matsyendrasana)
Cobra Pose (Bhujangasana)
Do not practice these poses in repetitions. Once you take the pose, hold for 5 seconds with mindful breathing, and move on to the next one with a short break between each yogasana.
These workouts are simple movements that can help you prevent and manage diabetes. Make sure to be mindful while exercising. To do that, simply focus on the flow of your breath while exercising. If some of the poses are too difficult, you can skip them or consider taking lessons from a professional yoga teacher.
3. Home-gym Workouts
To manage diabetes, you only need to strengthen your body with simple workouts for which you do not need heavy equipment. You can transform your home into a gym with some basic objects around you. Here’s how:
Arms Workout
You can use a filled water bottle for dumbbell bicep curls, shoulder presses, and triceps extensions. Make 10 mindful lifts for each hand and massage your arm gently afterward to avoid soreness.
For building more upper-body strength, try practicing push-ups on a wall, and doing chest stretches using a door frame.
Legs Workout
You can use chairs and heavy backpacks to practice squats. For basic leg cardio, practice 100 step-ups and monkey jumps on stairs. If any of this is too difficult, just add 30 minutes to your daily walking routine.
All of these exercises are enough to keep you fit and active while fighting diabetes. But remember that these workouts are not a substitute for medication. Follow your doctor’s advice and check your blood sugar levels regularly.
Indian Diet Tips To Manage & Prevent Diabetes
We Indians have a variety of healthy and flavorful recipes, with which we can control diabetes without punishing our taste buds. You do not need to give up on your favorite biryani or sabzi to stay healthy. Just control the oil usage and opt for healthier vegetables, which are actually much tastier than the junk food we eat.
If you are a thali lover, include roti, sabzi, dal, a small portion of rice, salad, and yogurt in your meals, and make sure to only eat in the right proportion. You cannot eat more than needed, just because your food is healthy. Remember, moderation is the key!
Additionally, if you absolutely have to eat something sweet, make sure to include protein and fiber sources such as yogurt, boiled eggs, nuts, paneer, and carrots. These can help control your blood sugar levels after eating sweets. The only foods you have to limit twice a month are potatoes, white rice, peas, and sweets.
Meanwhile, explore new recipes for vegetables such as okra, drumstick, bitter gourd, spinach, fenugreek leaves, cauliflower and cabbage. These are a lifesaver. For short break snacks, you can prepare sweet and sour mixed sprout chaats, tomato-cucumber sandwiches, tofu tikka, spinach pakoras with oil soaked-out, and makhana chiwda.
Now that you have so many options, make a meal schedule with different recipes for different days so you can enjoy a variety of flavors while managing your diabetes.
The information provided here, while correct, is only effective when both exercise and diet are practiced together. So make sure to move regularly, eat tasteful healthy foods, and get regular check-ups to stay risk-free. A little effort for your health cannot go to waste. With these, simple changes, you can take control of diabetes and enjoy a better quality of life.
