How to Control Diabetes: The Top 5 Ways

Tip #1: Eat regularly and don’t skip meals.

The human body is very smart.

When we eat less, it prepares to store more. When we eat more, it focuses on changing the distribution stream.

While this functioning is all well-and-good for healthy individuals, if you are suffering from diabetes, this can quickly aggravate your blood-sugar levels and precipitate emergency situations, like hypoglycemic shock. That's why it is recommended that you follow a strict dietary routine, eat small meals throughout the day, and never skip a meal.

Tip #2: Increase Your Dietary Fiber Intake

Dietary fibers, also called roughage, have many benefits.

The insoluble ones, like brown rice, vegetable and fruit seeds and peels, improve digestion and help in nutrient uptake.

The soluble ones, found in apples, oats, and nuts, help reduce cholesterol and blood-sugar spikes.

But that's not all they do. Since fibers make you feel full faster, they prevent over-eating, which is a serious cause of concern for diabetic individuals.

Tip #3: Eat a big breakfast and a small dinner.

There is a saying - "Have breakfast like a king, lunch like a common man, and dinner like a beggar". And while this advice is good for everyone, it is especially so for those suffering from Type-2 Diabetes.

Studies have shown that eating a large breakfast rich in proteins and low in carbs and a modest dinner taps into the body's internal clock and regulates the natural blood glucose spikes. This prevents hyperglycemic episodes and improves one's quality of life.

Tip #4: Exercise regularly.

The benefit of this tip is two-folds.

One, exercise is a proven way to stay healthy and control obesity, which is a parameter all diabetics need to steer clear of.

Two, it reduces the adverse effects of diabetes that slowly creep up over the years. That's why a minimum of 30 minutes of daily exercise is very important, even if it is as simple as a brisk walk around the park.

Tip #5: Eat slow-release carbs, proteins, healthy fats, and lots of fruits and veggies.

A balanced diet is essential for controlling diabetes, albeit with certain necessary changes.

Changes that include eliminating all quick-release carbs from the diet, like white bread, rice, and potatoes, and incorporating slow-release carbs that do not cause spikes in blood glucose, like whole wheat grains, legumes, and beans.

Additionally, your diet needs to have lots of low-fat proteins (cheese, eggs, yoghurt, soy), healthy fats (avocados and nuts), and fruits and vegetables that are high in fiber (like berries and broccoli). But avoid eating fruits like oranges, mangoes, and watermelons as they are loaded with fructose.