Hyderabad: With Ganesh Chaturthi round the corner, the festival season has officially started. It means fun, family and friends. Puja will be done, prasadam distributed and sweets exchanged. Sweets, friends and good food are an integral part of the season and something everyone looks forward to.

However, not everyone gets to enjoy them the same. Those suffering from diabetics or watching their sugar intake have to take extra precautions to keep their blood sugar levels stable. No matter how much they avoid eating more or taking second helpings, it is more than the regular intake. This leads to increase in average blood sugar levels. The spikes are higher during the Pooja timings or immediately after that.

Research shows that the average blood sugar levels increase during the festival season. This is especially harmful for diabetics who need to keep their blood sugar as stable as possible. The changes in regular schedules and physical activities and delays in taking medicines adds to the same.

Azista Industries has recently launched the “Festivals Are for Diabetics Too” initiative. As part of this, they are distributing free boxes of Taste Good, India’s first Karela biscuit at parks, jogger tracks and related areas. Taste Good contains Karela flakes as its active ingredient with each biscuit containing the goodness of 20 gm of Karela. “Technology have brought goodness of Karela into the biscuits”. Having them twice a day as mid meal snack helps maintain blood sugar levels and avoid fluctuations in the same – something World Health Organisation suggests for all diabetics.

This activity was conducted over Sunday during morning at KBR park. The team explained the benefits of physical exercise and healthy eating habits to combat problems related to blood sugar levels. A reminder was shared with people to be extra mindful of their medicine timings and dosages during festival times.

Azista team also explained to people that even healthy changes in dietary habit, such as eating Taste Good biscuits as snack between meals, is not a replacement for medicines. Such improvements help maintain the blood sugar better and should be taken alongside the regular medicines.

A large crowd turnout was seen where people clarified their doubts. Seeing the positive response and eagerness among people to switch to healthier habits, Taste Good team shall keep on conducting such campaigns. A booklet containing Ganesh Chaturthi vratham vidhi was also distributed to the participants.