Family can play key role for diabetics

Manav Mander

Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, November 13

Congenial environment at home and healthy relationship with members of the family can help a lot in keeping diabetes in control. Believe it or not, but the family plays an important role in keeping a diabetic patient hale and hearty, so much so that the theme of World Diabetes Day (November 14) this year is “The family and Diabetes”.

Two years (2018, 2019) have been dedicated to this theme. The campaign aims at raising awareness of the impact of diabetes on the family and the support network that is affected. It also aims at promoting the role of family in the management, care, prevention and education on diabetes.

Dr Geeti Puri, consultant physician and diabetologist at Mohan Dai Cancer Hospital, said people suffering from diabetes should be kept free of relationship stress and the environment at home should be pleasant.

“I have seen patients who are not happy at home and having stressful relationships and their sugar levels continue to hover. If the family of the patient cooperates, have cordial relationships with each other and help the patient in making healthy choices, it all helps the patient in keeping good control over the sugar levels,” said Dr Geeti.

“The entire house can help the patient in controlling the diabetes by making little modification in the lifestyle. Positivity, eating healthy and exercising regularly can help a patient in controlling his/her diabetes effectively. Choosing healthy options will in turn make the entire family healthy,” said Dr Geeti.

If the entire family makes lifestyle modification, it will in turn help all of them to live healthy and keep diseases at bay.

Another city-based diabetologist, Dr Paramjeet Singh, said diabetes would live with the patient for life long and so is the family. “Family can play a very important role in controlling the diabetes of a patient. Stop bringing eatables in the home that are unhealthy and switch to healthy choices, exercise together and the entire family will live happy and healthy,” he said.

Tips for family of a diabetic

• Adopt healthy eating habits, exercise regularly, keep stress at bay, do your task yourself and lifestyle modification

What should patients avoid

• Mango, grapes, litchi, dates, banana, sweets, chocolates, juices, bakery products. 

Healthy options

• Jamun, green apple, papaya, guava, oranges, low fat milk, soya milk.