Diabetes Information Sikhs Healthy Living Project

 

Signs and Symptoms

Symptoms of diabetes can be very general and many people put them down to other illnesses. The more common symptoms are tiredness, blurred vision, weight changes, thirst, and increase of water passing. If you have these symptoms or you think you may have diabetes, then you should visit your doctor.

Factors

Diabetes is 3-4 times more common in Asian people than other communities. You are at high risk of diabetes if you are overweight, do not take regular exercise, have an unhealthy diet, smoke or there is family history (hereditary).

Controls

It is possible to control diabetes by the following methods

· Diet

· Diet & Tablets (medicine)

· Diet & Insulin

· Diet involves healthy eating of high fibre, low fat, low sugar and low salt foods.

Healthy Eating

 

Aim to eat regular meals based on starchy foods such as: - bread, cereals, chapttis, rice, naan, pasta, and potatoes. These help to control your blood glucose levels.

 

Eat less fatty foods such as butter ghee, cheese, margarine, or fried foods such as puris, samosas, and parotha. All oils contain as much fat as butter/ ghee. Some are however lower in cholesterol.

 

Really cut down in sugar and sugary foods e.g. white/ brown sugar, honey, Asian sweets, sweet pudding as this will help to control body weight.

Eat more fibre foods such as dahl, beans, lentils, vegetables and fruits as they provide lots of vitamins and minerals, which help to keep you healthy, help reduce the risk of digestive disorders.

Eat at least 5 portions of fruit & vegetables/salads a day in order to keep blood cholesterol levels down.

Wholegrain starchy foods such as wholemeal chapattis, brown flour, brown rice and whole grain cereals e.g. porridge, Weetabix, Shredded Wheat, Bran Flakes etc. Should be encouraged to help prevent constipation.

Try to reduce salt in cooking and eat less salty foods such as (Bombay mix) chevda, crisps as salt leads to increase, of blood pressure.

Try to maintain a weight that is right for your height, as diabetes is harder to control when you are overweight.

Fresh karela may help lower blood glucose levels. Take advice from your GP before taking any herbal remedies.

Never stop your diabetes medicine unless advised by your GP.