Dr. Preeti Nanda Sibal explains that people with diabetes face a seven-fold increase in severe COVID-19 complications and death. She traces this to chronic inflammation and immune dysfunction, then offers a practical plan: strict blood-glucose control through whole foods, regular exercise, sleep, and stress management. Diabetes is reversible.
Chapters
Good morning, friends. So I am back with our last session talking about COVID and diabetes. So you all know me by now. I am Dr. Preeti Nanda Sibal, your diabetes and obesity reversal expert, and I have good news and bad news for you today. So let me share the good news with you. Good news is that diabetics do not have extra chances of getting infected with COVID And the bad news is that once you get infected, diabetics have 7 times higher chances of complications and death with COVID than a non-diabetic person. So let's understand why this happens, and then we will talk about what we can do to prevent it. So why this happens? Basically, it is not about high sugar as much as about inflammation in our body. So we all know when we are a diabetic, our body is inflamed, and that is when body is not able to counter the infections, right? So let's look at why this happens. So studies have shown that ACE2 inhibitor expression increases in diabetics, right? Which means that there is increased viral load in the pancreas and it destroys the beta cells. Therefore, it complicates diabetes. Studies have also shown that new type 2 diabetics are also increasing because of COVID infection. Again, the phenomena is same. Hyperglycemia happens. Hyperglycemia means you have raised sugar levels. Raised sugar levels activates more ACE2 receptors on the pancreas. That further increases viral load in our pancreas, and more virus kills our beta cells and therefore creates problems, right? The another reason is that free fatty acids increase. So we all know in obese patients, patients who are— who have weight more than they should actually have, right? Free fatty acids increase. Now, why, why this is harmful for us? Our cells need glucose for energy, and we know in diabetes and insulin resistance, cells are not able to take glucose inside, right? We need insulin for our cells to allow glucose to move in. When there is insulin resistance, glucose cannot move inside the cell, and therefore it is high in the blood, and therefore you are diagnosed as diabetic. Now, because of this, what happens? The cells need energy to work. Now, because the cells do not have glucose, they do not have energy, and therefore the lipid molecules break down in free fatty acids. Now what happens when there are free fatty acids in the cell and cells get energy from free fatty acids? The message which goes out is that I am fine, I do not need food, right? Therefore, the cells do not need glucose. They do not send a message to pancreas to release insulin to get glucose. and we experience hyperglycemia, right? This does two things. One, it disrupts the cellular enzymes in the cells. Second, it increases ROS, which are free radicals which cause harm to ourselves, right? So one side, this happens in diabetics. And what's the second mechanism? The second mechanism which happens is it impacts our immune system. It decreases all the good fighter army cells which we have in our body. And which ones are those? I'm sure we all know— macrophages, neutrophils, T helper cells. These all are part of innate immunity and they decrease. And what increases? T17 cells, which are also increased in cancer patients, inflamed patients, they further increase and therefore tilt the immune system to the wrong side, right? And this— and the third reason what happens is there is endothelial binding happens, energy decreases, free fatty acid increases, and ultimately inflammation increases. And studies show that 6.4% higher chances of complications with diabetics and 10% more chances with cardiac diseases, right? Now the question comes, what can we do? So friends, it is very simple, and I think you would have understood by now that high glucose levels create problem, insulin resistance creates problems. So very important thing is keep your sugar levels in control. Make sure that you do not have insulin resistance and work on it. Now sadly, if you have not been keeping your sugar in controlled form till now, it will take few weeks till it gets controlled. So till then, remember, no white flour No sugar, no processed foods. Eat whole foods— your grains, your legumes, your vegetables, your nuts— and it is not difficult. And see how your sugar levels start settling down and get the confidence that COVID will not be able to affect you if you keep your sugar levels balanced. Second, what you can do is please include exercise in your routine. My patients come and say, ma'am, these days we are not able to exercise. And my question is, why? You only need 6 by 3 size of floor to exercise, right? And that's what yoga has taught us. So it is not important that you run or you walk outside. You can do yoga inside, but exercising is a must. Third, breathe properly. Take deep breaths and do positive affirmations when you are breathing. Fourth, do take care of your sleep. Sleep is extremely important, and I've— as I've already told you, even one night of irregular sleep can lead to insulin resistance. Do not take chances. Sleep on time, get up on time, and have good sleep of 7 to 8 hours. And finally, and very, very critical, 95% people or diseases or diabetics get affected by stress. And remember, the biggest pharmacy we have is between our ears. I've already shared this with you. So try and include some habits which can help you stay away from stress. If you need to know more about it, do hear or listen to my YouTube Live which I did yesterday on stress and diabetes. And guys, I wish you a diabetes-free life. Always remember, diabetes is reversible. And the key to reversing diabetes is in your own hands. Thank you and see you again. Bye-bye, all the best. And I loved, enjoyed being with you last 6 days, every day at 11:00 AM. Do write to me, do ask questions, and share it on your Insta post and hashtag 2 of your friends to win your your giveaway: 1 free consultation with me, 1-month Diabetes Reversible Program, and copy of my personally signed book, Cyclic Keto. Thank you and see you.
