With Diabetes Day on November 14 is as good a time as any to look at the epidemic that is diabetes. With a newly diagnosed case in the UK every five minutes and thousands of borderline hypoglycaemic cases undiagnosed around the world, what is it we are doing wrong and how do we address it?
Firstly, let’s look at how the switch from normal metabolism to diabetes takes place. Ordinarily, when we eat, our foods, especially carbohydrates, are broken down into simpler sugars, or glucose, as glucose is the basic form of energy required by the body. In response to this glucose, the pancreas releases insulin to transport the glucose from the bloodstream and into the muscles, either to be used for energy or to be stored as fat. This highlights one area we can readily control and that’s using the fuel we take in. Eating too much of the wrong kind of fuel and not using it up is just one step in the development of diabetes. So keeping active is vital to avoid this.
Perhaps you haven’t seen any trouble yet as a result of being overweight but it does increase your risk of insulin resistance. This happens when your insulin no longer performs the way it should. Your cells don’t respond efficiently when insulin instructs them to take up glucose. So your pancreas effectively, turns up the volume by producing more insulin just to keep sugar levels normal. This increased workload is exhausting for the spleen-pancreas meridian, resulting in an inability to produce insulin at all, leading to type II diabetes. While there may be a genetic or hereditary aspect to insulin resistance, there’s no doubt eating the wrong fuels will just hasten the process. What do I mean by the wrong fuels? Well, anything which breaks down too quickly will spike your blood sugar levels and stability is what we are after, not spikes.
Highly processed food, like biscuits, cakes, white rice, white pasta, fizzy drinks, white bread and of course white table sugar are the biggest culprits. Slow release foods like wholemeal bread, beans and lentils, brown rice, nuts and seeds are the ideal foods, both to prevent and treat diabetes. Such foods are all either high in fibre or protein or both, and so take a lot longer to break down into simple glucose, helping to maintain an even blood sugar level. However, it is not just what you eat, it’s how much and how you combine it. A giant bowl of pasta is still a giant bowl of pasta, whether wholemeal or otherwise. It takes a lot of work and huge insulin release to break it down. However, take a smaller portion of wholemeal pasta and serve it with some beans or sprinkle some nuts and seeds on top and you get a much more balanced meal. Chew you foods thoroughly too, to insalivate them well and increase the release of digestive enzymes. Slower eating also helps you realise you’re filling up, so that you don’t eat such huge portions. It takes the brain about twenty minutes to realise you’ve eaten so if you hoover down your dinner in ten, there’s a good chance you’ll eat more than you really need to. Eating late at night is another no-no. Your digestive strength peaks earlier in the day, so your pancreas is better able to perform at this time. Eating late at night just puts extra pressure on an already taxed pancreas.
Certain spices have a great affinity with the digestive system but especially with maintaining healthy sugar levels. Fenugreek, found in curry powders helps improve glucose tolerance, while cinnamon helps stimulate insulin activity. So make these a regular part of your diet. Remember, prevention is better than cure so even if you don’t suffer from diabetes, you can minimise your chances of developing it by adding cinnamon to your porridge, on toast, in yoghurt and with baked apple or try fenugreek in curries, soups, stir-fries or casseroles.
Many diabetics still crave something sweet and resort to overprocessed ‘diabetic friendly’ sweets, biscuits and cakes, some laden with flavourings and artificial sweeteners. These are not ideal foods for anyone to be eating. Try instead making your own sweet treats with Xylitol, a safer alternative sweetener widely available in health food stores. Apple crumble made with oats and cinnamon would an be ideal treat as these provide much needed soluble fibre. Chromium, the mineral which helps to stabilise blood sugar levels helps if your cravings are especially strong but do consider too the psychological or emotional aspect of the craving. Often people who feel there is sweetness missing from their life, feel the need to overindulge in sweet foods and go on to develop diabetes. Be sure to include alternative ‘sweet’ treats in your life like listening to uplifting music, going for walks, watching funny TV shows, having a good chat with a friend or having treatments like massage or reflexology, rather than indulging just your taste buds.
While diabetes may seem like a complex and worrying illness, these are just some of the many tactics you can employ to deal with diabetes and restore good health.
This information is intended as a guideline only. Always consult your healthcare practitioner prior to engaging in any new treatments. Contact Jennifer Allen on 0863378046 or at: [email protected] if you have a specific health concern.
