Almost half of UAE residents are diabetic/pre-diabetic

High blood sugar is one of the biggest risk factors for COVID-19.

In fact, high blood sugar is one of the biggest risk factors for most metabolic and other diseases, including heart disease, stroke, and cancer (among others).

A study in 2019 in the UAE revealed that:

- Around 40% of UAE nationals are diabetic or pre-diabetic

- Around 38% of Asians living in the UAE are diabetic or pre-diabetic

- Around 32% of Arabs living in the UAE are diabetic or pre-diabetic

- Around 22% of Westerns & Africans living in the UAE are diabetic or pre-diabetic.

These numbers are alarming, not just because they're high and not just because they're rising (so expect them to get higher in the coming years).

These numbers are alarming because (i) most people aren't even aware that they're pre-diabetic, and (ii) most major diseases are already heavily influenced by a fasting blood sugar level above 100mg/dl (in the pre-diabetic range).

For someone to be labeled as "pre-diabetic", they need to have a fasting blood glucose level of between 5.5 to 6.9 mmol/l (100 to 125 mg/dl).

The first problem is that most people feel "ok" at those levels, so they never actually get checked.

The second problem is that most doctors are trained to tell you if you're "sick" or "not sick": they don't see "pre-diabetes", they see "diabetes or not".

So even if people get a blood test done and their blood sugar level is in the pre-diabetic range, their doctor is likely to tell them "it's normal".

As I'm writing this post, we're at the beginning of August 2020, which means we're still in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, which has resulted in:

- A significant drop in physical activity

- A significant increase in "junk food" consumption

- A significant increase in stress levels

All of these factors contribute to a rise in blood sugar levels... so 2020 may accelerate these trends.

What can you do to make sure you're not part of this statistic?

1. Test your fasting blood glucose:

- Most pharmacies will do it for free

- A test kit you can use at home every day costs around $20

- Make sure you test while fasted (min 12 hours) & test multiple days to get a trend

2. If you're testing above 100mg/dl:

i. Avoid high glycemic index foods:

- Bread, pasta, rice, fruits, sugar, snacks, junk food, juices, etc.

- Consume high fibre and high protein foods

- Adding protein and fat to your carbs slows down their absorption

- Eat your carbs AFTER your workout: your muscles will be like a sponge and will absorb the glucose

- Take a walk: studies have shown that taking a short walk after a meal significantly lowers the post-meal blood glucose spike

- Shiver: studies have shown that exposure to cold (e.g. cold shower) significantly improve your body’s ability to control blood glucose levels.

ii. Ingredients & supplements which naturally lower blood glucose:

- Cinnamon: studies have shown that 1g of Cinnamon (less than half a tsp) daily can lower fasting blood glucose by around 5mg/dl (e.g. I always add it to my smoothies or oatmeal).

- Berberine: a natural herb, studies have shown that it can lower blood glucose as much as Metformin (a medicine taken to lower blood glucose). I usually take 1 capsule before a high carb meal.

- Resveratrol: extract from grapes, it's been shown in multiple studies to lower blood glucose after a meal.

Don't be part of a bad statistic.