Diet is fundamental in the treatment of the two main types of diabetes; type 1 and type 2, carbohydrates (carbs) are our main source of glucose for energy.
Foods that contain carbs also provide essential nutrients for good health. All the carbs we eat and drink are broken into glucose which helps our brain and nervous system to function properly.
The amount of carbohydrate eaten determines the rise in blood glucose level, and how quickly the rise will be is dependent on the type of carbohydrate (glycaemic index GI). This is why it is important for people with diabetes to be aware of the sources of carbs in their diet and the amount and type they are eating.
Carbohydrates; there two main types;
Starch: bread, cassava, cereal and grains, yam, sweet potato/potato,rice, fufu, pounded yam, kenkey, plaintain etc; they form the basis of ourmeals but controlling portions at meal times help to better regulate bloodglucose level, however in type 1 diabetes carbohydrate counting is used tobetter match amount of carbs eaten to insulin injected at meal times
Sugars; this can be divided into naturallyoccurring and free (or added sugar)
Naturallyoccurring: examples include those found in fruits (fructose), milk and yoghurt(lactose)
Free (addedsugar): are found in sweets, chocolate, sugary drinks and desserts, otherexamples could be those found in condensed milk
What isGlycaemic Index (GI)
Glycaemic Indexis a rating of how various carbohydrate foods can raise blood levels quickly,moderately or slowly. Different carbohydrate foods are digested at differentrates, the GI rates how quickly each carb containing food and drink makes bloodglucose level rise after eating them. The GI rating is between 1-100, the lowerthe number, the slower the digestion and absorption of the glucose in theblood. Foods that are digested slowly would raise blood glucose at a muchsteadier rate, the slower absorbed carbs are termed; low GI foods examplesinclude most fruits and vegetables, lentils/pulses, wholegrain bread,wholewheat pasta, sweet potato, and high GI foods would include foods likewhite bread, corn flakes or sugar coated or chocolate cereals and sugary drinkslike fruit juices
Research haveshown that choosing these low GI foods can help manage long term blood glucoselevels (HbA1c) in people with diabetes especially in type 2 diabetes. Thesefoods are also better options for general health whether or not you havediabetes. Not all low GI foods are healthy choices though; chocolates and cakesfor example have low GI because of their fat content which slows down thedigestion and absorption of carbohydrate
Type 1Diabetes:
Carb countingis key to management of type 1, this involves matching amount of carbs at mealtime with insulin, this allows for more flexibility. A number of structurededucation programmes are available to teach these essential skills i.e. DAFNE(Dose Adjustment For Normal Eating)
Type 2;
People withtype 2 diabetes do need to be carb aware so portion size control is quiteessential not just for regulating blood glucose levels but also for weight loss(portion size guide for weight loss; aim for half plate to be vegetables/saladand the remaining half plate to be split between protein foods ie meat/fish andhalf for starchy carbs). Weight loss is crucial to the management of bloodglucose in overweight or obese people with type 2 diabetes. Reducing overallcalorie intake and increasing activity levels are the best ways of losingweight healthily and keeping it off for good.
Some healthyeating tips:
What we feed our body determines how it will function, balancing this with spiritual food it needs to be well looked after and treated as the temple of the most high so it can function for His will and purpose
Modupe Peters Bsc(Hons) PG cert RD is a diabetes specialist/freelance dietitian with over 15years experience. She currently works in the NHS and is also one of thedirectors of food for purpose (FFP)
Read the original here:
Help! I have diabetes Part 2 by Modupe Peters - Keep the Faith
