Diabetes is a condition in which the body fails to produce enough insulin. Insulin is the hormone that controls the level of sugar in our blood. Although we need some sugar in our blood, if it is allowed to rise too high, it can become dangerous. Diabetes can occur at any age and no one really knows what causes it.
Even with insulin injections and checking blood sugar levels several times daily, it can still be erratic. A low GI diet can be hugely helpful.
More than 2 million people in the UK are known to suffer from diabetes and there are an estimated one million people in the UK who have diabetes but don't know it. In Australia around 1.2 million people have diabetes although it is estimated that half of them don't know it. In the United States 20.8 million people or 7% of the population have diabetes. Around 20% don't know it. More than 2.6 million South Africans have diabetes and about 40% don't know it.
The main symptoms of diabetes are: - increased thirst - Frequent urinating, especially at night - Extreme tiredness - Unexplained weight loss - Regular urinary tract infections or episodes of thrush - Blurred vision
Type 1 diabetes usually occurs in people under 40 and means that their bodies cannot produce any insulin at all, so they need to take regular injections of insulin to control their blood sugar. People with Type 2 diabetes can usually make some insulin, but not enough. Often called "Adult Onset" diabetes, it is more common in older people and is often linked to being overweight. For people with Type 2 diabetes, losing weight and changing their diet can sometimes be enough to control blood sugar levels. Some people may still require tablets.
The advice for people with diabetes is very similar to the healthy eating recommended for all of us. - Choose wholegrain cereals (brown rice, wholegrain or granary bread) - Eat at least on low GI carbohydrate at each meal - Reduce your intake of saturated fats and salts - Eat oil-rich fish such as salmon or fresh tuna, twice a week. - Although not forbidden on a diabetic diet, people with diabetes should avoid concentrated sugar. For example, you can have a little bit of marmalade or jam on toast or to use small amounts of sugar in cooking, avoid foods that contain lots of sugar and drink tea and coffee without it.
Lizette le Clus-Fox is an ardent advocate for a holistic approach to health and runs www.wellnessthoughts.com and her ezine Wellness Thoughts provides regular in-depth information. To learn more about holistic health visit her web site today!
Contact the author, Lizette Le Clus-Fox
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