Diabetes

A daughter and caregiver describes the toll diabetes took on her mother’s life and its impact on their family. By Padmini Chandrasekaran An accident or an afterthought, I was born in 1954 when my mother was 38 years old. I weighed almost 4kg and the exertions of a normal delivery must have exhausted my mother. Or so my parents thought, as after her delivery, my mother continued to be listless, tired and slightly irritable. She felt the urge to pass urine frequently…

Mumbai-based Dr M.B. Bhide, 54, managed his diabetes by changing the way he lives. He is as busy as ever and diabetes is not getting in his way. Here are his tips. What kind of diabetes are you suffering from? Type 2 diabetes When were you diagnosed? I was diagnosed a year back. What symptoms did you have? I was frequently hungry and craved food. Did you put on a lot of weight? Not really. I weighed 72kg, which was a little more than ideal.  Is there diabetes in the family? Yes …

Tamil Nadu resident R. Eswari, 54, talks about the lifestyle changes she made to keep diabetes under control.  What kind of diabetes are you suffering from? Type 2 diabetes When were you diagnosed? I was then 35 years old. Why did you get checked?  I was constantly feeling tired and had fainting episodes.  Is there a history of diabetes in your family? Yes. My mother had Type 2 diabetes. What is your present condition? My diabetes is under control.  What medications are…

Eating mindfully is a critical part of diabetes management. As you know, diabetes affects a person’s ability to effectively convert the sugar in the blood to energy. This causes the sugar level in the blood to rise, leading to further complications affecting various parts of the body. But a diagnosis of diabetes does not have to mean hardship at the dinner table. With some thoughtful planning and a slight shift to healthier options, you can eat well and take pleasure in your food…

Exercise is key to diabetes control, says Jayesh Shah (54), who has managed his condition effectively for the last 24 years. Here, he shares how to live well with diabetes (with no hard feelings). What kind of diabetes are you suffering from?                               Type 2 diabetes When were you diagnosed? Around the age of 30.  Is there a history of diabetes in your family? Yes, there is, on both…