what you must know about diabetes
TRANSCRIPT
What You Must Know About Diabetes
Diabetes Mellitus is a disease in which the pancreas produces little or no insulin, a hormone
that helps the body’s tissues absorb glucose (sugar) so it can be used as a source of energy.
The condition may also develop if muscle, fat, and liver cells respond poorly to insulin. In people with diabetes, glucose levels build up in the blood and urine, causing
excessive urination, thirst, hunger, and problems with fat and protein metabolism. Diabetes mellitus differs from the less common diabetes insipidus, which is caused by
lack of the hormone vasopressin that controls the amount of urine secreted.
Diabetes is most common in adults over 45 years of age; in people who are overweight or physically inactive; in individuals who have an immediate family member with diabetes; and in people of African, Hispanic, and Native American descent. The highest rate of diabetes in the
world occurs in Native Americans. More women than men have been diagnosed with the disease.
There are two types of diabetes. In type 1 diabetes, which usually starts in childhood, the pancreas stops making insulin altogether. It is also called insulin-dependent diabetes. In type 2 diabetes, which starts in adulthood (and in some
teenagers) the body still makes some insulin. But it doesn’t make enough insulin, or the body can’t use it properly. It is also called non-insulin-dependent diabetes.
Diabetes is detected by measuring the amount of glucose in the blood after an individual has fasted (abstained from food) for about eight hours. In some
cases, physicians diagnose diabetes by administering an oral glucose tolerance test, which measures glucose levels before and after a specific
amount of sugar has been ingested. Another test being developed for Type 1 diabetes looks for specific antibodies (proteins of the immune system that attack foreign substances) present only in persons with diabetes. This test
may detect Type 1 diabetes at an early stage, reducing the risk of complications from the disease.
• Once diabetes is diagnosed, treatment consists of controlling the amount of glucose in the blood and preventing complications. Depending on the type of diabetes, this can be accomplished through regular physical exercise, a carefully controlled diet, and medication.
Individuals with Type 1 diabetes require insulin injections, often two to four times a day, to provide the body with the insulin it does not produce. The amount of insulin
needed varies from person to person and may be influenced by factors such as a persons level of physical activity, diet, and the presence of other health disorders.
Typically, individuals with Type 1 diabetes use a meter several times a day to measure the level of glucose in a drop of their blood obtained by pricking a fingertip. They can
then adjust the amount of insulin injected, physical exercise, or food intake to maintain the blood sugar at a normal level. People with Type 1 diabetes must carefully
control their diets by distributing meals and snacks throughout the day so as not to overwhelm the ability of the insulin supply to help cells absorb glucose. They also
need to eat foods that contain complex sugars, which break down slowly and cause a slower rise in blood sugar levels.
For persons with Type 2 diabetes, treatment begins with diet control, exercise, and weight reduction, although over time this treatment may not be adequate. People with Type 2 diabetes typically work with nutritionists to formulate a diet plan that regulates blood sugar levels so that they do not rise too swiftly after a meal. A recommended meal is usually low in fat (30 percent or less of total calories), provides moderate protein (10 to 20 percent of total calories), and contains
a variety of carbohydrates, such as beans, vegetables, and grains. Regular exercise helps body cells absorb glucose even ten minutes of exercise a day can be effective. Diet control and exercise may also play a role in weight reduction, which appears to partially reverse the body’s inability to
use insulin
5 Ways to Manage your Diet for Diabetes
Since my diagnosis with diabetes at the age of eleven, my own diet has changed dramatically. I maintain my current healthy weight with a great diet/eating plan. If you do plan on losing more
than about a stone in weight then I would visit your doctor for more tips on how to do this without risk.
I’ve had diabetes for seven years now, but to tell you that how I maintain weight is perfect would be totally wrong of me. However, I can advise you to follow my steps because I know what works
and what doesn’t. Before I really begin I must also say that I have been brought up by great parents who taught me to eat everything, and so I do! If there is something that you don’t like,
there are loads of other diabetic recipes and ideas that you will eat and appreciate.
I am a university student and I like to buy fresh and organic produce from where I live. I believe that this is important because it can be the most good for your body and
contain more nutrients and vitamins than most supermarket produce. I like to source food from my fortnightly farmers market in town, which sells amazing meat and dairy produce and fresh in season fruit and vegetables. This is another important thing to remember, that eating fruit and vegetables in their season means that they will taste
better as well as doing you good. I have a lot of influence from Western European cuisine (mainly France and Italy) as you will tell, but I do not profess to be a chef and
everything is easy to make and very convenient.
I have read countless diet books and diabetic recipe/diet books, and I came to a conclusion that I think really works. I fused all the good things from the diets (but not from every diet) and sort of put together my own one. I call this my Juvenile Diabetes
Healthy Diet!
The “rules” that I would lay down are as follows:
• 1. Cut back on snacks and then change the type of snacks you eat.Certainly my biggest downfall although it wasn’t really apparent to me. When I first started at University, I had little or no routine which meant that filling my day was difficult and popping into the kitchen for a snack, no matter how healthy it felt, was a regular occurrence. This is one of the hardest things to do for some people, but establishing a great routine is essential to great diabetes care. The types of snacks to be eating are unsalted nuts, dried unsweetened fruit, fresh fruit, fresh vegetables (I love fresh red pepper and cucumber), dark chocolate (richer and nicer and you only want 2 squares usually).
2. Cut back on white flour and embrace whole meal carbs.This is the most essential part of your diet, and the thing that can show the biggest increase in loss of weight. Some diets in fact just focus on this point, and are very successful. Whole meal (especially stoneground whole meal) is
so good for you and has so much more flavor in it that switching is much easier than you think. Most people are really surprised at the ranges you can get in you supermarket, again remember that the bread that is best for you is
the one that is freshest with least preservatives or added ingredients. Also, brown or basmati rice is great with a lovely nutty texture. Whole meal pasta is
great and for your potatoes I would totally recommend the smaller new potatoes.
3. Stop drinking cocktails, start drinking wine.Cocktails are full of sugar, colorants and preservatives. As a student I have had loads of
practice at going out and not drinking cocktails, so my drink of choice is Malibu and Diet Coke if I feel I have to drink something and I make it last all night. I can then top
up with Diet Coke (which has almost no sugar in it) and it looks as though I am drinking Malibu, who is to know. If you are out at a restaurant, red wine is much better than
anything else you can order, (except water of course!) and it has been proven that the anti-oxidants in red wine are great for keeping a healthy heart. The recommended
amount is one glass a day with your evening meal.
4. Start cooking more fruit and vegetables.Fresh fruit and vegetables are a great way to get all the vitamins and minerals you need. And there are so many different ways in which to cook vegetables, but I find that raw is the best followed closely by steamed. Both of these ways preserve all their natural goodness as well. I will follow this post with another
diabetes recipes post.
5. Drink more water.I know you have heard people say this many times before, but the benefits of
drinking more water are endless. A few tips on how to get more water into your day are firstly to put bottles of water at all the places you go in the
house or work. So keep one in your desk, on your desk, a glass in the kitchen, the bedroom, the sitting room, etc. Try and drink all these glasses up and you
will be well on your way to 8 glasses a day. The trick is to add a glass every few days or so, if you try to drink all that water in one go you won’t be so
inclined to drink 8 glasses again, trust me! Have a go, it’s amazing how great you will feel.
