Dubai
Dr Satendra Kumar Multani, an endocrinologist at the Dubai-based Prime Medical Centre, recommended making small changes for a healthier life.
He said: “The diet for diabetic patients should be healthy and balanced. Each patient has different caloric needs as per age, work and lifestyle so the diet must be individualised. The simple or refined carbohydrates, such as those in white bread, white rice, or juices, should be avoided or reduced in quantity. Diabetics should avoid eating large meals, but three moderate meals plus two small snacks is advised. Portion control is key to avoid large peaks in blood sugar level after meals.
“The dietary guidelines are almost similar for both types of diabetes but an important difference is that as type 1 diabetes patients are on insulin, they have to follow a particular time and amount of food to avoid episodes of high and low sugar levels. They should also learn carbohydrate counting to adjust the dose of insulin at different meals. Patients with both the types of diabetes should avoid long gaps between meals to avoid binge eating and inducing high post-meal sugar levels.”
According to Dr Multani, a modification in lifestyle is an essential part of diabetes management.
He said: “I consider diabetes as a disease of discipline. The alterations should be simple and practical suiting to the life of an individual. Thirty minutes of moderate to brisk walking can be of great help. Besides that, 20 minutes of stretching or weight training can keep the muscles and joints toned.”
Dr Hubert Penninckx, a specialist endocrinologist and diabetologist at the American Hospital Dubai, agreed.
He said: “People with type 2 diabetes, in 95 per cent of the cases, must lose weight. One factor in type 2 diabetes is insulin resistance and medication, weight reduction and exercise can improve this. A diet with a quantity of about 500 kilocalories less than the actual needed, which can be calculated by the doctor or dietician, is the best option.”
However, Dr Penninckx offers a different approach when it comes to meal time.
He said: “Eating six times per day, like frequently proposed, is not a good option. For those with type 2 diabetes, two meals per day with a calculated calorie count is better. A good breakfast and late lunch or early dinner works best. This will decrease the feeling of hunger and keep the individual in a better mood than those eating six small meals, which don’t offer satisfaction to the patient because he or she feels that the stomach is not filled up. The last meal of the day should be minimally three hours, or more, before sleeping.”
He advises giving up drinks with sugar and replace them with water. A glass of water 30 minutes before dinner is recommended by him.
He said: “For people with type 1 diabetes, there should be three or four meals a day with perfectly calculated carbohydrates. Making a crazy diet or exercise plans without professional advice can also deteriorate your health. With exercise alone you will not lose weight, and likewise you won’t have energy to exercise if you reduce your intake of food by too much. Exercise for 30 minutes a day. If you work, move away from your computer at least 20 times a day, taking two to three minute breaks every time.”
