Diabetes And Exercise

There are some factors that are in our control for preventing diabetes.

For the powerhouses of the human body, the cells, tissues and muscles need to work at their best. The cells need glucose for this job to be done which reaches them through the blood after enough churning by the digestive system. But if the glucose levels in the blood circulation are above normal limits, yet not enough to be called as diabetes, there is a condition prior to it called as prediabetes that needs to be addressed so that the ultimate scourge of metabolism, diabetes, does not raise its hood.

A wonderful gland in the human body, the pancreas produces insulin from the belly that maintains the levels of blood sugar in the human body. On some occasions, there is a severe shortfall of production of this hormone which is called Type I Diabetes. Only a regular replacement of this hormone can keep the levels under check. There is on occasion a decreased production of this hormone, insulin, or the function of the insulin is not receptive for human metabolism. This is called Type II Diabetes and is a metabolic syndrome. Before the onset of such a syndrome, there is a period in which the levels of blood sugar are more than normal but not enough to be termed as diabetes, which is called as pre-diabetes. The fasting blood sugar, when between 110-125mg/dl or when the level is 140-180mg/dl two hours after ingestion of 100 ml of glucose is called pre-diabetes. This can occur about one to 10 years before the onset of diabetes. The importance of recognising this condition lies in the fact that if efforts are done to stave this awaydiabetes itself can be surely delayed and probably prevented too.

There is a predisposition to this condition in the sense that some individuals find themselves more prone to it than the other population. Among the risk factors that are not under one’s control are age as individuals above the age of 45 are more prone to it. It is also hereditary.

If parents are suffering from this syndrome, the progeny have a predilection to be affected by it. As such, it is an epidemic of sorts in India as the numbers are rising. But the factors within one’s control that can lead to this problem are quite a few. Obesity stands first on the list as any few kilos on the midriff is inversely proportional to the effect of insulin on the human body as the glucose levels rise. Inactivity and lack of exercise only inject sopor into the body. If a woman has suffered from increased levels of blood glucose during pregnancy, called gestational diabetes, they are likely to develop diabetes later in life. Also, women who have been suffering from ovarian cysts can be burdened by this. Increased blood pressure, cholesterol, triglycerides and low density lipoproteins play spoilsport too.

The prevention of diabetes in itself is more than achieving a cure as otherwise it can lead to various side-effects on the human body. It is imperative that efforts are made to contain it.

Eating healthy foods rich in fibre and poor in calories is ideal like fruits, vegetables and whole grains that necessarily does not mean in anyway compromising with taste or nutrition.

More energy, a healthier heart and improved self-esteem are the pleasant side-effects of exercise which burns the glucose and weight and needs to be adhered to.

Homoeopathic medicine is of help in this situation when the insulin reaching the cells surface finds itself insufficient to coax the glucose into the cell for metabolism as these remedies help in achieving it to a certain extent. This is of prime importance as the glucose reaches where it has to and the burden in the circulation is reduced. Pancreatin, Insulinum, Sulphur, Lycopodium, Gymnema sylvestra and Syzygium are helpful in translating this.

These remedies can also work in a complementary way to help the syndrome of diabetes to be under check or, even better, to be kept away.