Fighting Diabetes with Interesting Foods
Persistently elevated levels of blood-glucose (a type of sugar) or Hyperglycemia, as it is termed, is the fundamental defect in a patient having Diabetes, be it Type 1 or Type 2. The human body is endowed with various hormones which maintain the normal levels of sugars circulating in our blood. The most important of these being a hormone called Insulin, which is produced by the Pancreas.
When there is inadequate production (Type 1) or incomplete utilization (Type 2) of this Insulin, blood glucose levels start remaining elevated continuously and eventually start damaging other organs receiving this excess glucose. This makes it necessary to bring the elevated levels back within the normal limits and prevent complications like blindness and heart attacks.
Diabetes is now a pandemic. Pandemic simply means that just like Swine flu or AIDS or high blood-pressure, the entire world’s population has been affected by it in significantly large proportions and is continuing to grow. According to the latest surveys conducted by the WHO, around 246 million people have been affected by diabetes all over the world and that figure is expected to reach to a whopping 380 million by 2025. As per 2007 statistics, the three countries with the largest diabetic population are India-40.9 million; China-39.8 million; and last but not the least USA-19.2 million.
The bad news is that every year diabetes claims the lives of another 3.8 million people globally. Every 10th second witnesses a death due to diabetes-related complications. 2 new people are added to the list of diabetics every 10th second. These are some very disheartening and spirit-dampening truths. The enormous elevation in the prevalence of diabetics is expected to occur due to unhealthy diet, lack of exercise, obesity and a sedentary lifestyle.
Almost 80% of Type 2 Diabetes is easily preventable by simply modifying lifestyle, sticking to a healthy, balanced diet and increasing the daily quota of physical activity. According to the American Diabetes Association, just 30 minutes of a moderately stressful physical activity can reduce diabetes by a sharp 58%. In a study conducted for people who are aged 60 and above, lifestyle changes helped cut down diabetes by a whole 71%.
Thus, the key to prevention of diabetes and delaying diabetes-related complications is to immediately change lifestyle and adopt healthier versions, maintain a body weight which is ideal for the height by various exercise routines and physical activities and most important of all-eat a healthy diet which helps to heal diabetes. To do this one must understand the factors which lead to an increased risk of acquiring diabetes and factors which speed the rate of complications that develop further on.
Thus foods which reduce cardiovascular risk, reduce and help maintain lower cholesterol levels, reduce blood pressure, are low in carbohydrates and fats and most importantly, have a low Glycemic Index (GI) should be beneficial.
Glycaemic Index is the amount of elevation of sugar that a food-product causes on consumption. Those foods which cause the sugar to rise more rapidly have a higher index and are rated from 0 to 100, 0 causing no rise and 100 causing the most rapid rise. An index of 55 or lower is considered low, while 70 and above is said to be high. Quality and not quantity eating is the basic mantra of a low GI diet. Eating foods which have a low GI but make you feel fuller in lesser quantities is the essence. Below is a list of foods which do the trick without making a person feel starved.
1. Artichokes – These not only help stabilize your blood sugar, but also lower cholesterol and protect your heart.
2. Apricots – These battle diabetes by helping maintain low cholesterol levels and blood-pressure.
3. Bananas – These high iron fruits help you maintain low blood pressure, thereby reducing your cardiovascular risk. Considering the fact that cardiovascular risk causes more than 50% mortalities in diabetes, it’s definitely worth it.
4. Beans – These are the most wonderful little things that one can consume to keep their blood sugars in check. They are not only highly nutritious because of their high protein content but also have low GI, making them a compulsory in every diabetic’s diet plan.
5. Blueberries – These berries are great in stabilizing glucose levels.
6. Cantaloupe – This helps lower bad cholesterol which in effect reduces all cardiac complications associated with diabetes.
7. Chestnuts – These nuts, like all others from the family of nuts, help lower cholesterol, control blood pressure and protect you heart.
8. Figs – These are great in controlling elevated cholesterol and blood pressure levels.
9. Flax – This is a great guard against diabetes.
10. Garlic – These pungent tubers are high not only on the taste-meter but also great in combating bad cholesterol and elevated blood pressure.
11. Grapefruit – This guards against heart attacks by effectively lowering cholesterol.
12. Oats – These are the most important food products if a diabetic plans to control sugar levels. These not only have a very low GI but also fulfill the body’s nutritional requirements. They also help in lowering cholesterol and reducing heart related mortality. They make a great breakfast and munching snack.
13. Olive oil – Despite being an oil, it is the one which could help to battle diabetes, keep cholesterol in check and protect your heart.
14. Rice – This cereal, despite being rich in starch is low in GI and thus a great source of energy and satiety minus the side-effects in every meal.
15. Walnuts – These are wrongly thought to increase cholesterol while they not only reduce cholesterol but could also help you lose weight.
16. Whole wheat products – These are low in GI and high in satiety and fullness and are regarded as ‘smart-carbs’. An addition one must have in the diet to achieve weight loss and have a good control over sugars.
Now, with these foods, you can surely combat diabetes. Remember, it may be tough to include some of them in your diet initially, but once you do, you should benefit from them. A little effort on your part can certainly help you lead a healthier life.
-Dr. Rachita Narsaria
November 13th, 2009 at 10:47 pm
This is not always true. My diet was close to perfect; I ate tons of these foods listed; never drank soda; had very little sugar; add fresh greens and fruits, every day, and I still came down with diabetes 2. My doctor said it was extreme stress and over working my adrenal glands.