Diabetes

Insulin Resistance and Diabetes

Insulin resistance, prediabetes and Diabetes Type 2 are serious metabolic diseases of our time. These conditions are often caused by our modern lifestyles, by being overweight and inactivity!

What is Diabetes?

The amount of sugar in the blood is controlled by a hormone called insulin, which is produced by the pancreas.
Food is digested and enters your bloodstream as glucose or other nutrients. Insulin controls the movement of glucose out of the blood and into cells, where it's broken down to produce energy.
If you have diabetes, glucose is not moved into the cells and your body is unable to break down glucose into energy as normal. This is because there's either not enough insulin to move the glucose, or the insulin doesn't work properly (resistance).
Insulin resistance alone does not cause type 2 diabetes. Yet, it often sets the stage for the disease by placing a high demand on the insulin-producing beta cells in the pancreas.
Although there are no lifestyle changes you can make to lower your risk of type 1 diabetes, type 2 diabetes is often linked to being overweight and inactive.
If no dietary and lifestyle changes are introduced, the usual progression of the disease looks like this:

Insulin resistance -> Prediabetes -> Diabetes type 2

You can develop type 2 diabetes at any age, even during childhood. You are however more likely to develop type 2 diabetes if you are aged 45 or older, have a family history of diabetes, or are overweight.

Early warning signs and symptoms!

  • increased thirst and urination
  • increased hunger
  • feeling tired
  • blurred vision
  • numbness or tingling in the feet or hands
  • sores that do not heal
  • unexplained weight loss
  • abdominal obesity.  Insulin becomes increasingly ineffective with high abdominal fat.
  • hunger and cravings for sugar or carbohydrate-rich foods. People with high blood insulin are hungry and nothing will satisfy their appetite like carbs!
  • elevated blood sugar. A fasting blood sugar level greater than 97mg/dL (5.4mmol/L) indicates insulin resistance.
  • skin tags.
  • high blood pressure
  • swollen ankles. Insulin tells your kidneys to hang on to sodium and water, therefore you may look puffier.
If in doubt consult your doctor without delay!

What can I do?

According to the American Diabetes Association (ADA), you can prevent or delay the onset and progression of Diabetes type 2 by staying at a healthy weight, eating well and being active. Type 2 Diabetes may require medication prescribed by your doctor, but you can decrease the debilitating effects by living sensibly and making dietary and lifestyle changes.

Changing your diet can help

If you are insulin resistant or diabetic you have to CONTROL YOUR WEIGHT and MANAGE YOUR CARBOHYDRATE AND SUGAR INTAKE!
How much and what type of carbohydrates we eat is important for preventing and managing diabetes.
The balance between how much insulin is in your body and the carbohydrate you eat seriously affects your blood glucose levels.

CONTROL YOUR WEIGHT AND MANAGE YOUR CARBS!!

What should I eat?

  1. Leafy and non-starchy vegetables: Broccoli, Cabbage, Carrots, Cauliflower, Celery, Cucumber, Lettuce, Pumpkin, Spinach, Turnips etc.
  2. Low carb beans, lentils and nuts
  3. Proteins like fish, dairy and meat
  4. Enough healthy oils
  5. High fibre foods

    What foods are out (or limited)?

    • Refined grains (wheat, flour etc)
    • Bread
    • Cereals
    • Pasta
    • Pizzas
    • Rice
    • High sugar products (sweets, sugary drinks such as sodas, iced teas and high sugar fruit juice) 
    • Starchy vegetables (such as potatoes)
    The American Diabetes Association published the following:
    "Avoid sugary drinks like regular soda, fruit punch, fruit drinks, energy drinks, sports drinks, sweet tea, and other sugary drinks. These will raise blood glucose and can provide several hundred calories in just one serving! See for yourself:
    • One can of regular soda has about 150 calories and 40 grams of carbohydrate. This is the same amount of carbohydrate as in 10 teaspoons of sugar!
    • One cup of fruit punch and other sugary fruit drinks have about 100 calories (or more) and 30 grams of carbohydrate."
    Insulin resistance, prediabetes, Diabetes and metabolic syndrome are serious conditions. It can cause death or other medical problems such as high blood pressure, heart disease etc. Always consult your healthcare professional, doctor, dietician or fitness instructor if you suffer from any of these conditions! Speak to a qualified nutritionist or dietician if you make dietary changes.

    How TrulyGood can help

    Great meals form an integral part of our lives! We understand the challenges of a modern lifestyle and the importance of caring for our own health, our people and our planet.
    TrulyGood products replace grain-based, "empty carb" favourites such as pizzas, cereals, bread and pasta with vegetable-based alternatives that taste even better than their starchy, gluten-laden ancestors. 

    TrulyGoodFood - truly good in everything we do

    • great tasting
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    References:
    American Diabetes Association http://www.diabetes.org
    National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases,  US Dept of Health and Human Services https://www.niddk.nih.gov
    Healthline https://www.healthline.com
    NHS.UK https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/diabetes