On 14 November 2016, the World Diabetes Day was celebrated all over the world, a day to raise awareness of a disease that seriously affects all organs, first and foremost the eyes.
An appropriate lifestyle and early diagnosis can contribute substantially to the fight against the exponential growth of this disease.
In Italy at the moment there are approximately 3.7 million people suffering from diabetes, but the undiagnosed could be another million. These are the figures released by the Observatory of the Italian Society of Diabetology (SID), which emphasises that the incidence of the disease has more than doubled within thirty years.
On the occasion of World Diabetes Day, 14 November 2016, experts from the Dole Nutrition Institute have issued a decalogue to keep the disease under control.
1. Follow the Mediterranean diet - A diet rich in fruit, vegetables, fish and legumes can help prevent the onset of the disease.
2. Watching the scales - If you are overweight, losing even five kilos can significantly reduce your risk of contracting diabetes and improve your overall well-being.
3. Get your fill of fibre - Fibre-rich foods (fruit, vegetables, legumes, whole grains) help keep blood sugar levels under control.
4. Choose key foods - Numerous studies suggest that vitamins C and K and magnesium can limit the likelihood of getting type 2 diabetes. Pineapples, dark green leafy vegetables and avocados are particularly recommended.
5. Do physical activity - Thirty minutes a day of exercise is enough to keep body weight and blood sugar under control.
6. Take blood tests - They can highlight the existence of imbalances that could later lead to the onset of the disease. Early diagnosis can delay or prevent its development.
7. Pay attention to the following symptoms - Consult your doctor if you have: excessive thirst or hunger, frequent need to urinate, drastic weight loss, blurred vision and numb extremities.
8. Undergo periodic checks - Checks performed at regular intervals reduce the chances of being affected by the most serious complications of the disease (kidney dysfunction, blindness, nerve damage). Ask your doctor for more information.
9. Keeping up with carbohydrates - Try to eat the right amount of carbohydrates during meals or snacks.
10. Inform yourself - See a medical specialist for a personalised diet prescription, useful advice on physical activity or how to manage stress and other tips on each risk factor of the disease.
On World Diabetes Day, Italian monuments, from the Baptistery in Florence to the Maschio Angioino in Naples, lit up in blue light against the diabetes pandemic. Launched in 1992 by the International Diabetes Federation and the WHO, the day celebrates the anniversary of the birth of Frederick Banting, who is credited with the discovery of insulin with the help of Charles Best. In Italy alone, around 1,200 prevention and awareness events have been organised in over 500 cities. Today, more than 10% of the Italian population has difficulty keeping blood glucose under control. And in 2030, it is predicted that there will be five million diabetics.
Dr. Carmelo Chines
Direttore responsabile
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