With worries about Avandia and other drugs with rosiglitazone, people living with diabetes have had to look for alternatives recently. The FDA has restricted these drugs for people who are using it as part of their medication for diabetes. Evidence has been found suggesting a connection between the ingredient, rosiglitazone and an elevated risk for issues with the cardiovascular system such as heart attacks or stroke. In addition to exploring alternate medicines with the help of a doctor,...
Read more …With worries about Avandia and other drugs with rosiglitazone, people living with diabetes have had to look for alternatives recently. The FDA has restricted these drugs for people who are using it as part of their medication for diabetes. Evidence has been found suggesting a connection between the ingredient, rosiglitazone and an elevated risk for issues with the cardiovascular system such as heart attacks or stroke. In addition to exploring alternate medicines with the help of a doctor, diabetics should also consider making some healthy lifestyle changes as well. I am not a doctor, but with thorough research on the internet, here are a couple of suggestions of lifestyle changes for those who are living with diabetes.
Exercise!
Since diabetes is a disorder characterized by the body's inability to regulate or produce enough insulin, doing anything that would help you with the production or absorption of this hormone which is crucial for cells (such as fat and muscle cells) in the absorption of energy-producing glucose is important. Aerobic activity such as running or brisk walking improves your insulin resistance, thus allowing for more glucose to enter cells and be used as energy. This will lower the glucose or the sugar levels in your blood. Attempt to do at least 30 minute daily.
Try eating frequently, but with less on your plate each time.
Large meals usually creates larger amount of glucose and insulin in the bloodstream. So try to eat smaller meals more often throughout the day. Experiment with your own body's rhythms until you find a schedule where you never deprive yourself, but you're not eating too much either.
There are plenty of fish in the sea, so do eat more of them.
Salmon and sardines are high in omega-3 fatty acids, which will help take care of your heart. Diabetics are at a higher risk for high blood pressure and heart diseases, so keeping your heart healthy is a good thing.
Eat more greens.
Your mother wasn't really just torturing you when she told you to eat spinach. Spinach is rich in magnesium which is the fourth-most abundant mineral in the body because it is needed in at least 300 vital biochemical processes including the regulation of blood sugar levels and blood pressure levels. You can also get magnesium from legumes (beans and peas,) nuts and seeds, and whole, unrefined grains. Don't forget all the other vegetables, as their antioxidant contents will help in the prevention in other chronic diseases.
Though the supplements industry definitely has magnesium, antioxidants and even omega-3 in pill form, getting them from food is be a better choice. Particularly if the supplements are taken with unhealthy food. Also, it is the proper mix of food which provides what the body needs, not just separate ingredients. Rarely do diseases have a silver bullet, penicillin was a rare find.
Watch your waist.
Obesity has been linked to a greater risk of developing diabetes. The excess weight adds pressure on the body to regulate insulin production and absorption. The lifestyle that also accompanies being overweight usually contains the overconsumption of food rich in sugar and fat, which have definite ties to diabetes.
An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, so think of changing your lifestyle as helping in the cure. And if you are diabetes-free, think of these tips as preventative measures against diabetes. There are no definite causes of diabetes as of yet, but genetics and lifestyle play a strong role. And since we can't really choose our parents, the most important role we can play is to control our lifestyles. But from these suggestions, what do you think? Would completely banning Avandia and other rosiglitazone-containing drugs for diabetes be too dangerous for America? Or can we handle the lifestyle changes? Do you have any other suggestions or questions? Join our discussion below!
