The Economics of Diabetes.

I am a retired school teacher and live on a very modest and limited budget. So I am forced to seek out government institutions for the treatment of my type 2 diabetes. I do not know whether there are others of my ilk on this forum - if this topic sounds extraneous please ignore it. So far I have been treated only at the Indian Institute of Diabetes which follows only the conventional treatment method - prescribe drugs to control sugar, blood pressure etc. Everything depends on the numbers. Doctors only look at the test result sheets and the numbers on them; the patient might well not be present! There are quite a few reputed private institutions here for diabetes treatment and honestly I haven't checked them out as I assume their charges are beyond my reach.

Here are some of the government institution's charges: Consultation fees - 100/. F and PP blood sugar tests - 20/ each. Hb A1C - 250/. Lipid profile - 250/. Creatinine - 35/. TSH - 100/. E.C.G. - 50/. etc. I would be glad to know what the costs are in for-profit private institutions.

Of course you get what you pay for - ten minutes with the doctor max! The dietician was clueless about what an LCHF diet was. She googled it (yes, internet connectivity is available at their desks) and proclaimed that the brain needs glucose!

It is another matter that 95% of the people who come here mostly belonging to the middle and lower middle class (which includes me) are quite happy that they have these services.

What is one to do?

[Hidden]

Hidden

Yes . LCHF could be a bit costly

But some simple measures can be taken

Stop all biscuits like Marie biscuits. Take peanuts for snacks which are cheaper

Reduce rice and wheat. Take some more vegetables.

Practice fasting. Many are doing what's called IF or intermittent fasting and take only 2 meals. This cuts the costs

Use only peanut oil and very very less of it.

Stop sugar and take sugar less tea coffee

Use besan and wheat for rotis

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

Recently I switched to Patanjali biscuits which claims to be 0% maida, 0% transfat etc. I do indulge in peanuts and peanut butter. For lunch I use a mix 50/50 of full bran rice and horse gram.

With the meds I am taking the problem with fasting is my blood sugar drops. For eg. I have a late breakfast at 10 am of a porridge of 3 tbsp of oats with 4 tsp of ground flax seed and 1 tsp of cinnamon powder mixed in with 2 slices of multigrain bread. Almost exactly 2 hrs later my sugar begins to drop and I have to eat something, usually an apple or a banana, before I go bonkers to last me till around 1.30 pm when I have lunch.

You'd be interested to know that unlike the dietician the doctor was aware of LCHF but said the excess fat and protein would ruin my kidneys.

After long years I have switched back to using coconut oil but the ordinary variety which costs 150/ a litre whereas the cold pressed virgin version costs upwards of 600/ a litre.

My concern is about how little awareness there is in the general medical community of the harm done by traditional insulin prescriptions. I have also written to the health minister of the state about this but expect nothing from her.

[Luckysugar]

Being vegetarian on lchf would cost less than non-vegetarian. I do save some money from making homemade ghee, hung curd or preserved vegetables e.g. kimchi. I also grow some herbs and fews veggies in my garden as well as raising some friendly hens who provide my family beautiful organic eggs. By the way, aren't coconut oil and other coconut products in India cheap and affordable?

[Hidden in reply to Luckysugar]

bit costly

the industrial seed oils are cheaper

[Drmaheshmshah]

Along with the drug

You create habit of Walking 40 minutes daily after simple calisthinic exercise which we used to do in school

Meditate : Sit Quietly staring from 10 min ...Watch Your Thoughts and Feeling....Let them Go

watch Your Breathing as soon You watch Your Breathing, Healing takes place

Above two Walking and Watching Breathing has energy To Heal, to reverse any disease including Type 2 D.M

[Naturalisbest]

The brain does need glucose to function properly but a very small amount. Reduce your carbs to barely nothing, increase your activity by 100%. Have your iron, vit d and vit b12 levels checked because being deficient in these will cause your blood sugar to be elevated. Without the right amount of iron the pancreas does not work. So lots of greens. I started walking every morning, finally up to one mile and my morning numbers have dropped 6 points. Elongating your muscles releases elements to help drastically lower your blood sugar. Interminent fasting works for some but made me a lot worse. Peanuts are cheap and good source of protein without much carbs. Frozen veggies are cheap and easy to use on "broke" weeks. Stay away from boxed and canned foods! Give yourself time to work it all out. You will be off meds in no time and that will be much cheap!!

[Hidden in reply to Naturalisbest]

I was just pointing out how unaware even the soi-disant professionals are about LCHF diet. Yr suggestions are helpful. Here (in India) I hardly ever eat canned or frozen vegetables as they are available fresh in abundance. However they are pesticide laden. I do eat a lot of peanuts as they are the poor cousins of almonds, walnuts etc. I have to battle my inner demons to get anything like a regular exercise regimen going!

[Naturalisbest in reply to Hidden]

I hear you on the exercise part. But once you get started its addicting to watching the numbers plummet. I had a bad day yesterday (anniversary of father's death) and ate a little sweets thank full there was no spike but soon as my painkillers kick in I hope to going walking this AM. I started exercising by figeting my thighs up and down while sitting watching TV after each meal. Then walking/running in place while watch TV after each meal to walking for long periods of time outside (now that's its spring/summer in Canada).

Doesn't have to be a big deal just a MUST. Get that sticky surgery blood moving!!!

[suramo Star]

Hidden

You are absolutely right. Being poor and diabetic makes it difficult to control D. But the basic remedy for D is diet. Lchf. You must know about carb sources and try to cut down their intake.

No to rice, potato, root veg, refine flour. At least you can do this.

If you are from south you should get co at around 120 rs a liter. At your doorstep. Bangalore and hyderabad people are getting at that price. Only co is enough.

Take less wheat. You can add poor gi gl food like kodo millet, little millet, bernyard mllet, foxtail millet, ragi - finger millet and few more. Try to eat more eggs if you are eggetrian. Eat more salad with co dressing. You can use sesame and mustard oils too. But remember co vco and ghee are good for cooking. Others for dressing. Kidney beans soya and bengal grams are good. Sprouts are good if you eat them raw, semicooked or sauted with oil. Eat tomatoes, cucumber, capsicum, broccoli, mushroom etc. Cabbage and cauli are good. Cheap also. There is lot more to eat and reduce carb content.

Yoga and exercise will definetly help you.