Mental health and diabetes in India

According to a study conducted in November 2019, India has 77 million diabetics, and that makes us the second-highest in the world. The ninth edition of the IDF Diabetes Atlas predicts that it will continue to put India at the second slot right up to 2045. The reason behind these soaring numbers is India’s inefficiency in combating diabetes.

Moreover, around one in five people (19.7%) with diabetes have depression in India, compared to 15.1% of people in the general population. According to healthcare experts, “There is a bidirectional relationship between depression and diabetes, as chronic diseases like diabetes can lead to depression, and vice versa. Depression can cause stress-induced diabetes and also impact a person’s ability to manage self-care, leading to complications.”

The International Diabetes Federation Diabetes Atlas makes it clear India needs to pause and re-evaluate its strategy to combat diabetes.

Diabetes Burnout

Diabetes can leave you feeling run down, emotionally drained, and completely overwhelmed. It’s called diabetes burnout.

Personally, I have seen how diabetes takes a toll on a person’s emotional and physical health. My grandmother was a diabetic and my dad is a diabetic. Planning meals, eating in limited portions, leaving or cutting down on your favourite things, tracking your blood sugar levels, taking timely medications, and more. It’s natural for a diabetic to feel exhausted.

Right nutrition and mental health of a diabetic

Someone rightly said, “You are what you eat”. Food plays a very important role in managing our mental health. A flavourful and nutritious diet has the capacity to instantly uplift our mood. Nutrients like Zinc, B Vitamins, Iron, Omega-3s are helpful in treating/preventing mental illness.[1]

3 ways how our diet impacts our mental health:

1. It’s important for brain development
2. It puts the brain into grow mode
3. It fills the gut with healthy bacteria

Experts suggest that a healthy diet should only be a part of the treatment plan and not a substitute for medications. The food we eat has a direct impact on how our genes, immune system work, and how our body deals with stress and other illnesses.

The right nutrition is important to manage diabetes

No matter how repetitive the process of taking medication and eating calculated healthy food may sound — this is the winning strategy for a diabetic. My dad has been surviving and thriving on this for more than 20 years now. Touchwood. The other important thing is to remain happy and positive. This is not the end of your life. A healthy diet and timely medication can help you sail through the storm of diabetes. Recently, I heard about this product called . It is a specialized nutrition to help manage diabetes. This scientific formula takes care of blood sugar, heart health, and weight. It makes a good quick breakfast or an evening snack. It can also be consumed as a partial meal replacement. I am thinking of trying this product for my dad.

Have you heard about this product or used it? Do let me know in the comment section below.

References used:

https://www.webmd.com/mental-health/news/20150820/food-mental-health#1

https://www.diabetes.org/diabetes/mental-health

[1] https://www.webmd.com/mental-health/news/20150820/food-mental-health#1