What is diabetes?
I believe that everyone has heard about diabetes before, but do you really know or understand what diabetes is?
Diabetes is a type of chronic disease that is characterized by prolonged hyperglycemia (high blood glucose), and it is one of the deadliest diseases in Malaysia. Diabetes can happen due to either internal factors or lifestyle factors. Our blood glucose level is managed by a hormone called insulin. It works by converting the extra glucose in our blood for muscle use. Diabetes happens when the insulin is not working, the excessive glucoses were not converted into glycogen for muscle, stay in the bloodstream and lead to hyperglycemia.
Causes:
Diabetes can be due to genetic factors whereby the person’s pancreas was unable to produce sufficient insulin for the body or the insulin was unable to function properly. A family history of diabetes of a close member will also increase the risk of a person getting diabetes. As for external factors such as lifestyle factors, it includes unhealthy eating habits, sedentary lifestyle and obesity. How do we know that our current habits are unhealthy eating habits? If you are frequently taking high sugary foods, high fat foods and having low fiber intake, you are considered to have an unhealthy diet habit.
Diagnostic value:
In recent years, there has been a concerning rise in diabetes cases among Malaysians. According to the National Health and Morbidity Survey (NHMS) 2023, the prevalence of diabetes has increased from 11.2% in 2011 to 15.6%. Alarmingly, the age of individuals being diagnosed with diabetes is becoming younger, which shows a worsening trend.
How can you determine if you are at risk or already have diabetes? A blood test can reveal key indicators, such as an HbA1c reading of ≥6.3% or a fasting blood glucose level (FBS) of ≥7.0 mmol/L, which are diagnostic criteria for diabetes.
Even before undergoing a blood test, certain symptoms may signal a higher risk of diabetes. These include frequent thirst, fatigue, increased hunger, frequent urination, unintended weight loss over a short period, and more. If you notice these symptoms, it’s crucial to seek a medical checkup to prevent complications and manage your condition effectively.
Complications:
As mentioned, diabetes is a type of chronic disease, therefore if no actions were taken to control the condition, severe complications may be seen in the future including:
– Kidney failure
– Nerve damage
– Vision loss
– Heart disease
– Skin infection
– Amputation of lower limbs
You might think that diabetes can only be managed through medications, however there are other ways that we can manage it which is with the help of foods. Do not worry, here we are today, sharing tips and strategies on how to manage your blood glucose level through dietary modifications.
Ways to manage your diabetes through dietary intervention:
- Control your portion size
First step on managing your blood glucose, lets start on controlling the portion. Referring to the Malaysia Healthy Plate method, carbohydrates only account for ¼ of the plate, together with protein, it also accounts for ¼ of the plate too. For vegetables, it is recommended to fill half of the plate with 1 serving of fruits.
Carbohydrates are the main nutrients causing the elevation of blood glucose level; therefore, it is important to limit the intake of carbohydrates. Whereas for vegetables, they are rich in fiber which can help in stabilizing the blood glucose level by preventing it from spiking and provide satiety and prevent overeating at the same time. Taking our meals together with protein will also help in stabilizing the blood glucose level and provide more satiety.
- Choose low fat dishes
You might think that what fat has to do with our blood glucose level, however, fat serves an important aspect in managing our blood glucose levels. Insulin is the hormone helping our body to manage our blood glucose levels, high fat intake can reduce the effectiveness of the insulin causing it unable to bring the glucose in the bloodstream to the muscle and liver for further use.
Not only that, taking in high amount of high fat food might cause obesity and lead to a condition called insulin resistance whereby insulin is unable to function anymore and lead to excessive buildup of glucose in the bloodstream.
- Add more fiber to your diet
We can get fiber from various sources such as vegetables, fruits and wholegrains. Why is fiber so important for diabetes patients you might wonder. Fiber provides multiple benefits in managing diabetes where it prevents the spiking of your glucose level by slowing the digestion and reducing the absorption of glucose from small intestine. Besides that, eating more fiber has been proven to improve your insulin sensitivity so your less glucose were accumulated in the bloodstream.
However, it is important for us to note that we should limit our fruit consumption. Although fruits are rich in fiber, they are also high in sugar content. Eating too many fruits can also lead to an increase of your glucose level.
- ·Reduce consumption of sugary foods and drinks
We all know that Malaysia is a paradise for food lovers; However, many of these foods are high in sugar, particularly sugary drinks like Teh Tarik, syrup drinks, Milo, and also cendol. These beverages are made from simple carbohydrates, which increase our glucose level even faster than other types of carbohydrates. Similarly, traditional snacks such as kuih seri muka, kuih lapis, apam balik, and many more are also high in sugar content. Frequent consumption of these snacks and drinks will results in elevation of blood glucose.
Takeaway note:
As a diabetes patient, you can still enjoy your favorite foods and drinks. However, it’s crucial to limit the intake of sugary and high-fat foods to prevent spikes in blood glucose levels. Keeping a self-monitoring glucose meter handy allows you to track your blood sugar readings daily, especially in the morning before breakfast.
Our dedicated dietitians are here to assist with any inquiries you may have. Through our programs, we offer personalized nutritional strategies and 30 days of close monitoring to help improve your condition, guided by our experienced professionals.
References
- Type 2 diabetes – Symptoms and causes. (n.d.). Mayo Clinic. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/type-2-diabetes/symptoms-causes/syc-20351193
- Goyal R, Singhal M, and Jialal I, 2023. Type 2 Diabetes. StatPearls. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK513253/
