Keeping Diabetes At Bay With A Good Diet
It's probably one of the first questions that the doctor hears when he tells a patient that he has diabetes - "Can I get onto a diet that will get rid of it?" Well, sticking to a good diet that cuts out a lot of the sugar and the carbohydrates is certainly a great step if you have been diagnosed with diabetes. Though you may not be able to affect a cure, it will help in keeping the condition under control.
What really happens in diabetes? Without getting too technical, suffice to say that people suffering from this condition have a hard time when it comes to processing starches and sugars. So what happens is that these remain in the bloodstream, pushing up the glucose levels there. The result? Glycemia or excess sugar content in the blood. Both the Type I as well as Type II sufferers go through this and it results in the organs like the liver, kidneys, heart and the circulation in general being affected.
The medication prescribed by the doctor - and he will in most cases - will be to break down, process and get rid of the sugars in the system and this can be insulin or other medication. What he will advise you however, is to supplement this treatment with a diet that is healthy and fit for a diabetic. One cannot just sit back and say that the medication or insulin will take care of everything so you can have a blast where food is concerned. To avoid the pressure put on the system, there will have to be a drastic reduction in the carbohydrate and sugar content and you will have to start eating healthy.
Yes, you need to adhere to what the doctor prescribes and you also need to be disciplined in your food habits. The system will be strained of you tend to binge too often. So this means that you need to familiarize yourself with what you can eat and what you should avoid. This is where the Glycemic Index which came into being in 1981 plays an important role. According to this, you can see what carbohydrates are very bad and what can be tolerated and eaten in moderation. The ones that are very bad are the 'white poisons' like sugar and refined white flour. The ones like brown rice which fall under the category of complex carbohydrates can and should be eaten in moderation.
The Glycemic Index can prove an eye-opener at times - take a look at it and you'll discover that chocolate does not rate high but is in the middle level. What this index does is to give you a clearer picture of how to manage your carbohydrate intake and if you keep that in mind, it will stand you in good stead.
So while a good diet cannot cure, it can certainly control, manage and keep diabetes at bay. Stick to a low carbohydrate-high protein diet and change you eating habits to include healthier foods like vegetables and you will be well on your way to a normal life. So if you've got diabetes, keep that Glycemic Index in front of you.