Diabetese is spreading faster than any other disease in India. The World Health Organisation(WHO) has concluded that India, which has the largest number of diabetic patients(32 million in 2000), around 57 million diabetic patients by the year 2025 is expected to have nearly 80 million patients by 2030.the rise meant that in about 30 years, India would have more than 20 per cent of the diabetic population in the world, and may be another 20 million who do not know that they have diabetes.
Besides the changing lifestyle, a high-level of mental stress, heavy intake of diet rich in fat, sugar and calories and the genetic factor were the causes of the disease. `While hereditary factors are beyond one’s control, lifestyle modifications can definitely help in lowering diabetes.’
At least five lakh people in the IT City of Bangalore are diabetes patients. In the near future, diabetes would dominate all other health issues in the country.
Sedentary life style like excessive TV viewing, long hours infront of computers without break and eating habit are all contributing to this epedemic.
Excercise and physical can activity can make diabetese management much less stressful.Excercise not only reduces stress on its own, but it helps keep blood sugar level in range and that makes managing diabetes less challenging.Physical activity help improve diabetes control and general health.
Experience have shown that walking is a good excercise.A normal healthy adult should walk atleast 12500 steps/day.Children 8-10 years will usually get 1200-16000 steps/day, a healthy 20-50 year olds usually get 7000-1300 steps /day.An older adult about 6000-8500 steps/day.Steps can be measured using PEDOMETER.It is a simple and inexpensive gadget that can be attached to your clothes at the waist as close to the hip as possible.It has an internl lever mechanisim that detects the up-and-down movement at the hip while walking and translate the number of steps taken.Each day when you get up, you need to press the reset button to restart the pedometer at zero.While wearing pedometer one can do simple things like walking.
Study have shown that if you have a sedantary life style you do 5000 steps/day.Low Active life style-5000-7000, somewhatactive lifestyle, 10000-12500 and highly active 12500+.
Following are few tips to increase your steps.
AT HOME
Take a walk
Walk to your neighbour/friends house instead of driving
If you make a call walk while you talk
Do not use TV remote control
Walk during TV commercials
Take a six minute alk after dinner
AT OFFICE
Park your car further away in Parking lot
Avoid elevators-Take to stairs instead
Take several 10 minutes walk in office
Host walking meetings
Take 5 miniutes walking break from computer every 90 minutes
Walk while using a cell or cordless
Chose the farthest enterance to your building
Walk to the water room if you need a drink-instead of asking
Update your steps daily and gradually increase your weekly goal, and you will be on your way to better health and better control of diabetese.