Diabetes is a condition where the blood sugar level is higher than normal. The two main types are Type 1 or insulin-dependent diabetes which is usually seen in young people or Type 2 diabetes – usually non insulin-dependent diabetes. This type tends to affect adults over 40 and overweight people. There are other rarer forms of diabetes e.g. pregnancy diabetes and this usually disappears after the birth. If you get gestational diabetes, you have an increased risk of developing one of the main types of diabetes later in life.
There are currently 2.3 million people with diabetes in the UK. However, it’s estimated that more than half a million people have the condition but are unaware of it. The last 30 years has seen a threefold increase in the number of cases of childhood diabetes.Obesity levels have also risen and this has led to Type 2 diabetes, which is linked to diet, being seen for the first time in young people in Europe and America.
It’s thought Type 2 diabetes is related to factors associated with a Western lifestyle, since it’s most common in people who are overweight and who don’t get enough exercise. People with type 2 diabetes often cannot perceive sweet tastes. This abnormality may play an important role in how individuals with diabetes perceive the taste of their food and also in how well they comply with the dietary aspects of treatment. Because our society is addicted to sugar this distorted taste perception is very common among the population in general. The following test can detect an impaired ability to taste a sweet substance.
Do not consume coffee, tea, sugary drinks or sweets for one hour before the test. Fill 7 identical glasses with 8 ounces of water each and label the glasses as having no sugar, ¼ tsp sugar, ½ tsp sugar, 1 tsp sugar, 1 ½ tsps sugar, 2 and 3 tsps of sugar. Label the glasses and ask someone else to rearrange the order and hide the labels. Take a straw and sip from each glass and write down the amount of sugar you think it contains. Between sips rinse your mouth out with water. Healthy people generally notice a sweet taste when a tsp or less is added to 8 ounces of water. By contrast people with adult on set diabetes usually do not notice the sweetness until 1 ½ to 2 tsps of sugar have been added to the water.
Nutrition as always plays a key part in preventing diabetes and controlling the symptoms if you do have it. The following tips may help in balancing your blood sugar in Type 2 diabetes.
1) Try to maintain and GI or GL diet, enabling the blood sugar to stabilise throughout the day. The glycemic index is the measure of the power of food to raise blood sugar after being eaten. For weight loss and balanced blood sugar you should aim to eat foods that are low GI or medium GI and avoid foods that are high GI. Always combine protein and carbohydrate foods together, which will enable a slower release of sugar into the bloodstream. All foods that raise blood sugar too quickly should be avoided. So called healthy dried fruit, like apricots raisins etc raise the blood sugar too quickly. If it gets too confusing it may be worth getting a simple book with a GI index of low GI foods that are safe too eat. If you would like a list of foods please email me on katenut@aol.com.
2) Eat oats for breakfast and snack on rough oat cakes. Oats contain a powerful anti-diabetic nutrient called beta-glucan. Try a bowl of porridge in the morning with berries, pears or apples every other day.
3) Follow a low fat – high fibre diet including plenty of raw fruits and vegetables. This reduces the need for insulin and lowers the level of fats in the blood. Fibre also helps to reduce blood sugar surges.
4) Avoid saturated fat (pork, cheese etc) and simple sugars (honey, glucose, maple syrup etc).
5) Eat little and often (every 3 hours is a good goal)and check blood sugar levels regularly or as directed by your GP.
6) Cut out coffee, tea, fizzy drinks, alcohol and cigarettes, chocolate, processed foods, white flour, white pasta, white bread etc.
7) Sprinkle half a teaspoon of cinnamon on your food daily (contains a polyphenol called MHCP which mimics insulin).
Other foods with anti-diabetic qualities inc. Buckwheat, green tea, cherries, plums, apples, berries, chickpeas, lentils, oats, pears and plums.
9) Unless in a hypo situation, avoid very sweet fruits, like dates, bananas, raisins, melon and dried fruit.
10) Drink 1.5 litres of pure filtered water if possible throughout the day.
11) Remember that often people with type 2 cannot perceive sweet tastes
(see above test).
12) Exercise every day for at least 30 minutes.
Supplements to consider
- Chromium – 400mcg daily This improves insulin’s efficiency which lowers blood sugar levels. Do not self medicate this yourself and get professional guidance. Do not use in type 1 diabetes.
- Aged Kyolic Garlic – 100-300mg daily. This helps decrease and stabilize blood sugar, enhances immunity and improves circulation.
- Vitamin B – 25mg daily complex – improves the metabolism of glucose and is important for circulation and the prevention of atherosclerosis. Do not take more than 50mg daily as certain B vitamins can inactivate insulin.
- Zinc 15-20mg daily – a deficiency has been associated with diabetes.
- Magnesium – 200mg daily – this is important for enzyme systems and ph balance. It protects against artery spasm in arteriosclerosis and increases energy levels. Low readings are often found in people with diabetes and are associated with the complications of eye disease.
- Psyllium – a good source of soluble fibre which helps stabilise blood sugar. Take ½ tbsp in water at night.
Most people I see in my clinic have Type 2 diabetes and are on metformin. Often with a strict diet regime some patients can get off metformin and get their diabetes under control with diet and exercise. This only happens however if the diabetes is mild. Metformin is used to help control blood sugar levels in people with NIDDM (non insulin dependent diabetes.) As they have a deficiency of insulin, which is the main hormone responsible for the control of sugar in the blood the pancreas does not produce sufficient levels. Insulin would normally make the cells remove sugar from the blood hence in type 2 diabetes the blood sugar levels can rise too high. If you would like help with your diabetes I run a clinic on a Tuesday.
For further information please call Kate on 01323 737814/722499. Email katenut@aol.com or go to www.katearnoldnutrition.co.uk for more information.
