Hello Diabetes

With nearly 40 years of medical experience, I often encounter questions about sugar consumption. My consistent advice is to avoid sweets and focus on managing blood sugar levels, as poor glycemic control can weaken the overall immune system and may trigger infections & other chronic complications. Basal bolus therapy is the best insulin regimen, specially for type 1DM. It involves taking prandial...

One should know that type 2 DM is not only caused by beta cell dysfunction of pancreas. There are eight different organs of body involved in the pathophysiology of T2 DM. 1. Beta cells of pancreas, that they don’t produce enough insulin. 2. Alpha cells of pancreas produce disproportionately high glucagon as there is poor suppression of glucagon in the post meal phase, causing post prandial hypergl...

The piece underscores the critical need for early blood sugar control to prevent long-term diabetes complications. Elevated blood sugar can harm organs such as the brain, eyes, heart, nerves and kidneys etc. With 20-30% of adults developing diabetes in a very young age, it is essential to manage blood sugar early to avoid the formation of Advanced Glycation End products (AGEs), which can Cause chr...

Management of Diabetes is like a table supported by four essential pillars: Diet, Exercise, Medications, and Monitoring, but this table is incomplete without a table top which is “Education”. Of these four pillars one of them is glucose monitoring which plays a critical role, typically done through three methods: 1. Glucometers: Capillary blood glucose monitoring involves using a glucometer for pr...

Everyone should be aware of the fact that “Diabetes increases the infection and infection increases the diabetes. Thus, both need intensive management strategies simultaneously. People with Diabetes must take special care of themselves, just like we care for our family members. Diabetes can be thought of as a child with slightly lower immunity, especially during the rainy season when the risk of i...

This podcast was being broadcasted live from the venue Hotel of Hello Diabetes Academia 2024 at Ramdaspeth, Nagpur featuring insights from Dr. V. Mohan (Padma Shri), Dr. Shashank Joshi (Padma Shri), Dr. Vijay Vishwanathan, and Dr. Sunil Gupta. Diabetes management is a costly endeavor, and the financial burden increases significantly with complications affecting vital organs like the kidneys, heart...

While there are many varieties of salt available, it’s crucial to focus on how much we consume, especially for those with high blood pressure or kidney issues, who should limit their intake to about 3 grams daily. Although all salts contain similar sodium and potassium levels, rock salt offers additional micronutrients, making it a healthier option when used in moderation. Frozen shoulder is anoth...

Snoring is often being mistaken for a deep sleep, but it is not true. Snoring can be a sign of Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA), which is a risk factor for diabetes, hypertension, cardiovascular disease, obesity, infertility perioperative complications etc. Adequate sound sleep of 6-8 hours is essential for a good health. Uncontrolled blood sugar & blood pressure in people with diabetes with OSA can...

People at large know, that alcohol causes liver damage and few are also aware of having liver injury due to viral infection (Hepatitis / Jaundice). But, very few people know that 50 to 70% of People with Type 2 Diabetes can develop fatty liver due to uncontrolled blood glucose and / or obesity. Unfortunately, few of them may progress to cirrhosis of liver, and rarely Hepatocellular Carcinoma (Canc...

Summer has Started. All of us will be planning to travel to some places. People with Diabetes should practice smart travelling. Some precautions should be taken, when you are travelling with Diabetes. While Travelling, always carry extra medicines, your Diabetes Identity Card, Glucometer, Ketone strips, healthy snacks & the most important is to visit your Doctor, get your all necessary tests done...

Holi, the festival of colours can surely be enjoyed by people with diabetes with mindful eating, good glycaemic control and portion control. Diabetes should be managed with 7 basic colors of Holi. First color is Diet, as almost all cases of prediabetes and many cases of diabetes can be managed with diet therapy alone. The second color is Exercise, ie brisk walk daily for 30-40 minutes or 150 minut...

Globally 8th March is marked as the “International Women’s Day”, while in India 10th March is being recognized as National “Gestational Diabetes Mellitus (GDM) Awareness day” on the occasion of birthday of Dr. V. Seshiah (Padmashri), who has done the pioneering work in the field of pregnancy diabetes in our country. High blood glucose in mother during pregnancy enters into foetal circulation which...

Amongst, known people with diabetes, 50% of them are women. These women are more prone to have hypertension, coronary artery disease stroke, cancer etc., versus non-diabetic women of the same age. Most of the young women with diabetes can get married and get conceived with proper care of blood glucose, blood pressure, cholesterol & weight. But preconception counselling is must and they should visi...

Traditionally, it is presumed that diabetes, if seen in children and young adults will expectedly a case of Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus (Insulin Dependent Diabetes Mellitus), while those who develop in middle and old age will be Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus. But nowadays, many people are developing Type 2 DM between 20-35 years of age, and due to childhood obesity, Type 2 DM is also seen in the teenagers...

Sitting is a new Tobacco. If you are sitting for a long time, you are likely to enter into a high risk zone of developing diabetes & other co-morbid diseases. So try to be physically active & if you are in a sitting job, try to get-up and move after every 1 hour. To check whether you are diabetic or not, get your Glycosylated Haemoglobin A1c (GHb%) test or Oral Glucose Tolerance Test (OGTT) with 7...

Everyone is aware of Type 1 DM (Insulin dependent diabetes, seen commonly in children) & Type 2 DM (usually seen in adults & majority are controlled on oral drugs & Lifestyle Modification ). Gestational Diabetes Mellitus (GDM) is a kind of diabetes, which appears in the 2nd or 3rd trimester of pregnancy and disappears after delivery. GDM occurs when the woman’s beta cells are not able to overcome...

As the festive season approaches, it is important for people with diabetes (PWD) to celebrate festival with a balance approach. Sankranti is marked by the exchange of a typical sweets (laddu & chikki) made of Til and Gud (Sesame & Jaggery). Sesame seeds (Til) have many benefits to and is good source of iron, magnesium, vit –B, protein, fibre and calcium. Jaggery is rich in iron & has thermogenic e...

Type 2 diabetes is multifactorial ailment. Genes, age, obesity, dietary habits, lifestyle, physical activity and many more factors are responsible for diabetes occurrence. Many people have positive family history (genetic risk), but still don’t develop diabetes, because they protect themselves from environmental risk factors. Diet play an important role like, healthy breakfast is very important to...

In India 101 millions people above 18 year age have diabetes & 135 millions have pre diabetes (> 18yrs age) thus, almost every 4th adult have some form of dysglycemia. Earlier data showed that diabetes prevalence in urban people is 10-12% and in rural it is around 6-8 %. Uncontrolled diabetes is mostly associated with complications related to heart, eyes, kidneys, nerves etc. All these complicatio...

The prevalence of obesity is increasing globally, which  increases the risk of type 2 diabetes mellitus, hypertension, dyslipidemia, cardiovascular diseases etc.  Around 70 % of people with diabetes are either overweight or obese. In last 1-2 decades, obesity is also affecting children / people with T1DM, primarily due to changing dietary habits and poor exercise compliance.  Individuals with T1DM...

We in India celebrate 14th November as Children’s Day, which is the birthday of the 1st Prime Minister of India Shri Jawaharlal Nehru. Similarly, World Diabetes Day is celebrated on the same date to mark the birthday of Dr. Fredrick Banting who discovered insulin along with Charles Best in 1921, for the treatment of diabetes. In January 1922, Leonard Thompson, a 14-year-old boy became the first hu...

Uncontrolled high blood sugar damages nerves and interferes with their ability to send signals, leading to diabetic neuropathy. High blood sugar also weakens the walls of the small blood vessels (capillaries) that supply the nerves with oxygen and nutrients. High blood glucose levels and high levels of fats, such as triglycerides, cholesterol can damage nerves. Different types of nerve damage caus...

Wish you all a Happy Navratri festival. Many people with diabetes wishes to practice fasting during these 9 days of Navratri. So, during fasting they should practice smart fasting, keep yourself hydrated, include healthy fat like nuts, seeds, avocados in your diet. Eat at small intervals. Avoid high fat & tried foods. Check your blood sugars regularly. Always consult the physician before fasting....

Insulin is a hormone secreted by Beta – Cells of pancreas. People with Type 1 DM require insulin throughout their life to manage their blood sugar as their body produces no insulin or very little insulin. In T2DM, insulin is required when people with diabetes (PWD) on oral drugs, fail to adequately control blood glucose or when they present with severe symptomatic hyperglycaemia (where FBG > 250mg...