A Life Of Service, A Body Under Strain: MK Muneer On Living With Diabetes

There is an honesty that comes when a person looks back at his life from the edge of illness. Dr. M.K. Muneer, a politician social worker, singer and poet from Kerala who has spent decades in public service, speaks from that place. He says, without trying to soften it, that in serving others, he forgot to take care of himself. And that, he believes, is what made him a patient. For the past 33 years, he has been living with diabetes. He was only 30 when it first entered his life. In one sense, it was not unexpected. The illness had already been written into his family story. His father, C.H. Mohammed Koya, his mother, his sister, and his uncle all lived with diabetes. The seeds were there. But inheritance alone does not tell the full story. What grows from those seeds depends greatly on how one lives.

Political Lifestyle

In his case, lifestyle became the force that allowed the illness to deepen. He reflects, “Diabetes is not merely a condition of the body; it is also a condition shaped by the rhythms of daily life.” For someone in politics, those rhythms are rarely stable. A political life does not follow the natural order that the body needs. Meals are irregular. Sleep is often sacrificed. Stress becomes a constant companion. Even with the best intentions, it becomes difficult to maintain discipline. He admits that no matter how much one plans, once you step into the demands of public service, control over personal health begins to slip. Food habits become erratic. Sleep shortens. The body, deprived of balance, begins to falter.

Over time, this loss of rhythm made it harder for treatment to keep the disease in check. There is a hard truth MK Muneer shares: “Once diabetes takes hold, it does not leave. It stays for life. The only path available is not to defeat it completely, but to manage it with consistent and disciplined living.”

He believes that if he had not been in politics, he might have been able to maintain that discipline better. It is not said with regret alone, but with clarity.

Treatment And Therapy

His treatment has been centered on insulin therapy, which he continues to follow. Apart from occasional Ayurvedic treatments for neuropathy, he has largely depended on allopathic medicine. He acknowledges that modern medicine has made great progress in many fields, yet in the case of diabetes, the progress feels limited. Management has improved, but a complete solution remains out of reach. At the same time, he expresses confidence in the quality of care available in Kerala. He believes that the state offers some of the best treatment options in the world, and that there is no need to travel abroad for diabetes care. However, for complications like neuropathy, he has sought treatment outside. Even then, the results have been modest.

There was a time when his nerves weakened to a point where recovery seemed almost impossible. Therapies have helped him regain some movement, but not fully. Physiotherapy continues to be part of his life, allowing him to walk, even if only with some difficulty.
“Diabetic neuropathy,” he explains, “is one of the most serious complications of long-term high blood sugar. It damages the nerves, especially in the hands and feet, leading to numbness, pain, and tingling sensations. Nearly half of all people with diabetes may experience this condition. Yet it is not beyond prevention or management. Careful control of blood sugar and thoughtful changes in lifestyle can make a significant difference.”

Here, his message becomes simple, almost like a set of instructions for living well. He emphasizes that food habits are the foundation. If discipline in eating is lost, it is very difficult to regain. Time and regularity matter. Overeating must be avoided. Moderation is essential. Sleep, too, must be respected. The body needs rest, and at least eight hours of good sleep should be the goal. Then there is exercise. Without it, the body loses its resilience. If these three (food, sleep, and movement) are made part of daily life, much can be prevented. Illness may still come, because life is uncertain, but its impact can be reduced.

Prevention Trumps Everything
He speaks from experience when he says that falling ill at a young age is particularly difficult. When disease comes with age, it is often accepted as part of life’s natural course. But when it arrives early, it feels like an interruption, something harder to bear. That is why he urges people to take precautions early. Prevention is not something to be postponed. Looking back, he admits that despite being an artist at heart, his role as a politician did not allow him the space to care for his health as he should have. He sees this as one of his greatest failures; not in a harsh or self-condemning way, but as a recognition of imbalance.

Even now, he remains active in public life. For him, politics is not limited to elections or parliamentary roles. “True political work,” he believes, “lies beyond these structures: in continuous engagement with people, in service that does not end with a term or a position.” He acknowledges that those in formal political roles have limits, but there are many who continue to work among the people without such boundaries. He is clear about his own path. He will continue his work as long as he is able, as long as life allows him breath. Serving people, for him, is not a duty that can be retired from. Yet, the early arrival of diabetes remains his one enduring pain.

Also read:

1. Does Rice Really Spike Blood Sugar? A Doctor Answers The Question On Every Rice Lover's Mind
2. 'Diabetic Retinopathy Is Not Reversible. Treatment And Early Detection Can Control And Slow Progression': Dr. Chaitra Jayadev, Renowned Eye Specialist
3. Diabetes Treatment After 65: Study Finds Newer Meds May Be Safer For The Elderly
4. Nearly 1 In Every 3 Indians Is At Risk Of Diabetes, With Andhra Pradesh At Highest Risk Of 56.9%: Report