The fact that Diabetes is emerging as one of the most prevalent health conditions around the globe, does not make it easy to manage. It is not always easy to keep track of what is on your plate, and what among those could wreck your blood sugar levels. For the uninitiated, Diabetes occurs when your body is either not producing enough insulin or is unable to respond to the insulin produced, this results in unstable blood sugar levels that could lead to dizziness, fatigue and irritability. Diabetes is also linked with other chronic conditions such as kidney failure, and heart problems. Many studies have also found a link between diabetes and blindness. Unfortunately, however, there is no treatment or surgery to reverse diabetes. It can only be managed with a good diet, lifestyle and prescribed medicines.
Diabetics are also often advised to stay hydrated. It is said that drinking water helps pump up the blood volume, lowering the concentration of glucose in bloodstream, which can help fluctuating blood sugar levels in control or in normal range. With summer upon us, it is anyway a good idea to keep oneself hydrated through the day to beat the heat. If you are bored of drinking just water, there are plenty of natural summer drinks that can be especially useful too. Summers is the time of sharbat, cold drinks and squash, unfortunately, most of these are often loaded with copious amounts of sugar, which can actually do more harm than good even if they are made with best quality fruits.
It is a very good idea to include local and seasonal veggies in your drinks, but make sure you make these drinks at home and fresh. Here are some summer drinks that you may enjoy.
Lauki Juice
Call it Lauki, doodhi or bottle gourd, thus summer staple of India is replete with such a long list of nutrients that you should be having it everyday by now. Did you know more than 90 percent of lauki is just made with water. It is low in calorie, with negligible fats or carbs, making it ideal for diabetics. To make the juice, just blend the pulp with some water and squeeze some lemon on top.
Karela Juice
Karela or bitter gourd, is another summer favourite that helps combat ill-effects of diabetes naturally through its insulin-like compound called Polypeptide-p or p-insulin. Karela juice is bitter, so to make it palatable, you can blend it with some apples and have it chilled, first thing in the morning.
Lemon Water
Lemon water or simple lemonade without sugar can work wonders for your diabetes. The low-cal drink can also help you keep hydrated and keep those extra kilos at bay that are often associated with diabetes as a common side effect.
Neer Mor
A summertime favourite from South India. This probiotic drink is essentially a spicy buttermilk made with curd, green chillies and ginger. Excellent for your digestion and gut.
Sattu Sharbat
Hailing from East India, this power drink is made with Sattu which is a flour blend made with chickpea flour as the chief ingredient. Sattu Sharbat is essentially just sattu mixed with water, lemon juice, roasted cumin powder, mint leaves and black salt. Exceptionally refreshing and rich in protein.