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Diabetes is now the most common chronic disease globally. When one has this disease, it usually goes unnoticed, without any special feeling, seeming to have no major impact on the body. However, if blood sugar levels continue to rise, it can lead to various complications.
High blood sugar can easily affect eye and skin health, leading to complications such as retinopathy and skin itching. Excessive blood sugar in the body can damage endothelial cells in blood vessels, causing vessels to harden, vessel walls to thicken, and increasing the risk of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases. High blood sugar also easily damages the nervous system, leading to muscle weakness, muscle pain, and possibly diabetic foot or even paralysis. If individuals with diabetes do not pay attention to controlling blood sugar, it can also affect kidney function and lead to kidney disease.
There are more and more people nowadays suffering from diabetes. Many people associate diabetes with excessive sugar intake, but in reality, although there is a certain connection between diabetes and sugar consumption, it is not significant. So, what causes so many people to develop diabetes? In fact, most cases result from doing the following 3 things excessively:
1. Not paying attention to weight control
Currently, many people are obese. However, congenital obesity is rare; most cases of obesity are acquired through overeating, and obesity or being overweight is a significant factor in developing diabetes.
Studies indicate that people who prefer meat consumption are tens of times more likely to develop diabetes compared to sugar consumers. This is mainly because meat and fried foods are high in fat and calories. Consuming them excessively leads to excessive fat intake, accumulation of too much fat in the body, a significant increase in total calories, and subsequently, obesity. Diseases such as high blood sugar and high blood lipids are also prone to occur.
2. Consuming increasingly refined staple foods
As people’s living standards improve, they are eating better now. The variety of foods has increased, and there are many different tastes to choose from. People nowadays are picky eaters and pay particular attention to taste.
In particular, staple foods for three meals a day have become increasingly refined, with most people opting for polished rice and white flour, while coarse grains and mixed diets are becoming less favored. However, refined staple foods contain almost no fiber. Once consumed, they are quickly broken down, digested, and metabolized, leading to a rapid increase in blood sugar, eventually causing diabetes.
3. Lack of exercise
In this era of further development and continuous technological advancements, physical labor requirements are decreasing. Most work and study are done in front of computers, commuting involves sitting in cars, elevators are used for going up and down buildings, and people have a habit of lounging at home. This sedentary lifestyle results in a significant decrease in muscle mass.
Many may not know that muscles contain glycogen, and during exercise, glycogen in the muscles consumes blood sugar, gradually lowering blood sugar levels. Therefore, individuals who dislike exercising and have relaxed muscles should pay attention to moderate exercise. Stretching muscles can lower blood sugar levels, preventing the emergence of diabetes.
Of course, apart from the above-mentioned 3 points, to lower blood sugar and prevent diabetes, one can also work on the following 3 aspects:
â‘ Quit smoking and drinking as much as possible
According to studies, smokers have a higher incidence of insulin resistance and diabetes compared to non-smokers. Excessive alcohol consumption harms the liver, affects pancreatic function, and increases the risk of diabetes.
Therefore, it is advisable for everyone to quit smoking and drinking as much as possible to reduce the harm to the body from smoking and alcohol consumption, helping to lower blood sugar and, to a certain extent, prevent diabetes.
â‘¡ Adjust dietary habits
For individuals with high blood sugar aiming to prevent diabetes, adjusting dietary habits is essential. It is recommended to establish a reasonable dietary plan, ensuring a diverse daily intake of foods, maintaining a balanced and comprehensive intake of nutrients. Most importantly, avoid being picky and do not despise vegetables and fruits with mild flavors, such as cucumbers, winter melon, tomatoes, mushrooms, carrots, etc. Additionally, whole grains with high fiber content such as corn, oats, and brown rice are excellent for controlling blood sugar.
If individuals want to lower blood sugar through their daily diet, it is advised to consult a doctor more often. The book “Home Remedies for Lowering Blood Sugar in Everyday Cooking” can provide insights into common foods that are easy to find, simple cooking methods, and quick to learn recipes.
â‘¢ Ensure the body is adequately hydrated daily
Everyone knows that the body contains a significant amount of water, so people need to drink more water daily to replenish the body with adequate water. This can help rid the body of harmful substances and prevent diabetes. Adequate hydration dilutes the blood, improves the body’s control over blood sugar and insulin response, facilitating blood sugar reduction. It is recommended to drink plenty of plain water daily, approximately 1800 milliliters. Moreover, if circumstances allow, it is beneficial to prepare at home some “medicinal teas” that help lower blood sugar, such as a combination of herbal ingredients like Hedyotis diffusa, corn silk, lotus leaf, seabuckthorn, and kudzu root brewed into a cup of tea.
If one is unsure of how to prepare medicinal teas, it would be helpful to refer to the specialized book “A Cup of Medicinal Tea for Health of the Entire Family,” which is likely to inspire and assist in promoting family health.
Note: Images sourced from the internet
