Diabetes Health Talk

People with Type II Diabetes (Adult Diabetes) usually have plenty of insulin in their bodies, but the insulin is blocked from entering the cells that need it. This type is called NIDDM (Non-insulin Dependent Diabetes Mellitus).

As people get older, many tend to gain weight, and it is this fat that is being fingered as an important risk factor for Adult Diabetes.

In fact, the bad news is that it is becoming apparent that excess fat, both in the food and on the body, is the leading culprit initiating adult diabetes. Many people today are reversing their diabetes by normalizing their body weight.

If you have adult diabetes, you can try this experiment: Markedly reduce the fat in your daily diet, exercise and lose a few pounds. You will see for yourself that your insulin need will decrease.

The big problem is that beating adult diabetes is not just losing a few pounds; it requires a serious and determined lifestyle change. But the best news is that the lifestyle needed to normalize weight and maintain the loss permanently will not only protect you from adult diabetes (and its dreaded complications) — it will also decrease your risk for heart attack, stroke, cancer and other such diseases that develop as people age.

Very briefly, here is the type of lifestyle needed, not only for adult diabetes, but to help you remain healthy into those “golden years.”
1. Adopt a very low fat diet.

2. Reduce protein intake to about 45 ­ 65 grams per day which is around 3-5 tablespoons RDA (stands for Recommended Dietary Allowance set by health authorities.). This is because large amounts of protein and fat stress the liver and especially the kidneys which must eliminate waste products these foods leave behind.

3. The rest of the diet needs to consist of non-refined, full fiber carbohydrates — plant foods like whole grains, fresh fruits and vegetables and also high fiber seed foods like peas, lentils and all kinds of beans. Carbohydrate foods burn cleanly in the body (to water eliminated by the kidneys and sweat and carbon dioxide eliminated on exhalation.

Remember, however, one problem with carbs is that sometimes they are consumed as refined sugars and juices. By eating the apple, for example, instead of the juice, fiber is present and slows down intestinal absorption. The high fiber content of non-refined whole grain, vegetable, fruit and seed foods cause food to be absorbed more slowly, allowing the body to metabolize them at a slower rate.

4. Aim for one hour of active daily exercise, including weight training. Among other things, active exercise directly uses blood glucose and helps the body get rid of the excess blood sugar in diabetics.

Of course the program should follow the advice and supervision of your physician. He/she will most likely be overjoyed to help you adopt such a healthful lifestyle.