During the lockdown, our physical activities have reduced. We get bored or stressed and develop frequent food urges. So diabetes patients must maintain their normal physical activities and healthy diet and also keep a check on their sugar levels with a ready stock of all needed medicines at home.
Dietician Ashu Gupta is a reputed weight loss dietician in Gurgaon. She is popular for her scientific and practical approach to weight management. She can especially guide diabetic patients in the proper management of diabetes, more so during this period of lockdown when it becomes even more important. She has broad experience in diverse weight management treatments and ensures excellent results. She suggests personalized guidelines and plans for attaining a healthy weight and a happy life.
Ashu Gupta’s Diet Clinic tips for diabetes patients during the lockdown
- Monitor your sugar levels
It’s the most obvious yet vital step. You should keep a reliable and working glucometer to monitor your blood glucose levels at home both while fasting and after meals. Focus to maintain sugar levels at 110mg/dl when you are fasting and 160mg/dl after your meals. A rise of only up to 10-20% is acceptable for diabetic elders. Diabetes management can benefit your immune system and help ward off infections.
- Try to maintain your routine
Maintaining your normal routine is fundamental to diabetes care. You must maintain a healthy and balanced diet with ongoing medications as prescribed to be taken regularly. You should also continue having sufficient physical activities as you had before the lockdown situation.
- Keep a good stock of all needed medications
You must ensure to keep ready a well stock of all required insulin vials, injection needles, insulin syringes, and medications for the lockdown period. You shouldn’t miss even a single medicinal dose. Also, if you use a glucometer to monitor glucose levels, make sure a sufficient stock of lancets, batteries, strips, etc. Ensure every consumable at hand if you are on an insulin pump.
- Maintain a healthy eating pattern
Maintain a healthy diet as it was before lockdown. Check how much you’re eating. Try reducing the consumption quantity since you’re at home with naturally less physical activities. At home, since food is constantly available at hand, and you may get bored or stressed, control frequent eating urges. Overeating will have difficulties indigestion.
- Avoid excess carbohydrates and calories
Resort to whole foods like whole grains. Avoid sugary foods and simple carbs. Identify low-calorie foods like pulses, nuts, lentils, soup, and salad and prefer to eat them for easy digestion during lockdown when physical activities are bound to be less.
- Avoid in-between snacks or meals
Try avoiding in-between meals or snacks, particularly when you are sitting or lying down idle or only busy with your mobile on social media or just watching TV. Even if you snack, keep an eye on the kind and quantity of snacking done for compensating it with your main meal. It’s best to try having low-calorie drinks like lemon tea, black tea, buttermilk, etc. instead of snacks.
- Always keep a watch on your weight
Keep a weight machine at your house and check your weight on it from time to time. It must not increase. Even if you can’t reduce your existing weight, at least try to maintain a healthy weight.
- Do lots of physical activities
Remember that your key goal must be plenty of physical activities. If you were used to visiting the gym or a sports club regularly or swimming or jogging in the park, all these outdoor physical activities are on hold for now during the lockdown. To compensate for them with enough physical movements at home like walking, aerobics, dancing, gardening, etc. If you have adequate space, try yoga, pilates, floor exercises, spot jogging, and spotted walking. Avoid sitting for a long while. While browsing social media or the net on your phone or while speaking over the phone, try to walk that may also help burn some calories.
- Have adequate sleep daily
You must have an undisturbed sound sleep for at least 7 hours every day. This can ease your mind and help you properly manage your diabetes. It is also helpful for remaining refreshed and rejuvenated for the next day.
- Avoid panic, anxiety, or stress
Anxiety, panic, or stress may spike up your blood sugar levels. You must avoid worrying too much about anything, especially catching this pandemic. However, it’s also not the time to be complacent. You should follow every precautionary guideline instructed by them to prevent any risks of infections and check them from spreading further. Wash your hands from time to time and maintain social distancing for saving yourself from the pandemic.
