Sugar is sugary, but not so sugary;
But it gets bitter, if it is too sugary.
Sweets are an integral part of our customs, celebrations, festivals and occasions, especially in India, be it child birth or wedding, setting out on a journey or reaching the target, our life is incomplete without sugar. When we want to celebrate or feel good, we say, ‘kuchh meetha ho jaye’.
When a child is born, he knows only one taste and that is sweet. What if that child is forbidden to take sweets; our heart and soul shudder to think of it. But, it is happening, yes, it is happening in India, too. Rather, India has become the new capital of diabetes with the highest number of diabetics in the world and second highest number of children with type 1 diabetes.
When I discovered that my child is deprived of his share of sugar, I raised a question, “why did this happen to me?” Later, I got to know that around one million people get diabetic every year only in India and 10% of them are juvenile diabetic. And then, my quest began, I visited doctors, browsed the Internet and read books.
Consequently, a new term was added to my life dictionary – ‘Juvenile diabetes’ which is also known as Type 1 Diabetes in medical terms.
Reason and Symptoms of Diabetes
Type 1 Diabetes is a chronic condition in which patient’s pancreas produces very little or no insulin. It also happens due to weak immune system in which insulin making cells or beta cells get destroyed. Sometimes, it is genetic, too. As a result of which these patients have to get injected with insulin. They become dependent on artificial insulin for lifetime as their pancreas don’t produce insulin naturally. It is most common in children and adolescents that’s why it is called Juvenile Diabetes.
According to sources except severe cases, it is manageable with medication and diet control. Till date medical science doesn’t offer any treatment or cure. But, if you notice symptoms in early stage, it is manageable to good extent.
‘Ignorance is a bliss’, but not in all cases! If people are well aware of the symptoms of diabetes, it can be prevented from going to severe stage.
Some of the common symptoms in a type 1 diabetic are –
1. Increased thirst and hunger, dry mouth, excessive and frequent urination, fatigue, heavy breath, fruity smell in breath, drowsiness, pale and dull eyes and in some cases dizziness and sweating, too.
2. The most striking of these is weight loss. If your child is in growing age and not gaining weight, he is more likely to be diabetic.
It is very important to manage your diabetes, however severe it is, because high blood sugar level damages body parts and creates complications.
If I say it is manageable, I mean to say that adopting a change in lifestyle may keep the dog of diabetes chained. A healthy and balanced diet with strict routine of physical exercise may do miracles.
Tips to control Type 1 Diabetes naturally
If you take a food bowl full of vitamins, proteins and minerals and add a spoon of sugar, it means, you have subtracted all the nutrients from the food bowl. It is advisable to consume natural sugar such as fruits and pure honey. Dry fruits, seeds and spices cut the calories taken during meals. Amla, tulsi, bitter gourd and bottle gourd act as wonder drugs to control and even cure diabetes to some extent. Yoga is the best way to bring a positive change and introduce healthy regime in your life.
I have grown hearing ‘earn wise; spend wise’. But the need of the hour is to eat wise. Sweet must be in your smiles, in your tongue but sweet must not be in your belly.
