Type Diabetes
Major Types of Diabetes
Results from the body's failure to produce insulin, the hormone that "unlocks" the cells of the body, allowing glucose to enter and fuel them. It is estimated that 5-10% of Americans who are diagnosed with diabetes have type 1 diabetes.
Results from insulin resistance (a condition in which the body fails to properly use insulin), combined with relative insulin deficiency. Most Americans who are diagnosed with diabetes have type 2 diabetes.
Gestational diabetes affects about 4% of all pregnant women - about 135,000 cases in the United States each year.
Pre-diabetes
Pre-diabetes is a condition that occurs when a person's blood glucose levels are higher than normal but not high enough for a diagnosis of type 2 diabetes. There are 41 million Americans who have pre-diabetes, in addition to the 18.2 million with diabetes.
How to Prevent or Delay Diabetes
Pre-diabetes is a serious medical condition that can be treated. The good news is that the recently completed Diabetes Prevention Program study conclusively showed that people with pre-diabetes can prevent the development of type 2 diabetes by making changes in their diet and increasing their level of physical activity. They may even be able to return their blood glucose levels to the normal range.
While the DPP also showed that some medications may delay the development of diabetes, diet and exercise worked better. Just 30 minutes a day of moderate physical activity, coupled with a 5-10% reduction in body weight, produced a 58% reduction in diabetes.
Change for the better
Recent studies point out that research
sends a clear message about lifestyle: “Lose some excess body weight [fat] and increase physical activity to reduce your risk of developing type 2 diabetes.”
Carbohydrates and the Glycemic index
Currently, there’s still a misconception that low-carbohydrate diets are a healthy choice for those wishing to lose
weight. “Fifty to 60 percent of our diet should be carbohydrate foods. Carbohydrates are found in whole-grain foods, fruits and vegetables – even dairy products.” Also on the menu for diabetes prevention and management: foods that are high in fibre and foods with a low glycemic index (GI).The GI is a ranking of foods based on their effect on blood glucose (sugar) levels. Dietitians are increasingly educating their clients about the benefits of low-GI foods, such as carbohydrate-rich foods, which cause a healthy low, slow rise in blood glucose over a longer period of time. Because the body digests these foods more slowly, energy levels tend to be more even and you feel full longer.
Click
here for a simple Diabetic weight loss program
|
