Posted: April 3rd, 2022

Controlling Diabetes Mellitus Type 2

Controlling Diabetes Mellitus Type 2
Diabetes mellitus Type 2 is a non-communicable disease which has been identified to be a major public health concern. It is difficult to treat as it requires a lot of resources to manage. For patients with Diabetes Mellitus Type 2, glucose and sugar levels build up in the bloodstream and the hormone insulin which is responsible for the removal of the sugars from the blood stream is unable to function properly (American Diabetes Association, 2003). Individuals with this disease are likely to develop nephropathy, peripheral vascular diseases, cardiovascular diseases, blindness, and ultimately death. This paper aims at reviewing dietary advice and physical activities in the treatment of Diabetes Mellitus Type 2.
Genes and environmental influences are the most significant factors that influence the prevalence of Diabetes Mellitus Type 2. Despite this, recent research has shown that poor diets and physical inactivity have led to the development of this condition (Asif, 2014). The food consumed by people can be very instrumental in preventing and treating diabetes. Traditionally, nutritionists mainly focused on limiting the refined sugars in a diet as well as starchy foods (Musenge Michelo, Mudenda, & Manankov, 2015). With a reduced consumption of carbohydrates there may be an increase in the consumption of proteins and fats which is generally unhealthy.
Modern approaches emphasize on the reduction of the amount of fat consumed in a diet. The higher the quantity of fat consumed in a diet, that the harder it is for insulin in getting glucose into the body cells (Asif, 2014). Other approaches used to control Diabetes Mellitus Type 2 include reducing the consumption of dairy products, meats and oils, and advocating for increased consumption of fruits, vegetables, legumes, and grains.
Fruits play a crucial role in the human diet. They provide the necessary growth factors which maintain the normal body health. Fruits are a good source of minerals, isothiocyanates, carotenoids, flavonoids and dietary fibres (Asif, 2014). Fruits with insoluble fibre are the most appropriate in preventing Diabetes Mellitus Type 2 t. Fruity diets delay the absorption of glucose in the small intestines and therefore regulate glucose levels in blood which often follow after a meal.
A balanced diet should be comprised of more vegetables and less of animal product. Animal products have a high fat content that is linked to insulin resistance which is likely to propagate the development of Diabetes Mellitus Type 2 (Hartley, May, Loveman, Colquitt, & Rees, 2016). It is also linked to other health complications such as heart diseases, kidney failure, as well as some forms of cancer. Animal products do not provide fibres which are important in regulation of glucose levels in the blood. Therefore, it is important to regulate the consumption of poultry, red meat, dairy products, eggs and fish. Individual people should aim at having a meal with about 40 grams of fibre daily. Moreover, whole grains should be integral in the meals and should account for 10 grams per meal (Hartley et al., 2016). Whole grains include millet, oats, whole wheat and barley.
A diet with high contents of vegetable oils may be healthier than one rich in animal fats. Despite this observation, it is advisable to maintain the consumption of such foods at a minimum. Vegetable oils have a high concentration of calories which can have negative health impacts on the consumers (Tuval, Shmueli, & Boehm, 2018). A gram of oil or fat contains about 9 calories which is a high value as compared to carbohydrates which accounts for 4 calories for each gram of carbohydrates that an individual consumes. It is also advisable to avoid fried food, avocados, olives, peanut butter and oily toppings. Consequently one should consume 2-3 grams of fat in each serving of food.
The glycemic index of food is another important factor to consider in a diet. The index identifies foods that have the capability to significantly raise the levels of blood sugar. Consequently, people can make informed decisions on meal plans that have a less effect on blood sugar (Pi-Sunyer, 2002). Foods with a high glycemic index include sugar, wheat flour products, potatoes and cold cereals such as rye, pumpernickel, bran cereals, pasta, sweet potatoes, lentils and grape-nuts.
Salt is very fundamental in controlling the levels of blood pressure. High blood pressure is closely associated with the prevalence of diabetes. According to Sacks, Arnold, Bakris, Bruns, & Kirkman (2011), It is important to reduce the amount of salt added when cooking and reduce salt in recipes . It is also advisable to season food with salt free herbs, using garlic and spices and using lemon juice that brings out the natural saltiness of food. Processed foods hould be avoided especially those with a high salt content including canned foods, pretzels, and fries. Furthermore, it is important to consult with your physician before using salt substitutes.
Alcohol and Caffeine levels in a diet need to be monitored. It is advisable for people to limit themselves to 2 drinks or less per day. Furthermore, alcohol is highly discouraged for people with conditions such as high triglycerides, high blood pressure or those with liver problems. If one decides to take alcohol do so on a full stomach or dilute drinks with water. This is because alcoholic drinks can cause hypoglycaemia (Musenge Michelo, Mudenda, & Manankov, 2015). Moreover, a reduced consumption of alcohol promotes weight loss and enables the body to lower its blood pressure (Wilding, 2014). The same consumption limits applies to caffeine, whereby one should limit themselves to only consuming 4 cups of such beverages per day.
Physical activity is important in treatment of Diabetes Mellitus type 2. It helps the body absorb glucose and hence lower blood glucose levels. Such activities enable weight loss, controlling blood pressure and blood cholesterol. Diabetic patient benefit from regular physical activity in that there is decreased need for insulin (Umeh, 2017). Furthermore, physical excercises improve the ratio of Low density Lipoprotein (LDL) to High-Density Lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL) as well as reduce blood triglycerides.
A healthy lifestyle that adopts a healthy diet plan and physical activity is effective in management of Diabetes Mellitus type 2. As a result, it is important to take up such measures especially for those who are at a higher risk of contracting the disease.

References
American Diabetes Association. (2003). Evidence-Based Nutrition Principles and Recommendations for the Treatment and Prevention of Diabetes and Related Complications. Diabetes Care, 26(Supplement 1), S51-S61. doi:10.2337/diacare.26.2007.s51
Asif, M. (2014). The prevention and control the type-2 diabetes by changing lifestyle and dietary pattern. Journal of Education and Health Promotion, 3(1), 1. doi:10.4103/2277-9531.127541
Grylls, W. K., McKenzie, J. E., Horwath, C. C., & Mann, J. I. (2003). Lifestyle factors associated with glycaemic control and body mass index in older adults with diabetes. European journal of clinical nutrition, 57(11), 1386.
Hartley, L., May, M. D., Loveman, E., Colquitt, J. L., & Rees, K. (2015). Dietary fibre for the primary prevention of cardiovascular disease. Cochrane Database Syst. Rev.
Musenge, E. M., Michelo, C., Mudenda, B., & Manankov, A. (2016). Glycaemic control and associated self-management behaviours in diabetic outpatients: A hospital based observation study in Lusaka, Zambia. Journal of diabetes research, 2016.
Pi-Sunyer, F. X. (2002, July 1). Glycemic index and disease | The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition | Oxford Academic [Video file]. Retrieved from http://ajcn.nutrition.org/content/76/1/290S.long
Sacks, D. B., Arnold, M., Bakris, G. L., Bruns, D. E., & Kirkman, M. S. (2011). Guidelines and Recommendations for Laboratory Analysis in the Diagnosis and Management of Diabetes Mellitus [Video file]. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3114322/
Simon-Tuval, T., Shmueli, A., & Harman-Boehm, I. (2018). Adherence of patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus to medications: the role of risk preferences. Current medical research and opinion, 34(2), 345-351.
Umeh, K. (2017). Personal care plans and glycaemic control: the role of body mass index and physical activity. – PubMed – NCBI [Video file]. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28541105
Wilding, J. P. (2014). The importance of weight management in type 2 diabetes mellitus [Video file]. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4238418/

Comments
1. Better work
2. Pay more attention to referencing. You only use Alex et al. () when there are more than five authors or the second + citation for five authors
3. Check the academic choice of words and keep improving

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