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Submitted by atreya on 16 February 2017

I am diabetic, I usually getup at about 7 in the morning and start my walking
at 8;00 AM, Can I have coffee as soon as I get up, give an hour of gap and
then walk.
I usually walk for 1hour or ~6.2 kms or 7000 steps daily.
Can you suggest me the right ways to walk if I am doing things in the wrong
way.
My most difficult problem is hunger, I get very hungry and I am a vegan by
birth. How to improve my diets?

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Not sure about whether it is right or wrong, but I have black tea as soon as I get up. I work out 3-4 days a week, and on those days, have tea after the work out. Again not sure what you mean by right or wrong ways of walking, but generally brisk walking helps the best.
BTW, I just turned vegan a few months back, and I do not think hunger has got anything to do with it. My suggestion would be don't keep yourself hungry, and eat nutritious food at regular intervals. For diet improvement it is best to consult a dietician. Trust this helps a bit.

S R Madhu

Thu, 02/16/2017 - 12:52

Coffee is a fine drink for diabetics or non-diabetics!
At one time the caffeine in the coffee was considered toxic, and coffee used to be talked about negatively, pejoratively. But times have changed, so have perceptions of coffee.
One reads more and more reports these days of how coffee is not merely good for health, but even helps ward off cancer and heart disease.
Everything in moderation of course. Two or three cups of coffee a day should be fine – without sugar, for diabetics. I’ve had coffee without sugar (but with milk) for the past 25 years, and enjoy it. In fact I can’t take coffee with sugar any more!

You are a vegan, that means coffee without milk and without sugar - so black coffee. I personally can never drink black coffee. It’s too strong and too bitter. My taste buds rebel, sometimes my tummy too. Definitely not more than two cups of black coffee a day.

S R Madhu

Thu, 02/16/2017 - 12:57

When to have coffee:

I usually drink my morning coffee at an excellent little coffee shop near the Besant Nagar beach in Chennai. This means a walk of about one mile before the coffee and a walk of one mile after the coffee. I drink my second cup of coffee in the evening. I also drink green tea twice a day.

In your case. A cup of coffee soon after you get up is fine. But why do you wait for one hour before you start your morning walk? Half an hour should be enough. If you wake up at 7 a.m. and drink coffee, you may start your morning walk at 7.30 a.m.

S R Madhu

Thu, 02/16/2017 - 12:58

Hunger:

This is something for your doctor or diabetologist to address. Hunger by itself is a good sign, but if you are hungry very often, it could mean high sugar levels in the blood. A fruit mid-morning would be a good idea.
Either an apple or half of a small papaya or a portion of a pineapple. Or nuts. (A couple of almonds, a couple of walnuts. ) Or maybe a small-sized vegetable sandwich, Plus some green tea or a glass of water. A glass of buttermilk would be fine too, but I assume this is taboo for a vegan.

Most doctors and most of the medical literature I come across recommend a number of small meals a day instead of two or three big meals. (This suits me. I’m a relatively light eater.) Something you could bear in mind.

But you must consult your diabetologist and maybe a nutritionist for a diet that's light, yet sustaining.