Because it’s now or never! #WhyWait and sabotage your health? Think of it this way –carried away by concerns of the immediate, you fail to give time to your health. Matters of your family and career tend to eat into time ordained for yourself. Ultimately, you have a perfect recipe for disaster.
For people with diabetes, in order to stay healthy, it is necessary to create a transformation of sorts. This transformation involves putting an end to old habits and adopting a new lifestyle. This is essential as diabetes is a silent killer and if it isn’t managed properly, it can damage your organs without your knowledge.
Here are some insights into how you can put an effective diabetes management plan in place by avoiding your bad habits. Inability to avoid these unhealthy behaviors can put you in a dangerous spot as diabetes puts you head on with complications of the kidney, eyes, nerves, and heart.
Not Taking Stock
Yes. Most of you tend to sleep walk through life when it comes to your health and daily routine. This leads to a misconception that you are living healthy, but you actually are in a rut.
It is important to take stock of your sugar levels, diet, lifestyle, sleep, weight, habits and changes in your body. Most of you ignore these essential signs till something un toward happens.
The first step in the right direction is being aware. It’s a good idea to talk to your diabetes doctor if you notice something unusual. Also, since the very nature of our habits is that they are unconscious behaviours, being mindful about them can help us find the way out. Start by paying attention to little changes. Keeping a diary to record your blood sugar levels and the food you eat can help you notice where you might be going wrong.
Skipping Meals
Most of us are guilty of skipping meals thanks to a jam-packed work life that leaves us with no time to eat. After all, it’s just one meal right? You can make up for it in the next meal. That’s when you end up binge-eating, which can spike blood glucose to unhealthy levels. Also, before you eat, there is a high possibility your sugar levels get dangerously low. The idea is to keep sugar levels even. Even when you don’t have time, pop some nuts or an apple till you can grab proper food.
Snacking Late at Night
When you’re watching a movie late night or staying up to finish some work, juicing up on the idea of that tub of chocolate ice cream laying in the freezer, or the fries from last night is dangerous. Munching on unhealthy snacks tends to shift the glucose reading to high the next morning. And, chances are you are consuming it mindlessly, which means you don’t even have control of the calories. Eating something healthier such as a fruit, or nuts will keep you feeling full and healthy!
Stressing Out over the Small Stuff
When stressed, the body releases hormones that are out to get your controlled levels of sugar, and put it in jeopardy. So, before you stress out about missing that project deadline, or worry about something that is not your problem to begin with, know that it won’t do you any good. Manoeuvre through the highs and the lows by meditating, talking to someone close about your problems, or simply even listening to music!
Not Moving an Inch
Sometimes the gravity in your seat can feel too high. But, skipping out on exercise and movement will heighten your chances of developing insulin resistance. People with diabetes should ideally look at getting 150 minutes of aerobic exercises and strength training per week.
Following Fad Diets
Nothing beats a well-balanced diet for a healthy lifestyle. Fad diets are extremely harmful to people with diabetes as they wreak the body’s vitals by changing too much too fast. It’s a good idea to talk to your diabetes doctor to understand the best diet plan that works with your body.
Not Keeping a Tab on Sugar Levels
Most of us skip testing blood glucose levels. However, simply sweeping it under the rug won’t make it go away. It is important to establish a glucose testing routine in order to make better health choices in the future.
Kicking these habits to the curb is not easy for sure. It takes a great deal of mind-work and muscle-work. But, framing our reality is in our own hands. You are of course well rewarded for all the efforts you put in with a better quality of life and increased lifespan!
