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January 13, 2023 By Rajashree Menon Leave a Comment

Taking Ownership Of Diabetes Through Education and Awareness

Diabetes ManagementDiya was a young girl who seemed as active as can be. She trekked, hit the gym, albeit sporadically, had a healthy appetite and as she called it, ‘lived to eat’. At 30, there was a blood donation drive and check-up in the organisation she worked at and here, she was diagnosed with diabetes. There were no other alarm bells ringing; she thought she was healthy! The doctor prescribed medications. She carried on with her life till a shooting pain in the chest made her rethink her lifestyle.

Prakash was detected with Diabetes in his late 30’s. A history of smoking, stress infused work situation, being overweight and a family history of Diabetes made a potent combination which led him to the road to Diabetes. He continued his unchecked lifestyle along with sporadic visits to the general practitioner till he found his vision blurring and a burning pain in his limbs, which made it difficult for him to sleep. Faced with diabetes complications, he knew he had to seek help from the right doctors, eat the right diet and correct his lifestyle before it was too late.

That is the scenario for most people and that is the stealthy attitude of diabetes; it creeps in and hits you. Once diagnosed, either medication is taken or not. Rarely is there a consistent follow-up. Medications tend to plateau after a while and if there is no consultation with doctors regularly, no scheduled blood tests, no nutrition assessments, no exercise patterns, it augurs for something deep and dark. This is seen as the initial concerns with diabetes control. Not everyone takes it critically. But not everyone has access to proper doctors and nutritionists.

Diabetes Is Not Taken As A Serious Disease

Consistency is key for maintaining and even reversal. Yes, in the early stages, a reversal is possible. A diabetes patient needs support, needs family and friends to assist in their journey, as it is a challenge. More than mere support, it is about adherence.

It is about breaking the habit. It is about changing habits. The first feeling when one is diagnosed is shock, helplessness, feeling of depression. As an illness, diabetes is debilitating in the long run as it has an overall effect on almost every part of the body, externally and internally. And yet, it can be controlled, and in some cases, reversed.

But now comes the challenging phase of education i.e. control and solution, and it is not easy. Besides medical advice, traditional indigenous methods are offered, and they have been helpful. Hence, understanding what goes into the treatment of diabetes is crucial.

So let’s look at the aspects of diabetes management.

1. Education

At first, you’ve got to understand the diagnosis – is it Type 1 or Type 2. Understand the various repercussions of the type of diabetes you have. Consult your doctor, read reputed websites for knowledge of diabetes and diabetes management. Listen to conventional wisdom and follow the advice of the doctors. Get on a plan.

2. Nutrition

Nutrition involves two aspects – Medication – those suggested by the doctors and home grown indigenous supplementary methods have also been beneficial. The other aspect is Food – what can be eaten, what can be paired together, and what must be avoided.

Meal composition – high protein, low carbs. Understanding foods with a high glycaemic index (foods that spike up sugar levels in the blood are to be avoided). Another important aspect is the timing of when you eat. Fad diets are not helpful and can be harmful. Sustainable, sensible eating and not temporary ‘diet eating’, one in which you can measure what you eat for a long period of time, is important.

Hydration – drinking water is extremely essential. Essentially, what you ingest can help in lowering possible future microvascular damage and other complications.

3. Control

Diabetes care needs discipline. Controlling diabetes involves complying with a proper course of medication and a healthy living construct. It is imperative that you maintain regular follow-ups with the doctor. Blood work, especially HbA1C levels must be checked every quarter to enable proper diabetes care.

Most doctors complain that follow-ups are low, if any. What has shown progress is that along with medications, the main aspect is weaving exercise into your lifestyle. Walking and light exercise has shown to have tremendous benefits in controlling and lowering HbA1C levels. Recent studies have shown that a 10-minute walk after every meal has proved as beneficial as a 30-minute walk every day.

4. Solution

So how do we control and/or reverse diabetes? Diabetes may be a global pandemic and India has the second highest number of cases, but the solution is simple! It is proper management through medication adherence, education, lifestyle changes, self-monitoring, keeping up with doctor appointments and awareness of the issues that could be faced in the future.

The first step is to take ownership of the disease. This can be achieved through awareness, which happens through education. The medical community and the Diabetes Patient Community on Social Media and other close knit communities or groups ensure that you understand what people are going through, and the solutions that are available. Holistic management of diabetes ensures that the patient with diabetes wins in the game of life. Do not panic. It is easy and definitely do-able. It is not rocket science!

If you need help or support managing Diabetes, join GOQii’s Diabetes Care Program. It’s India’s only diabetes program that is driven by Smart Science and Personal Coaching to improve Fasting Blood Sugar (FBS), Postprandial Blood Sugar (PP), and reduce HbA1c levels. You can subscribe here: https://store.goqii.com/diabetescare

For more tips on how to manage diabetes, check out Healthy Reads.

#BeTheForce

May 14, 2022 By GOQii 1 Comment

Deepak Sampat Lowers His HbA1c Levels With GOQii

Deepak Sampat

Diabetes often seems like a death sentence for those who are inflicted by it. It means spells of numerous medications, not being able to enjoy food they once did and regular check ups that only add up to the stress of living with Diabetes. We’re here to tell you that Diabetes is not a death sentence. You can reverse your condition with positive, healthy lifestyle changes and live a fulfilling life. Don’t believe us? Ask our player Deepak Sampat. 

Life Before GOQii 

Deepak Sampat is a 55 year old CA and stockbroker from Mumbai. He led a fairly sedentary life till he was diagnosed with diabetes during a random health check. His fasting blood sugar was 180 and PP 343. Hba1c 9.40 with  EAG (Estimated Average Glucose) of  231.88.

Till this point, he was barely active and had unhealthy eating habits. His weight was 84kg. He consulted his family doctor who prescribed medicines and diet control. He then requested his family doctor to give him 6 months’ time to control diabetes without medication (took medicines for a week).

Joining GOQii 

In August 2017, he came across GOQii through the Axis Active programme. He was assigned to Coach Sudrita. His GOQii Coach suggested exercises to help him get fit and build mental strength. 

Before joining GOQii in July 2017, his HbA1c was 9.4 with an EAG of 231.88 and his weight was at 84kg. Within the next 3 months, his HbA1c reduced to 6.2, EAG to 130.44 and weight was 81kg. He said that his coach motivated him to be active and mentally strong to achieve his health goals. 

He was subscribed to GOQii till May 2020. Due to the pandemic induced lockdown and a back injury, he could not follow the necessary physical activities and nutrition guidelines set by his GOQii Coach. From May 2020 till January  2021, his daughter’s marriage kept him busy and he was unable to focus on the habits suggested by his GOQii Coach. 

In March 2021, he tested positive for COVID-19. As a part of COVID testing, he got his blood sugar tested and his HbA1c had shot up to 7.5 and his weight had increased to 83 kg. Post COVID recovery, he joined GOQii again in March 2021 and was assigned to Coach Pragati. 

With active support, motivation and habit changes, he managed to bring his HbA1c levels down to 6.2 in 2 months of joining. His weight was reduced to 78kg. His current goal is to bring his HbA1c levels below 6 and maintain it. 

Deepak Sampat checks his blood glucose levels once a week and uses strips by Ascencia regularly to check his scores. He is of the clear view that while self care is important, having a GOQii Coach is equally important to guide and motivate you. 

Recently, Deepak Sampat spoke to our Founder & CEO Vishal Gondal and discussed all the healthy changes he made in a session of GOQii Health Talks along with his GOQii Coach and experts from GOQii. You can watch it here: 

What Does Coach Pragati Have To Say About Deepak Sampat? 

“Mr. Deepak Sampat was assigned to me on 26th March 2021. When he joined GOQii, his weight was 83 kgs and HbA1c was 7.5. His health goal was to reduce weight, manage blood sugar level, to bring down HbA1c level and to stay fit and active. He was feeling low, both mentally and physically when he joined GOQii. 

He was not taking any medication for Diabetes. I started making healthy changes in his lifestyle like having salad before meals, increasing his water intake, post meal walks and suggested a few habits like deep breathing, having apple cider vinegar, cinnamon powder, kawasia water, and raw flaxseeds powder. 

He was not doing any cardio exercise due to back pain. He was doing light exercises like movement of legs and hands. We made a target of completing 10k steps gradually on a daily basis which helped him reduce weight. I gave him a few challenges like following a detox day every week, detox smoothies, and adding complex carbs to his meals. 

By following all these healthy suggestions, he has reduced 6kg in 3 months. His mental health, along with his physical health has improved greatly. As of June 4, 2021, his weight is at 77kg, his HbA1c levels are at 6.2 and his Fasting Blood Sugar is at 102-107 mg/dl and PP at 155 mg/dl.

Deepak Sampat has had quite a journey with GOQii and believes that he wants to live a healthy and diabetes-free life! You can achieve this too by subscribing for the GOQii Diabetes Care Program here: https://store.goqii.com/diabetescare

For more inspiring stories, check out Healthy Reads. 

#BeTheForce 

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