Caution is the key for Diabetics during the festive season
The festive season has arrived and is here to stay till the end of the year. In most cultures, festivities involve overindulgence, so far as food and drink is concerned. Where does the diabetic fit into all this? Does s/he simply give all of this a pass or is it fine to let the hair down once in a while?
Dr Sagarika Mukherjee, Consultant Diabetologist, Manipal Hospital, Salt Lake Kolkata cautions against overindulgence by diabetics and suggests a balance. One needs to be mindful of the problem. Festivals and festivities will come and go but diabetes, once it arrives, is there to stay for the rest of one’s life.
“This does not mean that one cannot enjoy it. One just needs to be careful. In India, food items loaded with carbohydrates are a part of the festivities. Every diabetic has to remember that s/he has to lead a healthy life. So long as that happens, things will be under control. For example, regular exercise is crucial. As we make our muscles work, our metabolism increases. In this way, regular exercise, as per a person’s capacity, will metabolize the additional sugar intake during the festivals in a better manner”.
The choice of sweets is also important, the doctor insists. It is always better to have sweets that can be prepared at home such as kheer, suji ka halwa or gajar ka halwa. These can be prepared using sweeteners or plant-based sugars instead of normal sugar. Sugar-free sweets are also a good alternative option.
Awareness is bound to rise. There are nearly 77 million people aged over 18 in India suffering from diabetes and an additional 25 million are at high risk of acquiring the disease shortly. The Indian Council of Medical Research, however, believes that nearly 10 crore people in the country are diabetic.
“It is also important to plan your meals during the festive season. This helps in incorporating as many fibrous carbohydrates as possible into the menu. This is important because digestion is slower due to the fibre and sugar level spikes are a bit less. But, at the same time, one should not forget that s/he has to exercise regularly and abstain from smoking. Even if a few alcoholic drinks are taken, diabetics need to stay away from binge drinking at all costs. It is also important to keep tabs on the food that one has while drinking. The food one has during such sessions may spike sugar levels. One should ideally concentrate on protein rather than carbohydrates. In a nutshell, enjoy your festivals responsibly. Try to replace sugars with sweeteners and chew on fibres as much as you can,” Dr Mukherjee adds.
Some people continue to believe that a glass of karela or bitter gourd juice will balance the effects of sweets consumed throughout the day. The doctor maintains that there is no proven scientific basis for this. While karela juice may certainly be good for health as the vegetable has lots of fibre, it has not been proven that the bitter liquid will neutralize the effect of sweets eaten throughout the day.
Those who are not diabetic as yet but have a family history of diabetes should also be very careful and keep a close watch on overindulgence and enjoy the festivals.
Shared By: Dr Sagarika Mukherjee,
Manipal Hospital
