Diabetes

Diabetes is on increase probably because of people living longer, getting fatter and leading increasingly inactive lifestyle. The disease has become rampant as a result of traditional diets being abandoned for processed and junk food and people getting less exercise. Type 1 Diabetes Also known as insulin-dependent or immune-mediated diabetes, it is a disease that destroys the cells in the pancreas that produce the harmone insulin. Insulin in needed to control the blood sugar levels. Type 1 Sufferers Who typically develop the condition that the body in unable to produce insulin at all. The need to boost their insulin levels either by regular injection or by wearing a pump which dispenses the insulin under the skin. Without sufficient insulin glucose is unable to enter the body Type 1 Symptoms High level of sugar in blood and urine; frequent urination, extreme hunger and thrist, weight loss, weakness, nausea and vomiting. ------------------------------- ------------------------------------------ ------------------------------------Type 2 Diabetes This is noninsulin dependent diabetics. This is the most common form of diabetics. It usually occurs in people over 45 and who are overweight. It is often managed by engaging in exercise and modifying ones diet. Dance-like exercise or aerobics help to curb type 2 diabetics. Type 2 Sufferers Type 2 suffers do not make sufficient insulin, or are unable to make proper use of it. Without enough insulin, the body cannot move blood sugar into the cells. Sugar builds up in the bloodstream and causes health problems. Type 2 Symptoms Most people who get it have increased thirst and increased need to urinate. Many feel tired and irritable. Some people have increased appetite but they lose weight.

Do you know that carbohydrates are the major culprit of diabetes, increased triglyceride levels and cholesterol level? Let us understand how. There are two aspects of carbohydrates, quantity and quality. In Indian diet context the quality has to be addressed and understood. Carbohydrates are the best source of energy giving fuels to our body. The problem arises when we overdo the quantity and undermine the quality. This results in abdominal obesity,

elevated blood sugar levels, increased cholesterol and increased risk to diabetes coupled with heart disease The quality of carbohydrates relates to the Glycemic Response (rise in the bood sugar) produced on consuming a defined amount of carbohydrates at a given time. It is high for simple carbohydrates like sugars as they get absorbed quickly, but within a purview of complex carbohydrates it varies from food to food. For instance, two slices of bread (small), one medium size chappati, one small katori of boiled rice, one medium sized potato, bajra roti and one medium katori dal contain 20 gms of carbohydrates, BUT the glycemic response is highest for bread, followed by potato, rice, chapatti and bajra roti. The least is for dal. Why is glycemic response of a meal important? Large quantity of high glycemic index carbohydrates favour hyperinsulinemia (increased insulin levels) in our body. This unhealthy state of our body over a period of time makes the insulin inefficient. This is technically called as Insulin resistance. The outcome is the insulin starts converting carbohydrates consumed in fats, leading to rise in our trigylcerides. Besides, there is an evident increase in the waist circumference and an increased risk of Type 2 diabetics. Type 2 diabetics usually takes hold in adulthood. Can cause conditions ranging from kidney failure, to blindness and heart disease. The liver does not produce enough insulin or becomes resistant to insulin, which controls blood sugar levels. The most common cause of Type 2 diabetics is obesity caused due to poor diet and lack of exercise. Also the rise in the triglycerides means an increase in your Very High Low Density Lipoprotein (VHLDL) levels which gets converted to the Low Density Lipoprotein (LDL) or in other words increase in your bad cholesterol levels. When the increased LDL in your bood in coupled with poor quality life style, it becomes atherogenic or prone to coronary problems and your risk to heart diseases increases.

How to decrease the glycemic response to the meal? Emphasise on good amount of vegetables (fibrous, leafy, plus pulses, beans, lady fingers, gavar etc.) in each meal. In both, mildly cooked and raw form as they are loaded with soluble and insoluble fibre that blunts the glycemic response Avoid vegetables like beetroot, carrots as they have high glycemic index. Do not overdo with fruits and fruit juices. Keep the number to three servings as an upper limit Increase the quantum for vegetables rather than fruits. Consume fruits with peels. Incorporate oil seeds like flax, methi and nuts in restricted amounts on a regular basis. Consume coarse cereals like bajra, jowar, maize atleast in one major meal. Pasta made out of durum wheat (hard wheat) has a low glucemic response. Combine white flour with a pulse flour like a thepla, thalipeeth, or support a cereal intake with pulse intake in a meal to achieve the blunting effect. Consume pulses, sprouts and dals every day in the main meals. Increase the quantum consumed with a subsequent decrease in cereal (rice/chappati/bread) intake.

Make curds and milk an important part of the meal, they have low gyclemic response. Opt for low fat options. Do not overdo on fermented food preparation like dhokla and idlis, even though they are steamed. Fermented batter converts complex sugars to simple and increases the glycemic response. A bowl of slow cooking oatmeal topped with walnut, raisins, flax seeds or sunflower seeds with tea or coffee. This meal is a nutritional power-house. Fibre and protein help slow down the digestive process keeping your blood sugar steady. Flaxseed and walnuts are a excellent source of omega-3 fatty acids which lowers the LDL (bad) cholesterol reducing the risk of heart disease.