Introduction
Nowadays, people are becoming more at risk of different types of illnesses. The acquisition of these diseases may have been caused by different factors, such as food intake, alcohol drinking, smoking, and many others. Generally, individual’s health may rely on how a person takes care of the body itself. Lifestyle plays significant roles in promoting good health as well as in disease prevention. One of the illnesses that affect many individuals is the Diabetes. The purpose of this study is to present the factors that influence the development of diabetes as well as the essential approached that can help in diabetes prevention. Additionally, various researches will be discussed as to how a person with diabetes can still enjoy life despite the presence of this illness. Although there are challenges in achieving a healthier lifestyle, diabetes can be prevented and possibly treated through behavioral and lifestyle change.
What is Diabetes?
According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention or CDC (1), diabetes is a medical condition, to which the human body is unable to process the food that can be used for energy. In the natural process, the food is turned into sugar or glucose after being digested. With this, the pancreas plays essential role in secreting insulin that helps such sugar get into human cells. However, in a case of a person who has a diabetes, the body, particularly the pancreas is unable to provide enough insulin that builds up the glucose in the blood stream.
There are two types of diabetes (CDC 2), the first type is the IDDM or the insulin-dependent and the other one is the NIDDM or non-insulin-dependent. There are difference when it comes to treatment process of these two types of diabetes. However, the common treatment factor is the change in lifestyle in relation to food intake or proper diet.
Theories and Research
In order to achieve a healthy living for diabetes patients, various researches have been develop in relation to behavioral change intervention. The role of theory when it comes to behavioral diabetes study is not fully understood by many people (Peyrot 1703). Many people see the theory about diabetes care as a mere conceptual model and they are not being used for the treatment process. The context of behavioral studies on diabetes state that diabetes patients who are ready to change their lifestyle show more improvements than those who were not ready for such change (Peyrot 1703). Therefore, the study shows that the behavioral change is more than just a change in diet or food intake, but it is a holistic approach that will totally help in the treatment process of diabetes, thus promoting a healthy living among diabetes patients.
Theories in achieving a healthy living despite the presence of diabetes should not stay as a mere theory. It must be used to help people with diabetes change their behavior. Similar with other research, such action is otherwise known as from theory to practice. According to Ruggiero (125), the Transtheorectical Model or TTM can be used for helping people, especially the diabetes patients, across every stage of willingness for change. It involves five stages that will help the patients in achieving a healthy living on a gradual manner. Such stages include pre-contemplation, contemplation, preparation, action, and maintenance (Ruggiero 125). These serve as a roadmap towards a changed behavior in terms of proper diet, physical exercise, and overall lifestyle change among diabetes patients, which can help in achieving healthy living in spite of challenges brought by diabetes.
Nutrition and Prevention of Diabetes
Apart from the theories that will help the diabetes patients in achieving a healthy living, there must be a recommended diet and food intake that must be followed in order to keep the patients healthy and to prevent possible complications of diabetes. Normally, the type 2 diabetes or the NIDDM patients must consider changing their diet, so as to prevent the development of type 1 diabetes and become insulin-dependents. Relatively, there has been an increase in the number of individuals who acquire type 2 diabetes due to improper diet and lifestyle. According to Steyn et al (148), there was a dramatic increase in the incidence and prevalence of NIDDM, which happened in many parts of the world. Thus, the industrialized and developed countries are the ones that have the higher cases of type 2 diabetes.
Obesity and unhealthy living may have been two of the main reasons as to why diabetes affects many people on a global basis. Individuals who have unhealthy lifestyle are the ones at risk of acquiring this disease, apart from the fact that it could happen at an early stage of their lives. Another form of unhealthy living is the lack of physical activity or exercise. Various researches showed the significance of physical inactivity towards the development of diabetes (Steyn et al. 151). It is important that individuals, even at the stage of their lives, learn how to have a balanced diet. This is especially for those who have a family history of diabetes, as it was indicated that such disease can also be hereditary.
In order to avoid obesity and higher body mass index or BMI, individuals must learn how to balance the calorie intake and ensure that the body has enough physical activity to burn excess fats and calories. Otherwise, fats and calories build-up in the body will contribute to the development of diabetes. On the other hand, patients who already have diabetes must be more aware on how to change their diet and overall lifestyle to avoid possible complications, such as kidney disease, cardiovascular diseases, eye damage, and even Alzheimer disease.
In order to maintain a healthy living for diabetes patients, there must be a proper understanding as to how different types of fats can affect the body in terms of insulin resistance. These include polyunsaturated, monounsaturated, and saturated fats are known to influence the body’s resistance to insulin (Steyn et al. 152). On the other hand, some types of fats, such as the ones from vegetables are associated to lower risk of diabetes. Therefore, to stay healthy despite the presence of diabetes, patients must refrain from foods that have unhealthy fats and maintain the consumption of healthy diet, such as fruits and vegetables. Furthermore, patients may also consider changing the diet through carbohydrate consumption as it is known to reduce the deteriorating effects of diabetes. Carbohydrate counting is a dietary plan that can help in managing the blood glucose level of the diabetes patients. For patients who are physically active, they may also consider increasing their carbohydrate intake as it will converted to energy. For example, a meal plan can start between 45 and 60 grams of carbohydrate per meal. The level of carbohydrate intake may also depend on how patients’ manage their diabetes. Proper carbohydrate meal may come from grains, such as oatmeal, rice, or barley, yogurt and milk, and even starchy vegetables, such as corn, potatoes, and peas (American Diabetes Association N.P.).
Conclusion
Managing diabetes can be challenging, but in spite of its presence, patients can still achieve a healthy life by changing their lifestyle, which includes proper diet and engaging to a physical activity that will help in reducing fat build ups in the body. Thus, maintaining healthy food intake on a balanced level will prevent possible complication of diabetes.
Works Cited
American Diabetes Asociation. "Carbohydrate Counting: American Diabetes Association®."American Diabetes Association. N.p., n.d. Web. 2 July 2016. <http://www.diabetes.org/food-and-fitness/food/what-can-i-eat/understanding-carbohydrates/carbohydrate-counting.html>.
Center for Disease Control and Prevention. Diabetes. Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Web. <http://www.cdc.gov/media/presskits/aahd/diabetes.pdf>.
Peyrot, Mark F. "Theory in Behavioral Diabetes Research." Diabetes Care 24.10 (2001): 1703-1705. Print.
Ruggiero, Laurie. "Helping People With Diabetes Change Behavior: From Theory to Practice."Diabetes Spectrum 13.3 (2000): 125. Print.
Steyn, NP, J. Mann, PH Bennett, N. Temple, P. Zimmet, J. Tuomilehto, J. Lindström, and A. Louheranta. "Diet, nutrition and the prevention of type 2 diabetes." Public Health Nutrition 7.1a (2004): 147-165. Print.
