Diabetes in South India And Suitable Diet Plan

Diabetes is one of the common diseases gripping youth and older adults globally. However, South Asian countries has a very high incidence of diabetes. It is believed the issue with diabetes in South India is due to lack of awareness, poor lifestyle, and body overweight. As most jobs have become sedentary due to more urban life style and the food habit shift to polished rice instead of hand pounded brown rice are some big reasons for the high incidence of diabetes in South India.

Know more about how you can work towards healthy living. But, let’s take a look at some statistics.

Facts don’t lie
India is one of the top Asian countries where several adults suffer from autoimmune disease of Diabetes. Sadly, over 35 million(3.5 crore) are diabetic in India, and the CPR (crude prevalence rate) in the urban areas is around 9%. With this, you can estimate that India has the highest IGT (Impaired Glucose Tolerance). There are more type 2 cases than type 1 due to overweight issues.

Diabetes in South India is worse due to the sedentary lifestyle. Chennai (A crucial city in south India) has the maximum number of diabetes clinics. Another fact reveals that South Indians develop diabetes at younger ages – 38-45 years that leads to further complications like hypertension, obesity, abdominal obesity, dyslipidemia, and cardiac issues. Even if you are prediabetic, cardiovascular risks are too high.

When your body fails to convert food into energy by breaking down the fat, carbohydrates, and protein due to poor insulin levels, it leads to a fluctuation of glucose levels. It is a condition termed diabetes. To maintain the correct amount of glucose in the bloodstream, you must consume low glycemic index (GI) foods as they take longer to digest and release sugar into the blood stream over a longer period which is good for maintaining right glucose levels. Foods with low GI don’t cause rapid rise in glucose level and are considered more healthy.

Healthy South Indian diet for managing diabetes level
Brown rice: Switching from white rice to brown rice will help you obtain a positive result on your health. Firstly understand the eating polished rice is a recent phenomenon, for thousands of years the ancestors of Indians ate brown rice not white polished rice.

Brown rice is a complete grain with magnesium, vitamin B6 and selenium. The bran adds to the fiber essential for healthy bowel/digestion. The fiber content in brown rice (absent in white rice) helps prevent obesity, deters the fluctuation of blood sugar levels after meals, and relieves bloating.

Pongal or Huggi is one famous and simple dish that you can prepare using brown rice, lentils, and salt. It has a very low GI and is a popular dish in southern India. You can either make the sweet version of this using palm jaggery or can stick to the salt version using black pepper.

Rotis or India bread: The wheat option for bread is the rotis which are very high in fiber and a very healthy option for meals. It consists of carbohydrates, protein, and vitamin D. It is a wholesome meal option when consumed with lentil gravy and stir fry vegetables.

Pesarattu dosa: A large size flat pancake prepared using rice, green gram, and some spices (green chili, ginger, pepper). It is a rich source of fiber, protein, and many other essential nutrients. The GI is low, and hence is one of the ideal breakfast options.

You can plan your meal which contains fresh vegetables, citrus fruits, melons, and legumes. Plan walking, jogging, yoga, or some exercise in your routine. Don’t sit for long in your work chair or sit at one place – get up after every hour for few minutes, doing a bit of stretching or walking around is a good idea to break such sedentary workplace habits.

Diet plans for Indian geographical regions:
South Indian Diabetic Diet Plan
North Indian Diabetic Diet Plan
Diabetic Diet Plan for People of Maharashtra and Gujarat (West India)
Diabetic Diet Plan for People of Odisha and West Bengal (East India)

You may also like to read:
What is Diabetes?
Causes and symptoms of diabetes
Impact of Diabetes on Person’s Health
How to Manage Diabetes