Introduction: Diabetes, a disease that is becoming increasingly common nowadays, is a chronic metabolic disorder characterized by high blood sugar. It cannot be fundamentally cured; only lifelong treatment to control blood sugar can be achieved through lifestyle habits, medications, or insulin injections.
Diabetes itself is not frightening, but the series of complications it brings can severely damage health and, in severe cases, even pose a life-threatening risk.
With the continuous improvement in living standards, the variety of common diets has also become more diverse. However, an increasing number of people are developing certain diseases due to poor dietary habits.
The occurrence of diabetes is not only closely related to genetic factors but also due to irregular dietary and lifestyle habits. Hence, it is essential for everyone to pay strict attention to diet in their daily lives to avoid worsening the condition or inducing diabetes.
Family Inheritance: If a family has hereditary diabetes, the risk of diabetes in offspring is higher than that of ordinary individuals;
Viral Infections: Low immunity coupled with external factors like prolonged viral infections and exposure to chemicals can also contribute to diabetes;
Lifestyle Habits: Prolonged poor lifestyle and dietary habits can adversely affect the pancreatic organs, leading to increased blood sugar levels, such as lack of exercise, overeating, excessive calorie intake, etc.
Chronic Complications
Chronic complications of diabetes include cardiovascular diseases like cerebrovascular diseases, coronary heart disease, and diabetic nephropathy.
Acute Complications
Acute complications of diabetes, such as lactic acidosis, diabetic ketoacidosis, hyperosmolar hyperglycemic state, are more pronounced in untreated or poorly managed diabetes patients.
Kidney Damage
High blood sugar, high blood lipids, and high blood pressure can lead to abnormal elevation of glomerular filtration pressure, promoting the onset and progression of diabetic nephropathy.
Early manifestations include edema, proteinuria, and eventual renal failure, making it a major cause of death in diabetic patients.
Pickled Foods
The unique taste of pickled foods can stimulate appetite, but the excessive sodium ions and additives added during pickling can disrupt intestinal motility and impair liver detoxification once consumed. This disruption of acid-base balance and metabolic levels can disrupt blood sugar regulation, hence individuals with high blood sugar should limit pickled food consumption.
Red Dates
Red dates have been beloved for ages, particularly by women, as consuming them moderately can nourish blood, delay aging, but their high sugar content, exceeding 60%, makes them less suitable for diabetic patients needing to reduce sugar intake. Excessive consumption can directly elevate blood sugar levels, worsening diabetes conditions and complications.
Sugarcane
From a traditional Chinese medicine perspective, sugarcane moistens dryness, clears heat, and generates fluids. Despite its potential benefits in alleviating certain ailments, consuming sugarcane is not advisable for individuals with high blood sugar levels. As sugarcane is the main ingredient of brown sugar and tastes very sweet, it quickly spikes blood sugar levels in diabetic patients, leading to blood sugar instability and increased risk of complications.
White Sugar
While white sugar consumption has minimal impact on blood sugar levels in healthy individuals, it can directly elevate blood sugar levels in those with high blood sugar, hinder insulin secretion, and destabilize blood sugar control. Individuals with high blood sugar should avoid foods with high sugar content, including white sugar, bread, cakes, and pastries.
Potato
While potatoes are a common vegetable in diets, they differ from green leafy vegetables in that they contain less vitamins and dietary fiber and mainly comprise starch. This starch is essentially a form of sugar, as starch converts directly into glucose in the body, easily elevating blood sugar levels, which is detrimental for diabetic patients, contributing to complications.
Honeysuckle Tea
Honeysuckle, a prevalent traditional Chinese medicinal herb, is commonly brewed to clear heat and toxins. It also aids in lowering blood sugar levels due to its abundant chlorogenic acid content, enhancing insulin sensitivity and reducing total blood sugar levels.
Green Tea
Green tea is a top choice for individuals with diabetes, as its polyphenols and active polyphenolic compounds enhance insulin sensitivity, reduce cholesterol, lower blood pressure, and alleviate diabetic symptoms.
Bitter Gourd Tea
Bitter gourd, a commonly consumed vegetable in summer, might not be favored for its bitter taste. However, drinking bitter gourd tea can effectively lower blood sugar levels. Bitter gourd contains substances similar to insulin that convert blood glucose into energy, aiding in blood sugar reduction.
