Some people swear by carbs them. Others curse them, believing they’re downright diabolical.

The American Diabetes Association says there are three types of carbs: Fiber, starches, and sugar, which typically fall into one of two categories: simple or complex. 

What Carbs Do

According to the Cleveland Clinic, the digestive system turns carbs into sugar for energy to fuel the body. Eating a lot of carbs raises blood sugar levels.

Simple carbs spike energy and blood sugar levels because the digestive system breaks them down into sugar pretty fast, allowing them to enter the bloodstream quickly.

It takes the digestive system a little while to break down complex carbohydrates, causing glucose to enter the bloodstream slowly. Complex carbs are considered the good guys, at least in the world of carbohydrates.

You’ll often hear simple carbs called “bad” and complex called “good.”

To recap: The body turns carbs into glucose for energy. It digests simple carbs quickly, spiking blood sugar levels (which is bad). Unused energy is stored (which is really be bad when you have a lot of it to store).

Too many simple carbs can contribute to weight gain and raise the risk of diabetes, heart disease, and high cholesterol, according to Cleveland Clinic.

Glycemic Index

Maybe you’ve heard of the Glycemic Index, a scale that assigns a value to foods based on “how quickly and how high those foods cause increases in blood glucose levels.”

Foods low on the glycemic index, “…tend to release glucose slowly and steadily. Foods high on the glycemic index release glucose rapidly. Low GI foods tend to foster weight loss, while foods high on the GI scale help with energy recovery after exercise, or to offset hypo- (or insufficient) glycemia.”

Everyone knows sugary drinks, candy, cakes, cookies, and desserts shouldn’t be a primary source of nutrition or a significant source of calories because they hardly have any nutritional value and pave the way for obesity and diabetes. 

But sugar doesn’t tell the whole story. We have to look at fiber too. Favorite foods like white bread, rice, and pasta have their fiber removed during the refining process. The digestive system breaks them down quickly, spiking sugar levels. 

Just remember that slow is better for your health, energy, and waistline when it comes to carbs.

Guilty Pleasure

However, it’s okay to enjoy simple carbs occasionally. The Rock, Dwayne Johnson, is famous for enjoying his epic cheat days weekly.

It’s okay to indulge but not all the time. 

Better Bad Choices

But even within the “bad choice” column of carbs, there are better “bad” choices than others. A cup of white rice has a glycemic index of 91, but a serving of white spaghetti has a rating of 64, which makes it a better “bad” choice. 

When eating carbs, most of the time, reach for less processed, complex carbohydrates low in sugar and high in fiber. 

Fiber: Your Secret Weapon

Fiber is your friend. Fiber is a kind of secret weapon in maintaining healthier blood sugar levels because it slows how fast sugar is absorbed into the blood stream.

Also, fiber helps you feel fuller longer and helps with avoiding energy spikes. Fiber is so potent that some studies suggest that you should start your meal with fiber and protein and save carbs for last.

Glycemic Load

Whereas the Glycemic Index measures how fast and high a particular food raises blood sugar, there’s another measurement called the Glycemic Load, which refers to the amount of carbohydrates in a specific food. 

The best carbs for successfully maintaining ideal weight and healthy blood sugar levels are those with a lower glycemic index and glycemic load because they have the least impact on blood sugar.

The role carbohydrates have in your diet is a personal choice, and whether they will be friend or foe.

Just remember that in the world of carbs, high fiber whole grains, fruits, and vegetables are the healthiest. 

Try to minimize simple carbohydrates because they spike blood sugar, contributing to obesity and chronic disease. Plus they’ll make you feel hungry sooner. You’ll consume more food because you’re eating more often, taking a toll on your energy levels and the scales.

It’s okay to indulge in your mouth-watering pancakes or kryptonite of choice sometimes, just make sure you earn it by exercising, and reaching for healthier swaps most of the time.

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There are two types of diabetes, and in both types, your blood sugar level rises, which can damage your blood vessels, heart, kidneys, and eyes.

Uncontrolled blood sugar can also lead to peripheral artery disease, sciatic nerve damage, and non-healing ulcers. Uncontrolled diabetes can lead to heart attack, stroke, or even coma and death.

Blood sugar must be controlled to prevent dangerous health complications. This article will discuss how a vegetarian diet can help control blood sugar levels, which effectively manages diabetes.

What is a vegetarian diet?

Vegetarians abstain from the consumption of meat, fish, poultry, and sometimes even eggs and dairy. A healthy vegetarian diet is low in sugar, processed foods, oils, and fats and is rich in fiber; it’s much healthier than the standard Western diet.

Today, more people are adopting a vegetarian diet, which, as a result, helps with controlling blood sugar and reduces the need for insulin.

Interestingly, research shows that the need to take medication for blood sugar control is much less for people who follow a vegetarian diet for 22 weeks. But this doesn’t mean you can stop all your medications by merely switching to a vegetarian diet. You should always follow up with your doctor while monitoring your blood sugar regularly.

The financial burden of diabetes

Today, diabetes has become a major health risk that affects 6.3% of the population in America. This means about 18.9 million Americans suffer from diabetes and its complications.

As we know, diabetes is not a cheap disease. In fact, according to diabetes.org, people diagnosed with diabetes pay on average $16,752 annually for treatment. In truth, its ongoing costs can cripple patients financially. Supplies and medications to control blood sugar and manage long term complications of diabetes can be a significant financial burden on patients and their families. Although insurance companies pay for supplies, the deductibles add up fast.

How a vegetarian diet helps reduce this burden

As we’ve said, a vegetarian diet is beneficial in controlling blood sugar, and aiding in its treatment and chronic complications.

Coronary artery disease is a well-known long-term complication of diabetes. Research shows that vegetarians have the lowest rate of coronary artery disease compared to any other group. The risk of vegetarians developing heart disease is 50% less than the general population.

Developing obesity is nine times less in those who follow a vegetarian diet. Obesity is a risk factor for diabetes, and being overweight contributes to developing complications in diabetic patients.

Switching to a vegetarian diet combined with lifestyle alterations such as engaging in regular aerobic exercise has a significant impact on managing diabetes effectively. It’s a well-known fact that the risk of complications significantly declines with proper diabetes management. You will feel better, and your blood sugar will come down gradually, too, significantly reducing the need for oral medications and insulin injections. However, only your doctor should alter your prescriptions.

The progression of diabetes, whether it worsens or improves, largely has to do with the changes you’re willing to make in your lifestyle. You have the power to change the course of your illness. Just imagine living the rest of your life without many of the complications that come from diabetes? The adverse effects of diabetes have a significant impact on your health and daily life. This may be a bit overly dramatic, but surely, being bedridden by a stroke or losing a limb to a non-healing ulcer is something you’d most certainly like to avoid.

A vegetarian diet is a natural and holistic way to assist in controlling your blood sugar levels. And it has a positive impact on treating and managing diabetes as well as its complications.

We eat to live and not live to eat. So, modifying your diet and lifestyle to be healthy and boost life quality is a choice that only you can make.

Image by Tesa Robbins from Pixabay

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1. Type 1 diabetes
2. Type 2 diabetes
3. Gestational diabetes

The causes and risk factors are different for each type.

Type 1 Diabetes

Type 1 diabetes is also called Insulin-dependent diabetes. It’s a chronic condition in which your pancreas produces minimal or no insulin. Insulin is the hormone that allows glucose to enter your cells to create energy. Type 1 diabetes usually appears during childhood, but it can occur in adolescents and adults too.

The exact causes of Type 1 diabetes aren’t known.

Insulin-producing cells in your pancreas are called beta cells of islets of Langerhans. The body’s immune system mistakenly attacks them. Your immune system is there to fight against harmful viruses and bacteria. But here, the immune system identifies your beta cells as foreign and produces antibodies against them and destroys the pancreatic cells. So, the pancreas is unable to make the hormone insulin, which causes blood sugar levels to rise, leading to diabetes.

Genetics is identified to play a role in causing Type 1 diabetes. Research has also found that exposure to viruses and other environmental factors might also cause Type 1 diabetes.

These are the risk factors that trigger the onset of Type 1 diabetes:

• Genetics – You might have certain genes that increase risk.
• Family history – If you have a close relative with diabetes, such as a parent or a sibling, your risk is higher.
• Age – Type 1 diabetes may appear at any age, but there are two typical ages when it appears: Children aged between 4 -7 years and between 10 – 14 years have a higher risk for developing Type 1 diabetes.
• Geographical location – Interestingly, the incidence of Type 1 diabetes increases the farther away you from the equator.

Type 2 Diabetes 

This type is much more common than Type 1 diabetes. Type 2 diabetes is also known as adult-onset diabetes, but it’s increasingly being diagnosed in children today, probably because of increasing childhood obesity. Type 2 diabetes is a chronic condition that affects the way your body metabolizes glucose by resisting the effects of the hormone insulin, which regulates the entering of glucose into your cells. As blood glucose level rises, beta cells of the pancreas release more insulin to counteract it. However, with time these cells get impaired and become unable to produce enough insulin.

Although there’s no cure for type 2 diabetes, it appears that proper diet, exercise, and losing weight are effective ways to manage it.

Although the exact cause is unknown, genetics and environmental factors may play a role. Obesity and an inactive lifestyle are contributing factors for Type 2 diabetes.

Several identified risk factors increase your risk of developing Type 2 diabetes:

• Family history – If a parent or a sibling has Type 2 diabetes, your risk will increase.
• Age – As you grow older, your risk increases.
• Race – Native Americans, Asian-Americans, Hispanics, and African-Americans are at higher risk.
• Weight – Being overweight or obese increases your risk of developing Type 2 diabetes, but that doesn’t mean thin people don’t develop it.
• Sedentary lifestyle – Physical activity helps to control your weight and uses glucose as energy. Being inactive increases your risk.
• Fat distribution in your body – People store fat mainly in their abdomen or hips and thighs. Those who store fat in their abdomen have a higher risk of developing Type 2 diabetes.
• Waist circumference – Waist circumference of more than 40 inches (101.6cm) for males and larger than 35 inches (88.9cm) for females has been identified as a risk factor.
• Prediabetes is a condition where your blood glucose is higher than normal but not high enough to be called diabetes. If left untreated, it can gradually progress to Type 2 diabetes.
• Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) – A common condition in women, characterized by obesity, excessive hair growth, and irregular menstrual periods. PCOS increases the risk of developing Type 2 diabetes.
• Acanthosis nigricans – A skin condition where you have dark skin areas, commonly in the neck and armpits. It often indicates insulin resistance, which is a risk factor for Type 2 diabetes.
• Gestational Diabetes – If you developed gestational diabetes during pregnancy, you have a higher risk of developing Type 2 diabetes later in life. Giving birth to a baby weighing more than 4 kg (9 pounds) also increases your risk.
• Stress – Is known to increase your blood sugar level.

Gestational Diabetes 

Hormonal changes may lead to increased blood sugar levels in pregnant women. Usually, the condition disappears after delivery; however, they will still have a higher risk of developing Type 2 diabetes later in life.

For all three types of diabetes, you will notice that there are preventable causes and risk factors and non-preventable ones. If you can control your diet and get regular exercise, you might be able to delay the onset of diabetes, even if facing higher risk factors.

Image by Myriam Zilles from Pixabay

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The key components of diabetes management are diet, exercise, medication, and regular check-ins with your healthcare team; everyone knows this. It’s the best-known way of preventing long-term complications. 

However, diet, exercise, and medication are just part of the equation. To truly live well with diabetes, you also need to practice self- care (not everyone knows this).

Listen to your dentist!

When you’re living with diabetes, you must be extra careful not to catch gum disease. Sore and bleeding gums might not seem like a big deal, but high blood sugar can cause the inflammation to spread to the rest of your body, leading to heart and kidney disease. 

To avoid this, be very vigilant about dental care. Brush your teeth after every meal and floss every day, preferably when going to bed. You might also want to invest in an antiseptic mouth rinse. 

Seek medical attention for dental issues even when they don’t seem too serious, whether for small issues like dry mouth or bigger problems like tender gums. Lastly, remember to get dental checkups at least twice a year.

Love your skin

Your skin is your largest organ, so do all you can to avoid cuts, blisters, and skin infections as they can lead to bigger problems fast.  

Washing your body every day isn’t enough, but it’s a good start. Use warm water and mild moisturizing soap that won’t dry out your skin, and then gently pat your skin dry. 

Pay attention to areas where water collects, such as under-arms and between the toes as these are breeding grounds for fungal infections. Don’t forget to moisturize.

Make a habit of inspecting your skin for redness, dryness, or tenderness. This way, you’ll be sure to catch any issues before they get out of hand. If you notice a rash, cut, or wound that doesn’t go away after a couple of days of proper care, please see your doctor because you want to avoid infection.

Take care of your feet

Feet aren’t a high priority for most people. However, when you have diabetes, common issues like calluses, athlete’s foot, corns, nail infections, warts, bunions, cuts, and scrapes can lead to serious complications, infections, and amputations.

 To be on the safe side, wear proper fitting shoes and avoid walking barefoot. Also, examine your feet regularly for cuts, calluses, blisters, wounds, scratches, cracked skin, or ingrown toenails.

Keep an antibiotic cream and sterile bandages on hand at all times so you can attend to small cuts and wounds properly. It’s extremely important that you see a doctor if the cut or wound doesn’t heal after a couple of days.

Eyecare

Diabetes can cause damage to blood vessels in the eye leading to glaucoma, cataracts, and retinopathy. To prevent these, keep your blood sugar levels under control with diet, exercise, and medication. Also, watch for spots, dots, or lines in your vision, cloudiness, damage to the blood vessels in your eyes, blurred vision, and general vision loss.

Diabetes is a complex condition that affects your entire body. As a result, self-care is a very important part of diabetes management.

You need to be very vigilant about taking care of your eyes, teeth, skin, and feet. This means controlling your blood sugar through diet, exercise, and medication, flossing every day, keeping your skin clean and moisturized, and wearing proper-fitting shoes. 

Be sure to let your doctor know about any changes in your vision, dental health, skin, and feet.

Take charge of diabetes by practicing these self-care tips to protect your health and quality of life.

Photo by Sharon McCutcheon on Unsplash

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