Just when you think you are hale and hearty, you are diagnosed as being diabetic. What you need is a good diabetic meal plan and exercise to control your blood-glucose levels and general well being.

Do’s and don’ts

• Eat food at fixed hours.

• Do not eat immediately after a workout.

• Do not overeat.

• If you are on insulin, make sure you have three proper meals with light snacks in between.

• Do not eat fast; masticate and munch your food well before you swallow.

• Drink a lot of water that will help flush the toxins off your system.

• Make sure the gaps between your meals are short.

• Avoid fried foods and sweetmeats.

• Include fresh vegetable salad in every meal.

• Have at least 20 to 25 grams of raw onion daily.

• Add wheat bran to your wheat flour. This helps increase fibre in your diet.

• Include sprouts in the diet. Sprouts are nutritious.

Exercise is a good way to increase calorie deficit. But it is very important to take certain precautions before you exercise, especially if you lead a sedentary lifestyle. It is very important that you check with your doctor first before starting on an exercise regime. Start an exercise routine that you will enjoy and stick to. Walking is the simplest aerobic activity. Cycling is a good form of exercise, too. If you want to go in for other exercise regimes, please consult your doctor and fitness trainer.

Ensure you take the following precautions:

• Check your blood-glucose levels before and after exercising.

• Avoid exercising when you have just taken your insulin shot.

• Avoid hot tubs and saunas immediately after exercise.

• Always carry a carbohydrate snack, candies /sweets or juice.

• Drink enough fluids to keep your body well hydrated.

• Avoid alcohol consumption before and immediately after exercise.

Diabetes mellitus is a chronic metabolic disorder in which the body fails to convert sugars, starches and other foods into energy. Many of the foods you eat are normally converted into a type of sugar called glucose during digestion.

The bloodstream then carries glucose through the body. The hormone, insulin, then turns glucose into quick energy or is stored for further use. There are two major types of diabetes. One is popularly known as Juvenile Onset Diabetes.

Here, the body produces little or no insulin. It occurs most often in childhood or in the teens and could be inherited. People with this type of diabetes need daily injections of insulin. They must balance their daily intake of food and activities carefully with their insulin shots to stay alive. The other is Adult Onset Diabetes, this occurs around 35 to 40 years. The more common of the two types, it accounts for about 80 per cent of the diabetics. Here, though the pancreas produces adequate insulin, body cells show reduced sensitivity towards it. — Priya Khanna and Seema Tarneja

Foods to avoid

Salt: Salt is the greatest culprit for diabetics. You get enough salt from vegetables in inorganic form, so reduce the intake of inorganic salt.

Sugar: Sucrose, a table sugar, provides nothing but calories and carbohydrates. Substitute sucrose with natural sugar, like honey, jaggery, etc.

Fat: Excessive fat intake is definitely not a good habit. But, remember, you must have a small quantity of oil to absorb fat-soluble vitamins, especially vitamin E.

Say no to red meat: Try and stop the intake of red meat

completely. Try to go in for a vegetarian diet. If you cannot, decrease the consumption of eggs and poultry.

Milk products: Try to switch to low fat milk and its products like yoghurt.

Tea and coffee: Do not have than two cups of the conventional tea or decaffeinated coffee every day.

Avoid white rice, potatoes, carrots, breads and banana — they increase the blood-sugar levels.

Special food for diabetics

Bitter gourd: This vegetable contains a high dosage of ‘plant insulin’. It lowers the blood-sugar levels effectively.

Fenugreek: It is the most common food used to control diabetes.

Indian blackberry: This fruit is very effective in preventing and controlling diabetes.

Garlic: This is used to lower blood-sugar levels.

Onion: Because of its diuretic and digestive properties, onion works against diabetes.