Diabetes has become a true epidemic in our society worldwide. If we focus on Spain, according to a study presented at the XXIX National Congress of the Spanish Diabetes Society in 2018, every year 386,000 people are diagnosed with type 2 diabetes in our country. If we add to this the unstoppable escalation of hypertension problems, kidney problems, heart disease, blindness, amputations and overweight related to diabetes, we quickly understand that it is a great health problem that is not well controlled.
The treatment of diabetes aims to obtain a hemoglobin value as close as possible to normal without giving up a comfortable life. In this sense, various factors come into play, such as insulin injection, diet or physical activity. Through a natural treatment basis in diet and physical activity diabetes can be controlled.
Diet
To be able to control diabetes successfully, it is essential to put into practice certain healthy lifestyle habits among which food has an essential role. Below we will see some fundamental aspects of food for people with diabetes.
The diet should be personalized depending on the type of diabetes, age, weight, physical activity and the type of drug treatment.
It has to be a healthy and balanced diet based on the principles of the Mediterranean diet.
It is necessary to restrict the consumption of rapidly absorbed carbohydrates, alcohol, and animal fats.
It is important to respect the meal times and not skip any intake.
Physical Activity
Physical exercise is one of the fundamental pillars in the treatment of diabetes, along with food and health education. Physical activity is highly recommended for everyone, but it is especially useful for people with diabetes. However, it must be done in a controlled manner, paying special attention at times of complications or lack of control of the disease.
It is necessary to control all the factors that can influence glycemia (especially diet and medication) and adapt them to the physical activity to be performed. In this way, the risk of diabetes decompensating can be reduced.
The practice of physical exercise must be regular and stable over time.
It is recommended to do 150 minutes a week of aerobic physical activity and moderate-intense intensity, distributed in 3 days per week.
Walking or running smoothly for 30-40 minutes, at least 3 days per week, without making abrupt changes of pace, is one of the most recommended exercises for most people with diabetes.