In today’s world, Sweets and Sugar: Manage Your Diabetes with Ayurveda has become very important. Nowadays, sugary treats and processed foods are readily available, so it’s easy to overindulge in sweets and experience fluctuations in blood sugar levels. While occasional indulgence is perfectly acceptable, chronic sugar intake can lead to a number of health problems, including diabetes, obesity, and heart disease. Ayurveda, the ancient Indian system of medicine, offers a holistic approach to managing sugar levels and promoting overall well-being. On this World Diabetes Day: Defeat the Silent Threat i.e manage your diabetes with Ayurveda.
Ayurveda’s View on Sweets and Sugar
Ayurveda recognizes the importance of moderation and balance in all aspects of life, including diet. While sweets can provide a temporary boost of energy, excessive consumption can disrupt the body’s natural balance, leading to various health issues. Ayurveda categorizes sweets as “Madhur,” or sweet taste, which, when consumed in excess, can aggravate the Kapha dosha, associated with heaviness, lethargy, and the accumulation of toxins.
Sugar and Diabetes
Studies suggest that sugar intake can increase the risk of diabetes because of the impact glucose has on the liver, including promoting fatty liver, inflammation, and localized insulin resistance. Such effects may trigger abnormal insulin production in the pancreas and increase the risk of type 2 diabetes. Further, studies also suggest that eating high amounts of sugar can indirectly raise risk by causing weight gain and increased body fat, independent risk factors for developing type 2 diabetes.
Natural sweeteners are free from these risks. They satisfy your sweet tooth without risking high sugar levels and if used infrequently, they can be used to make some desserts.
Manage your Diabetes with Ayurvedic Tips
- Choose Natural Sweeteners: Instead of refined sugar, opt for natural sweeteners like honey, jaggery, or stevia, which have a lower glycemic index and provide additional nutrients.
- Balance sweet taste with other tastes: Ayurveda emphasizes balancing tastes to maintain harmony in the body. Counteract the sweetness of sugary treats with bitter, astringent, and pungent tastes from foods like leafy greens, spices, and fruits.
- Practice Mindful Eating: Avoid distractions while eating and focus on savoring each bite. This mindful approach can help you regulate your intake and prevent overindulgence.
- Incorporate Ayurvedic Herbs: Certain Ayurvedic herbs, such as Gymnema Sylvestre (Gudmar) and Momordica charantia (Bitter melon), Curcumin Capsule 60 by top ayurvedic and herbal products manufacturers in India. It has been shown to regulate blood sugar levels and promote healthy glucose metabolism.
- Follow a Balanced Diet: Ayurveda recommends a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and legumes, which provide essential nutrients and fiber to support healthy blood sugar control. According to Ayurveda Finger millet, Moong, kullath, harbhara, Karela, Bottle Guard, Red Pumpkin, etc. is advisable to eat in Diabetic patients. Roasted Rice and wheat are suggested to eat in Diabetic patients as they become drier & easier to digest.
- Incorporate Regular Exercise: Regular physical activity helps regulate blood sugar levels, improve insulin sensitivity, and promote overall well-being.
- Manage Stress Levels: Stress can contribute to blood sugar imbalances. Incorporate stress-management techniques like yoga, meditation, or deep breathing into your daily routine.
- Seek Ayurvedic Guidance: Consult an experienced Ayurvedic practitioner for personalized recommendations based on your unique constitution and health needs. Diab Hari Churna is by Best Ayurvedic Product Manufacturers in India
Remember, Ayurveda emphasizes prevention and long-term health rather than quick fixes. By incorporating these Ayurvedic principles into your lifestyle, you can effectively manage your sugar levels, promote overall well-being, and cultivate a healthier relationship with sweets and sugar.
Sweets and Desserts for Diabetics: Precautions to take
- Always check the nutritional value of any food that you are consuming. For example, if the diet contains a high amount of sugar or carbohydrates, it should be a complete no. On the other hand, it’s better to have it if the diet has a high calorific value and good proteins, fibers, minerals, and vitamins.
- Have your sweet with a meal so that the protein, fat, and fiber in the meal prevent the sugar from the sweet from releasing very rapidly.
- Also, consider cutting down on your cereals in the meal, like rice, bread, or pasta, when you plan to have a portion of a dessert so that the net carbohydrate intake remains low.
- Always take small servings. It will satisfy your sweet tooth and, at the same time, will not let your blood sugar level increase beyond manageable levels.
- Do healthy food swaps as much as possible. You can swap out refined flour for whole grain flour and use sweet fruits instead of sugar.
- Regularly monitor your sugar levels. It is good to have a sugar measuring machine at home. Measure them at least once a month and plan your diet accordingly.
Ayurvedic Diet Plan for Diabetic Patient
Eating a healthy diet will help you keep your blood sugar levels under control, prevent weight gain, and manage your diabetes. People with diabetes are recommended to follow a diet rich in nutrients and low in fat and calories. Ayurveda also suggests limiting or avoiding the intake of sweets and simple carbohydrates and including more green and leafy vegetables. Below is a typical ayurvedic diet chart for diabetics.
Early Morning: Kickstart your day with a cup of herbal infusion of crushed mulethi, bark of cinnamon, crushed cardamom, and crushed coriander seeds mixed in boiling water, and add a teaspoon of honey. The recommended dosage of this herbal infusion is 150-300 ml.
Breakfast: Foods rich in insoluble fiber, like whole cereals (bajra, ragi, or maize), are ideal breakfast items for diabetics. For diabetics, 40-60gms of dry cereal mix flour would be sufficient to make breakfast the biggest meal of the day. Syamaka, kodrava, and uddalaka varieties of rice, godhuma (wheat), canaka, adhaki, and kulattha pulse beans are good options for diabetics.
Mid-morning Snacks: An ideal mid-morning snack could be a bowl (60 g) of whole protein like steamed and spiced sprouts sprinkled with lemon juice.
Lunch:
- 50gms of steamed rice
- 40 grams of cooked dal
- 100 grams each of legumes and veggies
- 150 ml of buttermilk
Evening: Drink a glass [100 ml] of warm, spiced, light mulethi (licorice root) milk tea in the evening. This will help digest the previous meal while supporting the transition of digestive metabolism from day to evening.
Dinner: Wind up the day with a light meal. The ideal Ayurvedic dinner menu includes a bowl of oat porridge/broken wheat porridge with buttermilk and a medium-sized bowl of steamed veggies. Alternatively, you can have roti with sumptuous vegetable curries.
The Significance of Regular Monitoring
Routine blood sugar monitoring is indispensable for those managing their levels. It provides valuable insights, enabling individuals to make real-time adjustments to their lifestyle and dietary choices.
Conclusion
Having diabetes does not mean that you have to give up sweets and desserts for your entire life. Diabetic people can still satisfy their sweet tooth. The key is moderation. One should take sweets and desserts low in sugar and carbohydrate content and high on nutrition like proteins, fibres, and vitamins. In addition, one should maintain a healthy lifestyle that includes sufficient physical activity.
