“I did not want to consult a doctor and start with any medications. But I was under constant pressure from my family to do so. They were also worried about my increasing sugar levels but I asked them to give 3 months time to get a grip on my health even without any medicines.”

Mr Prasanth Baliga is a 48-year-old businessman recently afflicted with the sugar disorder. He is a loving son, brother and husband. Originally from Mangalore, he currently lives in Bangalore with his wife and runs a business there.

Sliding into diabetes

He was not particularly diagnosed with diabetes mellitus by a doctor at a specific point. Mr Baliga has been getting routine tests done for a long time as part of his life because his mother, sister and uncles are diabetic.

“I did not have any symptoms related to diabetes and I had never visited a doctor for it either. I just wanted to monitor my health as I knew about my family history of diabetes so I just went for routine checkups at the lab.”

During one of such routine checkups, his HbA1c came around 6.5 but he did not pay any heed to it at that particular time because he was under the impression that a level below 7.5 is not alarming.

“I used to get full-body tests done almost every 3 months. My HbA1C started to rise when it came around 6.5. In the subsequent months, it went up to 7, then 7.5 and finally to 8. I did not change anything in my lifestyle in those early testing levels.”

Time to wake up

When his HbA1C was around 8 in October 2020, Mr Baliga got alarmed and decided that it was time to start paying attention. His family was pushing him to visit a doctor and consult a specialist for his health but he was adamant about it. He did not want to start on any medications, especially for his sugar control, because he felt that this would lead to a lifetime dependency on these drugs. He wanted to find a natural alternative to control his blood sugar levels.

“I was given many advices about how to reduce my HbA1C. People either told me to consult a doctor or other solutions like ayurvedic, homeopathic etc. But at the end it all involved taking some kind of medicine which I was completely against.”

He asked his family to give him 3 months time to try and work things out his way. He took it upon himself a challenge to control his BSLs by sheer determination and so his quest for looking for a good reliable advisor started.

“I came across the Zyla app through social media and decided to give it a try. I was on the lookout for some way to control my sugar levels through lifestyle anyway so Zyla seemed like a good option. I started my journey by following the lifestyle modification advised by the team to me.”

With the guidance of Zyla, Mr Prashanth started his journey of sugar level control. He had already made some changes in his routine like walking for 1 hour, giving up sugary foods but the professional guidance was lacking. With Zyla, he got the x factor.

“I started walking 1 year ago but did not find that enough to make a change. But with Zyla, I learned to walk the right way at the right time and in the right manner which will have a positive impact on my health. Similarly in other aspects like diet, I was managing some things myself but a professional help was required. Now I have a disciplined routine daily. I am motivated to work upon my health with the right advice each day.”

My support

Mr Baliga has still not started any medications and he has managed to control his BSLs completely through lifestyle modifications under the guidance of zyla and his family’s help.

“I would also like to express my gratitude for my wife, my mother and my sister. They have all been there for me, guiding me through this chronic disorder even when I was adamant about not starting medications. My wife used to tell me various home remedies and gave me several healthy options to keep me fit and fine. She motivated me to do yoga and exercises everyday even when I did not listen because of my busy schedule. I felt supported through each and every step of my journey with their presence.”

Advice to other diabetics

“All I would like to tell other diabetics is that you should have the intent and dedication to achieve your goals. Also do not hesitate to ask for help and seek professional advice. Managing things on your own is good but having some professional support is even better! So have a healthy friend and follow what that healthy friend tells you.”