World Diabetes Day — a shout for healthy living

MADURAI: November 14 marks World Diabetes Day (WDD) and as the day approaches, the number of diabetic cases is also on the rise. The vulnerability has reached a level where everyone who has crossed 20 years of age is under the risk of turning diabetic.
International Diabetes Foundation’s (IDF) Diabetes Atlas estimates that there are 382 million people living with the disease worldwide.According to the report, by 2035, 593 million people, or roughly one in every 10 people, will be a diabetic. The report predicts that the number of people who have Type 2 diabetes, which currently stands at 316 million people, will go up to 500 million within a generation. While 80% of people who have diabetes live in the poor and middle-income countries, up to a half of all the diabetic cases globally remains undiagnosed.
Dr S Ravikumar of Dr Mohan’s Diabetes Specialities Centre here pointed out that the prevalence of diabetes in increasing despite an improvement in awareness.
“In 1970’s, 9% of people in urban areas and 2% of people in rural areas had diabetes. Now it has touched 20% in urban areas and 10% in rural areas,” he said.
“Fifty per cent of diabetes patients have complications like cardiovascular disease, kidney disease, foot problems, etc.,” said Dr M R A Rafique of Southern diabetic centre, based on data from the patients who visit his clinic.
IDF launched WDD in 1991, in an effort to create global awareness on diabetes mellitus (DM), or simply diabetes, in association with the World Health Organisation. WDD 2014, 2015 and 2016 will focus on healthy living and diabetes, which will promote the inclusion of healthy food in everyday diet.
Diabetes experts are of the view that right diet and physical activity on a regular basis lessen the chances of diabetes.
“The incidence of diabetes mellitus and gastro-intestinal tract-related disorders are minimal among people who use grains as staple foods,” said Dr S Parvathi of Home Science College and Research Institute.
“The consumption of millets helps diabetics and obese people since it is rich in fibre content. Though the millet food products are known for nutrition, common people are hardly aware of their nutritional and therapeutic values,” she said. Millets are small-seeded grasses, and come in a wide variety. They are mostly starchy in content, while the presence of nutrients like protein and fat can vary between different kinds.
Hereditary siddha medical practitioner V Pugazendhi recommended the consumption of greens (keerai), especially the leaves of drumstick tree (Murungaikeerai) for diabetics who wants to keep their sugar levels under control and the other who wants to keep it away. Tomato, onion, cabbage, radish, cucumber, garlic, bitter gourd work well against diabetes, while it is best to avoid the vegetables which grow under the ground. Fruits like pineapple, guava, apple, fig, black plum, papaya and watermelon too are good, along with millets, he said. In addition, he recommended some sort of physical activity everyday, including yoga.