Diabetes and Diet

If you have diabetes or you need to lose weight the Glycemic Index Diet Plan might be just the solution you’re looking for. This diet is based on a diet plan that was developed in the 1980′s as a way for diabetics to better control their blood glucose levels and subsequently manager their diabetes.

It was discovered that the diet plan had a wonderful side effect; efficient weight loss. Since that time the Low GI Diet, as it is often referred to, has become quite popular with non-diabetics as well. Individuals who use the diet claim they are able to lose weight as well as retain more muscle. Many people report the diet helps them to shave off weight in critical areas as well, including the stomach.

Under the Glycemic Index Diet Plan, foods are divided into three categories based on how they rank on the glycemic index. The glycemic index ranks foods according to how quickly the body is able to digest them. Foods that are processed more quickly by the body rank higher on the Index. Foods that take longer to be digested by the body rank lower on the scale. The idea is to base your diet on foods that rank in the low to medium range by eating foods that rank high on the Index sparingly. Some of the low foods which are allowable on the Glycemic Index Diet Plan include broccoli, tomatoes, cauliflower and other fruits as well as whole grains. Legumes are also allowable. Some foods rank in the middle range, including bananas and apricots.

When dieters first start the eating plan they are in what is known as Phase One. Under this phase, dieters are encouraged to eat only foods which are low on the glycemic index in order to lose weight. These foods are low in calories and high in fiber which makes it easier to lose weight. Dieters should plan to be on the first phase of the diet for about three to six months depending on how much weight they want to lose. After that time period, the individual may then advance to the second phase, which is the weight loss maintenance phase.

In this phase, you may eat low as well as medium foods according to the glycemic index. It is important to understand that exercise is an important component in both phases of the diet plan in order for it to work effectively. The Glycemic Index Diet plan by itself is not a complete solution for weight loss. You must be dedicated to participating in an active and healthy lifestyle. It should also be understood that this is not a diet in the true sense of the word but rather a change in lifestyle.

If you abort the diet plan after losing weight and return to eating large amounts of highly processed and refined foods it is quite likely that you will regain weight, particularly if you are not exercising on a regular basis.

One of the major advantages of this diet plan is that it is not as restrictive as many other diet plans. For example, you can have some carbs on this diet as long as they are good carbs and they rank low on the glycemic index. In addition, it is perfectly okay for you to eat out. Once you have become familiar with which foods rank low on the index you can then usually find something on any menu which is acceptable according to the Low Glycemic Index Diet plan.

Vegetarians frequently find that many low carb diets do not work well for them because they place a strong emphasis on meat. With the Low Glycemic Index Diet plan there is no such problem because proteins from vegetables can replace meat.

With time and dedication the Low Glycemic Index Diet plan has proven to be quite effective at managing diabetes, promoting weight loss and encouraging a healthy lifestyle.

Wesley Atkins
http://www.articlesbase.com/health-articles/losing-weight-with-the-glycemic-index-diet-plan-110331.html

The Low Glycemic Index Diet has become quite popular because it provides numerous advantages. While the diet was first developed as a way for individuals who with diabetes to better manage their condition it quickly evolved into a weight to lose weight and even as a lifestyle change to effectively maintain weight loss.

One of the main reasons why people switch to a low GI diet is that they want to lose weight and this diet has proven to be effective in helping people to lose weight. There are also many other advantages; however. For example, research indicates that diets that are based on low GI foods can also help to reduce the risk of developing many health conditions such as diabetes and cancer as well as heart disease. Some research suggests that you can even cut the risk of developing these diseases in half by following the Low Glycemic Index Diet. Another major benefit is the ability to lower blood pressure as well as lower cholesterol levels.

Additionally, individuals who have followed the diet have been found to have their body’s ability to fight disease boosted. This is accomplished by strengthening the immune system, providing numerous other overall health benefits.

The Low Glycemic Index Diet is able to bring about these benefits because it is based on consuming foods that are relatively low on the glycemic index and restriction consumption or avoiding foods that are high on the index. The glycemic index itself ranks foods according to how fast the body is able to digest them. Those foods which are digest more slowly by the body and therefore do not raise the body’s blood sugar levels as high rank low on the scale and are acceptable. Other foods are digested slightly more quickly and dieters are therefore advised to proceed with caution regarding those foods; however, they are not restricted. These foods rank from 56 to 69 on the glycemic index. The final category consists of foods that are digested very quickly by the body, rapidly raising the body’s blood sugar levels. These foods score between 70 and 110 on the glycemic index. For the most part, these foods consist of highly processed and refined foods such as sugary foods.

Most vegetables, as long as they are not starchy vegetables, are quite allowable on the Low Glycemic Index Diet. Fruits are also encouraged, unlike may other diets which warn against the consumption of too much fruit because they are considered to be high in natural sugars.

While the advantages of this diet are quite obvious it should be understood that this is not a diet which can be followed for a short period of time and then abandoned with the expectation of keeping the weight off. One of the important considerations of this diet is that it is more of a lifestyle change rather than a short term diet. Individuals following the diet can expect to remain in the first phase of the diet for three to six months depending on how much weight they wish to lose. A

fter that, they can move on to the second phase of the diet for weight maintenance purposes. Moderate exercise is required of both phases of the Low Glycemic Index Diet in order to assure weight loss and continued weight loss maintenance. Failure to maintain a healthy and active lifestyle can result in failure to lose weight or gaining weight back.

If you’re ready to take advantage of a healthier lifestyle, reduce your chance of developing serious health conditions and lose weigh the Low Glycemic Index Diet may be just right for you.

Wesley Atkins
http://www.articlesbase.com/health-articles/advantages-of-the-low-glycemic-index-diet-110376.html

Some fruits are higher than others on the glycemic index. Is it possible that fruit eaten in any quantity could become a cause of diabetes? I had always thought that the enemy was sucrose, not fructose consumed in raw, fresh fruit.

Have read that overweight can be a contributing factor. If one remains consistently slighly under-weight can such an individual develop diabetes?

If the reader happens to be an expert in the matter, why not list for me up-to-date guidelines for the avoidance of this problem?

Nuts prevent type 2 diabetes

There was great excitement in the press very recently when researchers from Harvard studied more than 83,000 women and found that those who reported eating a handful of nuts or two tablespoons of peanut butter at least five times a week were more than 20 percent less likely to develop adult onset (type II) diabetes than those who rarely or never ate nuts. Type II diabetes develops when the body cannot properly use insulin. The women had been followed for up to sixteen years. The speculation is that the results apply to men as well as women. It’s not only the “good” fat in the nuts that work on heart health. The fiber and magnesium in nuts help maintain balanced insulin and glucose levels

Use ¼ to ½ teaspoon of cinnamon per day. Add it to your coffee, oatmeal, smoothie, or wherever you find it palatable.
If you already suffer from diabetes, be sure to stay on a regular schedule with your cinnamon usage so that your blood sugar levels don’t yo-yo.Use the same amount at the same time every day so that you can get a sense of how cinnamon affects your own personal blood sugar readings.
Use the powdered spice or a cinnamon stick. Cinnamon pills are also available, and can be found easily via an online search. MHCP is water soluble and is not found in cinnamon oil.

Lime and lemon juice delay the digestion of starches as does vinegar. I’ve found that 2-3 tablespoons of lime or lemon juice reduces my post prandial BG response by 10-20 points. Rick Mendosa’s site has a lot of material on acids in the diet. Take a look at http://www.mendosa.com/acidic_foods.htm .

Also a low Glycemic diet may stave off the onslaught of Diabetes.Here is the best Glycemic Index on the web:www.mendosa.com/gilists.htm

Benefits of Regular Exercise: Stronger Muscles
Most people know that exercise keeps muscles strong. But did you know that strong muscles burn more calories? Muscle mass is metabolically active tissue. In other words, the more muscle mass you have, the more calories you burn even when you’re not working out.

Studies estimate that for each pound of muscle you add to your body, you will burn an additional 35-50 calories per day. So an extra 5 pounds of muscle will burn about 175-250 calories a day, or an extra pound of fat every 14-20 days.

Because guys have more muscle mass, they burn calories faster and lose weight more easily than girls. So girls need to work out daily to stay strong and in shape.

You can develop type 2 diabetes if:

Your body does not respond properly to insulin, making it difficult for your cells to get sugar from the blood to make energy. This is called insulin resistance.
Your pancreas does not make enough insulin.
Your weight, how much physical activity you get, and your family history all affect the way your body responds to insulin. If you are overweight, get little or no exercise, or have family members with dia
betes, you have a greater chance of developing type 2 diabetes.

Fight Diabetes with Sweet Laughter
A Japanese study finds a chuckle after a meal may help lower your blood sugar.

A chuckle may help the body process blood sugar, according to research from Japan. A study of type 2 diabetes—the most common form of the disease—found that laughter was linked to lower blood sugar levels after a meal.

Over two days, participants were given identical meals. On one day, they watched a humorless lecture, and on the next they watched a Japanese comedy show. The group of 19 people with diabetes and five without had their blood sugar monitored during the study.

Afterward both diabetics and non-diabetics alike had lower glucose levels after laughing through the comedy show than they did when they listened to the monotonous 40-minute lecture. The study was published in Diabetes Care.

Keiko Hayashi, of the University of Tsukuba, Japan, who led the study says that he cannot yet explain the laughter-glucose connection. It could be that laughter affects the neuroendocrine system, which monitors the body’s glucose levels. Or it may be an effect of energy used by the stomach muscles.

Increased blood sugar can cause major complications for diabetics. If glucose is not kept in check, diabetics are more at risk for heart disease, kidney disease, and blindness. Type 2 diabetes occurs when the body fails to produce enough insulin to control the body’s glucose levels.

Good luck>

I’m looking for a comprehensive one that would go into detail about all foods and their GI. I’ve been told this is an excellent way to control diabetes, and I’m looking for the most informative book out there Thanks!
wow, 3 responses, and only one person actually gave me a possibility of a book. I love how some people just give responses to what they think someone should know about, not necessarily what they asked about

I am thinking maybe David Mendosa has a book in print, but not sure. I downloaded and printed his Glycemic Index before he added the Glycemic Load and lots more foods to it.

http://www.mendosa.com

He goes into lots of detail about how he came up with the numbers he uses.

Others are entirely wrong about the usefulness of this for glycemic control!!! You use it as a basis for selecting food plan. Then refine it as to how it works with YOU!!

To check how each of the foods reacts in your bod, choose to have one for snack time, prepare a serving of it. Check the glucose level, record, eat the serving of food, record what and amount, then 90 minutes to 2 hours after that check glucose level again and record.

In about 2 weeks you will have a complete list of how foods react for YOU!

Include in the journal times of meals, exercise, meds and attitude (how you are feeling).

I do the foods testing any time the doctors change any of my medications!! All of them have an impact on my glucose numbers.

We are each such unique individuals, foods, meds, and exercise patterns react in very unique and individual ways for us!!

Good luck, my friend. If you want to talk more, click my avatar and send me private email.

I’ve been watching television and hearing how you can use a glycemic index to avoid those high glucose foods like bread and rice cakes if you may be susceptible to diabetes. What are some examples of foods that are LOW and HIGH on that Index?

Check out the site http://www.glycemicindex.com/. It has a searchable database of foods. Foods high in GI include white bread, sugar, and white potatoes. Low GI foods include beans, pretty much all veggies and fruits (except for watermelon and pineapple), barley, oats, and pumpernickel bread.

Glycemic index and diabetes

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