Upon first being diagnosed with diabetes, many patients ask can a good diet keep diabetes at bay. Most doctors will agree that a healthy diet, low in carbs and sugars can help a person with diabetes avoid many of the complications that frequently accompany the disease. While a healthy diet can not necessarily cure the illness, a good diet can keep diabetes at bay.
People who have diabetes have a hard time processing foods such as sugars and starches. Instead of processing normally by means of their system, they stay in the system and turn end up increasing the glucose inside the bloodstream. When this occurs, it is called Glycemic - which is too much sugar in the blood. People with Type I and Type II diabetes both suffer from having too much glucose in the blood. Since the glucose does not digest normally, it causes problems with the kidneys, liver, eyesight, heart and blood circulation in general.
Dependant on the stage of the diabetes, a physician will normally prescribe either medication or insulin. Both help the body process the sugars in the blood, to break them down and allow the patient to expel them. However, insulin and medication are no alternative to a healthy diet. Simply because a person is taking medication or insulin does not give them carte blanche to eat all of the sugar and carbs they can get their hands on. It can be absolutely essential that a person with diabetes not only take medication or insulin as directed, but also adhere to a diabetic diet. This means getting familiar with which foods should be avoided and which foods can be eaten sparingly.
The Glycemic Index had been recognized in 1981 to rate which carbs would be the worst for all those with diabetes. The carbs that are high on the list, such as white bread, take longer to digest and should be avoided. Carbs that have low scores, such as brown rice, may be eaten in moderation. It is very difficult for anyone to avoid carbs completely, which explains why familiarizing one with the Glycemic Index is so important in the management of diabetes.
Along with carbs that rate high on the Glycemic Index as well as low, there is also an intermediate group. It may surprise people to understand that a chocolate bar is rated in the intermediate group for the Glycemic Index. This does not mean, however, that one should go ahead and consume all the chocolate they want. The function of the Glycemic Index is to help men and women establish which foods should really be prevented and which foods are okay moderately.
So, can a healthy diet keep diabetes at bay? The response is yes. While it cannot cure a patient of diabetes, a healthy diet low in foods that have high ratings in the Glycemic Index and high in proteins can help an individual with this particular condition live a longer, healthier life. Until there is a cure for this potentially life threatening condition, it is vital for all people that suffer from diabetes to familiarize themselves using the Glycemic Index to enable them to better realize how to control their disease.
Author Resource:
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