Raveena has made a firm decision to take her health goals seriously. She has a strong family history of diabetes. She has now been diagnosed as having pre-diabetes. This is a condition preceding diabetes, where the blood sugar levels are starting to go up but are not high enough to be called diabetes. She has also received a series of minor shocks lately: her husband has just been diagnosed as having high blood pressure and her best friend’s husband has been admitted to the hospital with a suspected heart attack. Raveena is 40. Is it too late for her to set and achieve her health goals?

In the 21^st century, Indians are being overwhelmed by what are termed ‘lifestyle diseases’: diabetes, hypertension, high levels of cholesterol and triglycerides and increasing rates of heart attacks. As Indians, we are genetically hardwired to develop these diseases, if we do not adopt strict and sensible measures. Modifying your lifestyle can help prevent or at least postpone the onset of these conditions. Genetics may have loaded the gun but it is you who can decide if and when the trigger is going to be pulled!

Achieving and maintaining normal sugar levels

Glucose provides energy to every cell in your body. The maintenance of normal levels of glucose in the blood stream requires a complex number of regulatory mechanisms. The control of blood sugar levels is determined by the hormones insulin and glucagon, which are secreted into the blood by the pancreas. These hormones maintain blood sugar levels within fairly strict limits. If these mechanisms fail, hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) or hyperglycemia (high blood sugar levels, as in diabetes) can result.

Eating foods with a low glycemic load is a good way of keeping sugar levels normal. Foods low in glycemic load are typically fruits and vegetables, whole grains, legumes, and lean proteins. 

Eating small quantities at short intervals, typically every 2-3 hours (‘grazing’), reduces the risk of over-eating and overloading with calories. The blood sugar levels are maintained at ideal levels without dipping too low or rising dangerously. Adding protein and fibre to your diet slows the absorption of glucose.

While eating a healthy, balanced diet helps to control blood sugar, weight loss and exercise also play a crucial role in keeping blood sugar under control.