Symptoms of diabetes include:

• Increased thirst.
• Weak, tired feeling.
• Blurred vision.
• Numbness or tingling in the hands or feet.
• Slow-healing sores or cuts.
• Unexplained weight loss.
• Frequent urination.
• Frequent unexplained infections.
• Dry mouth.

Having a blood glucose level that is lower than the normal range (usually below 70 mg/dL) is called
hypoglycemia. This is a sign that your body gives out that you need sugar.

Symptoms you might experience if you have hypoglycemia include:

• Weakness or shaking.
• Moist skin, sweating.
• Fast heartbeat.
• Dizziness.
• Sudden hunger.
• Confusion.
• Pale skin.
• Numbness in mouth or tongue.
• Irritability, nervousness.
• Unsteadiness.
• Nightmares, bad dreams, restless sleep.
• Blurred vision.
• Headaches, seizures.

• Eat small, regular meals
• Have a small snack between meals. You can keep your blood glucose levels within the target range by
  spreading the carbohydrates that you eat evenly throughout the day.
• Reduce the amount of fats, salt and sugary foods in your diet.
• Eat more foods that are high in fibre, including wholegrain products.
• Match your mealtimes to your medication timings.

If you choose your food wisely, you may be able to cut down your diabetes medications. Eating regularly and
healthily is the key to good diabetes control.

About 70% of women with PCOD have peripheral insulin resistance. The pancreas produces insulin, which is a hormone to help the body use sugar from foods for energy. Due to insulin resistance the cells can’t use insulin properly and the body’s demand for insulin increases. To compensate, the pancreas makes more insulin.

Factors of Insulin Resistance:

• Insulin resistance as a result of genetic factors
• Insulin resistance as a result of being overweight (related to diet and inactivity)
• A combination of both of these factors.

Sometimes, a higher weight may worsen insulin resistance and the symptoms of polycystic ovarian syndrome.Some women with PCOD report that they had never experienced symptoms such as menstrual irregularity or excessive hair growth and are a healthy weight. However, these symptoms only appear once they gain weight.

While many lifestyle recommendations are suggested for those women suffering from PCOD, you are encouraged to follow a PCOD diet with low fat,moderate carbohydrates and high fiber content. This would prevent any sudden upsurge in your blood sugar levels and help you keep a check on your weight. Foods that may be included are

• Natural, unprocessed food
• Spinach, kale and other leafy vegetables
• Foods high in fiber
• Broccoli and cauliflower
• Nuts and legumes
• Fish
• Whole grain
• Low-fat dairy

One or two days before a migraine, you might notice subtle changes that warn of an upcoming migraine,
including:

• Constipation
• Mood changes, from depression to euphoria
• Food cravings
• Neck stiffness
• Increased urination
• Fluid retention
• Frequent yawning

For some people, an aura might occur before or during migraines. Auras are reversible symptoms of the nervous system. They’re usually visual but can also include other disturbances. Each symptom usually begins gradually, builds up over several minutes and can last up to 60 minutes.

Examples of migraine auras include:

• Visual phenomena, such as seeing various shapes, bright spots or flashes of light
• Vision loss
• Pins and needles sensations in an arm or leg
• Weakness or numbness in the face or one side of the body
• Difficulty speaking

A migraine usually lasts from 4 to 72 hours if untreated. How often migraines occur varies from person to person. Migraines might occur rarely or strike several times a month.

During a migraine, you might have:

• Pain usually on one side of your head, but often on both sides
• Pain that throbs or pulses
• Sensitivity to light, sound, and sometimes smell and touch
• Nausea and vomiting

There are a number of migraine triggers, including:

• Hormonal changes in women. Fluctuations in estrogen, such as before or during menstrual periods, pregnancy and menopause, seem to trigger headaches in many women. Hormonal medications, such as oral contraceptives, also can worsen migraines. Some women, however, find that their migraines occur less often when taking these medications.
• Drinks. These include alcohol, especially wine, and too much caffeine, such as coffee.
• Stress. Stress at work or home can cause migraines.
• Sensory stimuli. Bright or flashing lights can induce migraines, as can loud sounds. Strong smells — such as perfume, paint thinner, second hand smoke and others — trigger migraines in some people.
• Sleep changes. Missing sleep or getting too much sleep can trigger migraines in some people.
• Physical factors. Intense physical exertion, including sexual activity, might provoke migraines.
• Weather changes. A change of weather or barometric pressure can prompt a migraine.
• Medications. Oral contraceptives and vasodilators, such as nitroglycerin, can aggravate migraines.
• Foods. Aged cheeses and salty and processed foods might trigger migraines. So might skipping meals
• Food additives. These include the sweetener aspartame and the preservative monosodium glutamate (MSG), found in many foods.

• No caffeine
• Don’t skip meals
• Limit caffeine
• Stay hydrated
• Do not eat food with MSG
• Include Omega 3 fatty acid in your diet
• Stick to fresh foods

• Heartburn : a burning pain or discomfort that may move from your stomach to your abdomen or chest, or even up into your throat
• Regurgitation: a sour or bitter-tasting acid backing up into your throat

Other symptoms of acid reflux disease include:

• Bloating
• Bloody or black stools or bloody vomiting
• Burping
• Dysphagia – the sensation of food being stuck in your throat
• Hiccups that don’t let up
• Nausea
• Weight loss for no known reason
• Wheezing, dry cough, hoarseness, or chronic sore throat.

Modifying your diet is the easiest and most effective way to avoid reflux. Eating less acidic and more alkaline food helps reduce the backflow of acid into your oesophagus. Alkaline foods that neutralise the acidic contents of your stomach also numb the effect of a reflux. These foods include:

• Most vegetables (green or otherwise), including spinach, fenugreek, okra, cucumber, beetroot, carrot, broccoli, cabbage, coriander, cauliflower, sweet potato, eggplant, onion, peas, pumpkin and radish
• Most fruits, especially bananas, apples, watermelon, figs and pomegranate
• Unsweetened yogurt
• Beans, including green beans, navy beans, broad beans, moong bean sprouts, lima beans, pinto beans and lentils
• Nuts and seeds, such as almonds, pumpkin seeds, flax seeds, sesame seeds and sunflower seeds

To incorporate more acid-reducing foods into your diet, bring colourful, nutritious green salads to work as a meal accompaniment or a stand-alone snack, and keep a small jar of seeds at your desk to eat in small doses. Swap your greasy dessert dish for a healthy cup of yogurt with fruit, especially in the summers. Add a pulse or legume dish, such as the conventional daal or contemporary sprouts salad, to your meal.