Q. Nutritional management of diabetes mellitus?
we will learn about the nutritional management of diabetes mellitus which is an important metabolic disorder of public health significance. Metabolism is a term that we must understand. It means the sum of physical and chemical changes taking place in living cells. It includes all reactions by which the body obtains energy from food and spends it. So when we say metabolic diseases, these diseases refer to those disorders in which the various reactions in the cells are affected (production of energy or utilization of energy) due to abnormal production of one or more hormones, or a deficiency of an enzyme.
The metabolic diseases that we will deal with are diabetes mellitus, gout and disorders due to inborn errors of metabolism such as phenylketonuria, tyrosinemia, maple syrup urine disease, homocystinuria and galactosemia. Hence, there is a rise in blood sugar levels. If the blood sugar rises above the level of 180 mg/100 ml in the blood, then the sugar is excreted in the urine also. Diabetes cannot be cured but changes in life style, and diet and drugs can make an individual lead a normal life.