Diabetes has become so common in India, that it is not even looked at as a cause of concern anymore. It is only after the pandemic when diabetics had difficulties when they contracted COVID-19, that “co-morbidities” even became something to think of. Think about the number of people around you who have type 2 diabetes or prediabetes. Most Indians know at least 1 person.

If you are at risk of developing type 2 diabetes or already have it, make sure you read this article. This will give you a good understanding of what is happening inside your body.

What is type 2 diabetes? What is happening inside your body?

Simply put, Type 2 Diabetes is a condition where the communication between glucose and insulin is compromised.

In a non-diabetic person, insulin behaves like a gatekeeper that allows and facilitates the entry of glucose molecules into the cells.

Type 2 diabetes starts with something known as “insulin resistance”. This is a state where insulin is unable to open the door to the cell to let glucose molecules in. This leads to reduced glucose inside the cell and more glucose in the blood. Since there is little or no glucose in the cell, there is a paucity of energy in the cell leading to tiredness, an increase in appetite, a bad mood and the breakdown of muscles as a backup source of energy.

Simultaneously, since glucose is absorbed by the cells, it stays in the blood. High blood glucose levels put pressure on your kidneys for filtration leading to excess urination and have a long-term impact on vision, nerves and brain function. Some studies have also found this to be one of the causes that promote the growth of cancer cells in the body.

The most worrisome change, however, is the rise in inflammation. We have observed that almost everyone with type 2 diabetes (or insulin resistance) tends to have “low-grade chronic systemic inflammation”  and everyone with inflammation tends to develop insulin resistance. This inflammation creates a sense of unease or insecurity in the body. The immune system is overworked in an effort to look for the cause of the unease. This eventually causes reduced metabolism, fat deposition, low immunity, brain fog, tinnitus, etc. Inflammation is also the reason why diabetics who contracted COVID-19 showed more complications.

Long story short, insulin resistance alone impacts every cell in your body. Low-grade chronic inflammation affects every cell in your body. These two together, are a ticking bomb.

What can you do to manage it

Today, the status of health across the globe is worrisome. Most doctors are simply advising a pill for every ill, and that too for life. No more are we trying to find the root cause and get rid of the problem. We have made peace with the fact that some pills are for life.

This practice or belief is what we are fighting at The Health Pantry. I refuse to accept that there lifestyle disorders like hypothyroidism and type 2 diabetes warrant medicines for life. Here is what you should do:

1. Identify if you are at risk – there are multiple risk assessment tools available online
   • If you are at risk, make sure that you maintain your weight at all times.
   • Manage your stress at all times. As it turns out, stress is a big contributor to the development of diabetes. Comparable to sitting too much or eating bad food.
   • Eat natural foods
   • Workout daily
2. If you already have prediabetes or type 2 diabetes, read this article. It will give you a lot of clarity on what your next few steps should be.
3. If you have been diabetic for years, you must explore reversal. Complete reversal or remission may not always be possible, but you can definitely manage it much better.

In either of the 3 cases, it is imperative that you work on building a nutrition plan that is sustainable. It is also important that you understand where you are going wrong and correct the issue from its very root. You can see my “Diabetes Reversal Program” to explore this goal. The aim of this program is to create awareness in you so that you can take better decisions on a daily basis. This program also helps you build a robust nutrition plan, improve bad habits, get more active and bring an overall sense of harmony in the way your body functions.

Just remember, the human body, your body, is brilliant! It does everything it can to keep you healthy, it is “pro-life”, irrespective of how well or badly you treat it. The beauty is though, that no matter how bad your lifestyle is right now, the minute you give it the correct raw material, it will give back tenfold. You will feel your body flourishing in no time.