You need to know this if your loved one has diabetes.

With India being known as the diabetes capital of the world you are most likely to know at least one person with this condition. So what is diabetes? It is a condition that causes a person's blood sugar level to become too high. It is categorised into two types: Type1 diabetes – where the body's immune system attacks and destroys the cells that produce insulin and diabetes type 2 – where the body does not produce enough insulin or when it cannot effectively use the insulin.

Here are some of the symptoms of diabetes to look for, extreme hunger and thirst, frequent urination, dry mouth, itchy skin, fungal infections, weight loss or wounds that heal slowly.

So, what are the causes of diabetes?

After the digested food enters the bloodstream, insulin moves glucose out of the blood and into cells where it is broken down to produce energy. However, one suffering with diabetes is unable to breakdown glucose to produce this into energy.

We often hear people say ‘eating a lot of sweets can lead to diabetes’ but thanks to the sweet tooth fairy it is not completely true. While large amounts of sugar is just one piece of this puzzle; lifestyle, overall diet and genetics can together cause diabetes.

Possible complications of diabetes:

After a positive diabetes test, it can be difficult for people to come to the sudden acceptance of disease, as a result, some continue to pretend that they can just avoid diabetes. This is not a great idea and should be taken seriously as it can be dangerous for your loved one's health. To stay healthy, one has to discipline themselves to the demands of this condition. Over a period of time, improper management can develop serious health problems such as nerve damage, kidney failure, risk of stroke, heart diseases and others. Let’s not scare ourselves with these because there is good news ­‑ the disease in controllable.

What can you do to help?

With the right diabetes treatment, complications can be much lesser and with care from the family, people can live a healthy life. Changing habits for someone who is newly diagnosed can be tough but it is extremely crucial to keep the blood sugar level normalized.

Encourage healthy eating:

People diagnosed newly with diabetes go with the funda ‘once in a while is okay’, whereas the fact is that once can become ‘multiple times’ that can adversely affect their blood sugar levels.

Therefore, you can help your loved one in making better meal choices. Replace their sugary drinks to healthy juice options, experiment with wholegrain pasta, bread, and rice and opt for diabetic-friendly desserts so they don’t feel like they are missing out on anything. It is important to not miss any meals; this can leave the sugar levels bouncing from normal to high, instead, spread small meals at equal duration to maintain steady blood sugar levels.

Manage stress:

Stressful situations give rise to blood sugar levels and can only make it worse to control diabetes. So why not encourage talking about their day and how they feel, taking walks together, yoga classes or simply watching a funny movie can help to relieve stress. Exercising is not just good to manage stress but it also helps to keep you active and control body weight, which if not managed can lead to complications in diabetes. Taking up activities together will make it less likely to feel like an extra chore to the patient.

Know when it’s time to see a doctor:

Your loved one will face good days and bad days managing blood sugar levels, try to help them keep things on track. Ask what you could do to help because obviously you can’t read minds and probably you are not a doctor either. Usually, the symptoms of diabetes are barely noticeable but if sugar levels get to extreme, signs like dizziness, shaking, severe headaches, blurry vision, confusion or slurring words, should probably alert you it’s not the normal self and should consult a doctor immediately. In the long run, uncontrolled diabetes can affect all organs.

Homeopathic medicines for diabetes can effectively manage your condition and offer support and comfort for your overall health. The diabetes treatment aims to normalize levels of insulin, minimize dosage and prevents from worsening or further complications.

We understand it isn’t easy to manage diabetes; it demands patients to constantly watch what they eat, keep check of the blood sugar levels and take regular medications. By following a balanced lifestyle not only you are helping your loved one but also can reduce your risk of developing diabetes too. These little efforts may seem insignificant from your point, but your interest can make a significant difference to your loved one.