Diabetes – Hello Doctor

Which vegetables are best for diabetes?

January 13th, 2020 by Content Editor

According to the American Heart Association, diabetics are two to four times more likely than people without diabetes to die of heart disease or experience a life-threatening stroke.

What’s more, those who don’t control their condition efficiently have an increased chance of developing cardiovascular conditions, nerve damage and kidney disease.

Fortunately, you can eat your way to better health by munching on plenty of fresh vegetables. Veggies are not only chockful of fibre, and nutrients, the non-starchy varieties like baby corn, asparagus and bean sprouts are low in carbohydrates.

The best foods for diabetics are low-carb, low-sugar and high in fibre. This also includes digestion-slowing macronutrients like healthy fats and protein.

Here are some vegetables that diabetics must include in their diet:

Dark green leafy vegetables

Kale, spinach and collards are dark green leafy vegetables chockful of vitamins and minerals like vitamins A, C, E, and K, iron, calcium and potassium.

Spinach is particularly rich in vitamin K, along with minerals like magnesium, folate, phosphorus, potassium, and zinc. These veggies are low in calories and carbohydrates too. Add dark leafy vegetables to salads, soups and stews.

Sweet potatoes

A starchy vegetable packed with vitamin A and fibre, sweet potatoes are also a good source of vitamin C and potassium. If you find yourself craving something sweet, replace regular potatoes with sweet potatoes and sprinkle cinnamon on top.

Beans

Beans offer a combination of plant protein and soluble fibre that can help boost feelings of fullness and manage blood sugar levels. They can also reduce the risk of coronary heart disease.

Peppers

All shades of peppers offer fibre, folate, vitamin K, beta carotene and a range of minerals.
They’re packed with vitamins A and C. A cup of chopped red, yellow or orange peppers can provide more than 100% of the recommended daily value for both vitamins.

Raw peppers can be a perfect snack on their own or are also good dipped in salsa, hummus, guacamole or a yoghurt dip.

Broccoli and cauliflower

Cruciferous veggies like broccoli and cauliflower are diabetes-friendly food that have a compound called sulforaphane. This compound triggers anti-inflammatory processes that improve blood sugar control and protect blood vessels from the cardiovascular damage that’s often a consequence of diabetes.

Sulforaphane also helps change the body’s natural detox mechanisms – it influences enzymes to turn dangerous cancer-causing chemicals into more innocent forms that the body can easily release.

References:

Do you have insulin resistance?

June 16th, 2019 by Content Editor

You may have heard the term “insulin resistance” bandied about in recent years; maybe you thought it was just another manufactured disorder to sell yet another fad diet. But insulin resistance is a real health condition.

What is insulin resistance?  

Insulin resistance is when your body doesn’t respond to insulin released into your bloodstream.

Insulin regulates the amount of glucose (a type of sugar) in your blood; this is important for your body to have enough energy to get you through the day. Insulin either converts glucose to energy, or to body fat. Preferably energy rather than excess body fat, right?

Definitely, particularly as excess body fat, especially tummy fat, can cause insulin resistance in the first place.

As your cells become resistant to insulin, your body responds by generating more insulin. High insulin levels are associated with high blood pressure, hardened arteries, excess weight gain, and Type 2 diabetes.

Symptoms of insulin resistance 

Insulin resistance is a silent disease; initially you will have no symptoms, but eventually, symptoms will develop.

You will:

Feel tired.
Have difficulty concentrating.
Feel hungry.
Gain weight around your tummy (if you don’t already have a spare tyre).
Develop higher blood pressure and cholesterol levels.

Without appropriate diagnosis and management, you could develop type 2 diabetes. .

What causes insulin resistance?

Insulin resistance is mostly caused by:

Unhealthy eating.
Lack of exercise.
Being overweight.
Constantly high stress levels.
A family history of diabetes.
Chronic inflammation (often related to high stress levels).

It can also be a side-effect of polycystic ovary syndrome or Cushing’s disease, or taking steroids for a long time.

How can I treat insulin resistance?  

While researchers can’t pinpoint the main cause (for example, an obese person does not necessarily develop insulin resistance as a result of their weight), they all agree that lifestyle changes are the best defense and offence. A good example of prevention better than cure!.   Treating and preventing insulin resistance relies on changing your lifestyle; what you eat, how much you exercise and watching your weight.

Change your diet 

Changing your diet will have knock-on effects if you’re overweight; you shed excess kilos and have more energy to exercise.

Your new diet should cut out refined sugar and carbohydrates (goodbye cooldrinks and white bread) as well as processed and convenience foods. Your diet should include mostly fresh produce, healthy fats (coconut oil, olive oil, avocado, nuts) and good quality protein (meat, eggs and fish)..

Get moving 

Exercise is difficult to get in if you’re working at a desk all the time but make time to get at least 30 minutes every day. You don’t need to go to the gym; walking, gardening and housework are all moderate activities that contribute to get your body moving. A sedentary lifestyle is a major cause of insulin resistance.

The good news is that in most cases, you can treat and prevent insulin resistance.

References:

How to catch diabetes before it’s too late

May 3rd, 2019 by The Hello Doctor Team

Diabetes is one of the most common chronic conditions in the world. It occurs when your body struggles to process glucose properly, causing high blood glucose (also called high blood sugar or hyperglycaemia). Left untreated, this can seriously damage various organs and raise your risk of heart disease.

Symptoms of diabetes may include frequent urination, increased hunger or thirst, weight loss, blurred vision, tingling or numbness in the hands or feet, fatigue, skin problems, slow-healing sores and frequent infections.

The main types of diabetes

There are three main types of diabetes: Type 1, Type 2 and gestational diabetes. Type 1 is an autoimmune condition that usually happens early in life (infancy or childhood). Type 2 generally develops later (during adulthood) and is associated with poor lifestyle choices. Gestational diabetes involves elevated blood glucose levels during pregnancy. These usually return to normal once the baby is born.

How is it diagnosed?

There are no obvious symptoms of elevated blood sugar. Screening tests are helpful as a preventative method to identify the early stage of diabetes; “pre-diabetes”. If your sugar level is higher than it’s supposed to be, but not in a diabetes range, you have pre-diabetes. This means you’re at risk of developing diabetes.

Diabetes is diagnosed by measuring the levels of glucose in your blood. The main test for diabetes is called the glycated haemoglobin test (HbA1C test). This test doesn’t require fasting and it checks your average blood sugar control for the past two to three months. It aims to measure the percentage of blood sugar that’s attached to your haemoglobin (the oxygen-carrying protein in your red blood cells).

A fasting blood sugar test may be used if the HbA1c test isn’t available.

A fasting blood sugar level less than 100mg/dL (5.6mmol/L) is normal.
A fasting blood sugar level between 100 and 125mg/dL (5.6 to 6.9mmol/L) is seen as pre-diabetes.
A blood sugar measurement of 126mg/dL (7mmol/L) or higher on two tests confirm a diabetes diagnosis.

Prevention is better than cure

Make some lifestyle changes to lower your risk, so try to:

Shed some kilos

If you’re overweight, you’re more at risk of developing diabetes or pre-diabetes. Aim to lose at least 10% of your body weight. Talk to a dietician and fitness instructor to help you meet your goals.

Move more

Exercise for at least 30 minutes every day. Do workouts like swimming, cycling or brisk walking. Talk to your doctor before trying any new exercises or if you’re just getting started.

Boost your nutrition

Bulk up your diet with nutritious foods like fresh vegetables, fish, eggs and nuts. Limit your calories with smaller portions (e.g. use a smaller plate). Eat less processed foods and cut right back on sugar and starchy carbs like bread, rice, pasta and potatoes.

References:

What diabetics need to know about hypoglycemia (hypos)

October 8th, 2018 by The Hello Doctor Team

Your brain is in charge of your body because it helps you to do almost everything. For it to function properly, it needs energy that comes from glucose (sugar). When it can’t get the supply it needs, your body goes through a condition called hypoglycaemia.

Hypoglycaemia (low blood sugar), also known as ‘hypo’, is when there isn’t enough glucose in the blood. It isn’t a disease but could be a sign of an underlying health problem.

Common signs of a hypo include sweating, trembling, hunger, irritability, anxiety, heart palpitations, dizziness, tingling, weakness and a pale face.

One of the most common reasons for hypo is poorly managed diabetes. Diabetes is a disease where your body’s ability to produce or to respond to the hormone insulin becomes abnormal. It causes hypo because if your body produces too much insulin, then the amount of glucose in your blood is lowered.

Low blood sugar occurs when the glucose levels in your body drop below 70 mg/dL. Besides your insulin levels, certain diabetes medication, skipping meals or exercising too hard may also cause hypoglycaemia.

Extremely low glucose levels may cause severe hypoglycaemia; also called diabetic shock. This can bring on confusion, irrational behaviour, concentration problems, and an inability to eat or drink.

Ignoring hypo symptoms may lead to your diabetes worsening, so if it’s happening to you regularly, it’s important to manage and treat it correctly.

Treatment

Treating hypoglycaemia initially involves raising your blood sugar level. The best way to do this is to eat foods that can easily be converted into sugar. These are called fast-acting carbohydrates and includes glucose tablets, sweets, fruit juice and soft drinks. Don’t choose foods with lots of protein or fat when you need to quickly up your glucose levels, as those foods affect the way your body absorbs sugar.

You should have at least 15 to 20g of fast-acting carbohydrates. After you’ve eaten, check your glucose level. If it’s still below 70 mg/dl, have another 15 to 20g portion of fast-acting carbohydrates. Do this until your sugar level is above 70 mg/dl.

Once your sugar levels are back to normal, have something to eat that will stabilise your sugar levels. This should include slow-acting carbohydrates. For example, digestive biscuits (a portion of two), a medium to large apple, a small to medium banana, or a medium to thick slice of bread.

If your diabetes medication is to blame for your hypo, your doctor may need to prescribe something different. It’s important to see your doctor if you experience any of the signs of hypo so you know how it should be treated going forward.

Stay healthy

Monitor your sugar levels. Check your levels a few times a day, depending on your treatment plan.
Eat regularly. Don’t skip meals or snacks. If you take diabetes medication, eat consistently and on time!
Take your medication as prescribed.
If you move more, eat more. Increase the amount of food you eat if you plan to do more physical activities, so your energy is always consistent.
Record your experiences with hypo. Keep a journal to help you and your doctor figure out what’s contributing to your condition, and ways to prevent it.

Good to know

If you often experience hypo, talk to your doctor about a glucagon kit for emergencies. Make sure your family knows how to use it too, in case of emergencies.

References:

How to dine out as a diabetic

February 20th, 2018 by The Hello Doctor Team

Don’t fret about going out to eat. There are loads of diabetic-friendly choices! First things first, remember to always carry your medication with you when you’re out and about. You never know if something may trigger an adverse reaction.

Portion power

Everything looks great when you’re starving. But wait: remember, restaurant portions are usually quite large. Rather than diving straight in and trying to finish every morsel on your plate, set aside a small portion for a doggy bag to take back home. Just by doing this you’ll ensure you don’t overeat and send your blood sugar levels into overdrive.

Fibre fighters

Scan the menu for high-fibre options which help control your blood sugar levels and ward off constipation. Choose side dishes like spinach, legumes and broccoli. Pick a sweet potato over roast potatoes.

Start wisely
Skip the heavily crumbed and fried starters and go for something like a broth-based soup. These are usually lower in carbs, fat and calories. Stay away from milk or cream-based soups. A broth-based soup won’t fill you up either, and you’ll have space for your meal. For your main course, try to include a substantial amount of protein.

Indulge the smart way
You’ve been craving pizza for a month. If you’re clever about it, and eat it in moderation, you can enjoy every bite. Many pizza places now serve wholegrain pizzas and thin crust versions. Load up your pizza with lots of vegetables (fibre). Do the same with pastas; choose wholegrain options and stay away from creamy sauces.

When in doubt, go fishing
Fish is the great equaliser, and always a fantastic protein choice as it contains Omega-3 fats to help sensitise the body to insulin and naturally neutralise blood sugar levels. Pick fish like salmon, tilapia and cod. Remember, protein takes a longer time to break down in the body, giving you a consistent and steady release of glucose into the blood.

Stay away from the salt
Unfortunately, restaurant menus don’t exactly list the exact sodium counts in food. So, rather pick wisely and stay away from foods that you know contain salt (and hidden sodium!). In fact, research in America shows that over 85% of restaurants over-salt their foods. Ask your waiter which are the saltiest options on the menu and stay away from these culprits. Remember, there’s hidden salt in salad dressing, barbeque ribs, pizza, and burgers.

Eat on time!
Don’t ever mess around with your eating times when you’re on diabetic medication. Plan your mealtimes and stick to it. If you’re waiting a long time for your main meal and it’s time to take your medication, ask for an appetiser, a piece of bread or fruit. Also, don’t be shy about calling the restaurant beforehand and asking if they cater to diabetics, and are willing to make food substitutions if necessary.

Watch your drinks too
Soft drinks and alcoholic beverages can wreak havoc! Alcohol can negatively your blood sugar, spiking an increase and causing your liver to overwork at processing. Stick to your alcohol allowance as prescribed by your doctor.

References:

The deadliest hormone-problem in the world

January 8th, 2018 by The Hello Doctor Team

Diabetes is taking over the world, growing at scary rates. Recent statistics show that here in Africa diabetes is the fastest-growing chronic condition. In fact, more people die every year due to complications from Diabetes, than from violent crimes!

The single hormone responsible for the pandemic

Many people misunderstand diabetes. You don’t get diabetes like you get a cold or the flu: it’s not something that happens to you. A more accurate way to describe the condition, would be:

“Your body’s insulin is not working properly.”

Insulin is the hormone responsible for regulating the amount of glucose (sugar) in the blood. When you have enough insulin, and it works properly, they act like a key: unlocking your body’s cells, so that glucose can be absorbed and used for energy throughout the body. It keeps your blood sugar levels within a healthy range.

Insulin facts:

Everyone needs insulin. Whether you make enough insulin or not is the issue. People who don’t have diabetes make enough of their own insulin to keep their blood sugar at healthy levels. People with Type 1 diabetes don’t produce any insulin, and need to inject themselves to maintain healthy blood sugar levels. People with Type 2 diabetes make insulin, but their bodies don’t respond well to it. So, they may also need to take insulin.
Insulin treatment is not a one-size-fits-all approach. The amount of insulin you need depends on the severity of your condition, your diet and level of activity.
Insulin is a protein. Insulin must be injected with a syringe, an insulin pen, or an insulin pump for it to get into your bloodstream.
Insulin can be divided into four types. Rapid-acting insulin: works within 15 minutes of injection, peaks after one hour, and lasts two to five hours. Short-acting insulin: works within 30 minutes of injection, peaks after two to three hours, and lasts five to eight hours. Long-acting insulin: reaches the bloodstream hours after injection, and lowers blood sugar levels gradually over 24 hours. Intermediate-acting insulin: reaches the bloodstream about two to four hours after injection, and is effective for 12 to 18 hours.
Insulin can be injected in different parts of the body; your thighs, arms, and buttocks. Avoid injecting within about 5cm of your belly button as insulin isn’t absorbed well in this area. Insulin injection sites should be rotated. Vary the site where you inject insulin to prevent skin thickening and fatty tissue build-up.
Insulin needs to be balanced with your food or calories. Opt for foods that are less likely to affect your blood sugar, like fish, leafy greens and eggs. Avoid sugar-spiking foods like potatoes, corn and peas, grapes and cherries.
An insulin overdose can lead to low blood sugar levels; which can result in a coma – and even death. Too little insulin can lead to high blood sugar levels, which could also result in a coma. So, it’s vital to take your insulin exactly as prescribed!
Although rare, insulin allergy can happen. Symptoms include itchy skin, redness, and wheezing. If you experience any of these symptoms soon after injecting insulin, call your doctor immediately. Usually an antihistamine is given to block the response of the immune system, until the body begins to accept the insulin.

What this means to you

It’s important to recognise that Diabetes Type 2 is not out of our control. In fact, you can prevent it entirely, by living a healthy lifestyle. The reason people develop this problem with their insulin function, is because of unhealthy diets with high sugar content. And don’t fall into the trap of thinking: “I’m young and healthy. It doesn’t affect me!” In fact – it is every food choice you make today that can cause serious insulin dysfunction 10 years from now.

Trade those sweets for healthy fruit. Go to your gym, instead of binge-watching ANOTHER episode of Game of Thrones, and you could keep your insulin working at full capacity to a ripe old age!

References:

What is Diabetes?

October 27th, 2017 by The Hello Doctor Team

Diabetes is a chronic (lifelong) disease which presents as high levels of sugar in the blood. This is either because there isn’t enough insulin being produced, or because the body’s cells don’t respond properly to insulin, or both.

What Causes Diabetes?

Insulin is a hormone which is produced by the pancreas, and which is responsible for controlling blood sugar. People who are diagnosed with diabetes have high blood sugar because their body cannot convert sugar into fat, liver, and muscle cells to be stored for energy. This is due to:

The pancreas not making enough insulin
The cells not responding normally to insulin
Both of the above

There are two major types of diabetes, Type 1 and Type 2.
Type 1 diabetes is most often diagnosed in children, teens, or young adults, but it can occur at any age. With type 1 diabetes, the body makes little or no insulin. The exact cause of type 1 diabetes is unknown, and daily insulin injections are needed.

Type 2 diabetes occurs most often in adulthood, and makes up the majority of diagnosed cases of diabetes. While it mostly affects adults, more teens and young children are also being diagnosed, due to high obesity rates. Many people with type 2 diabetes don’t even know they have it.

Gestational diabetes only affects pregnant women who don’t already have diabetes. It occurs when high blood sugar develops at any time during pregnancy.

What are the Symptoms of Diabetes?

High blood sugar levels can cause several symptoms, including:

Excess thirst
Fatigue
Blurred vision
Hunger
Urinating often
Weight loss

Because type 2 diabetes develops slowly, some people with high blood sugar have no symptoms. Symptoms of type 1 diabetes develop over a short period of time however, and people may already be very sick by the time they’re diagnosed.

How is Diabetes Treated?

If type 2 diabetes is diagnosed early, it’s possible to reverse the disease by making positive lifestyle changes. In some cases, type 2 diabetes can be cured with weight-loss surgery.

With type 1 diabetes there is no cure, but it can be managed with medication and lifestyle changes. Treating both type 1 and type 2 diabetes involves diet, medication, and exercise to control blood sugar levels and prevent symptoms and complications. Getting better control over your blood sugar, cholesterol, and blood pressure levels helps reduce the risk of kidney disease, eye disease, nervous system disease, heart attack, and stroke.

Need to know

For Diabetes advice and support check out Diabetes South Africa or chat to one of our doctors for advice.

How to find out if you have pre-diabetes

October 27th, 2017 by The Hello Doctor Team

If you have pre-diabetes, it means you have a high risk of developing type 2 diabetes and heart disease. If left undiagnosed and untreated, pre-diabetes can become type 2 diabetes within a decade. Both of these conditions can be prevented however, by adopting a healthier lifestyle that includes maintaining a healthy weight and exercising regularly.

In a way, you could say pre-diabetes means you have signs that you might become diabetic soon, unless you make the necessary lifestyle changes.

It’s a wake-up call!

How can I find out if I have pre-diabetes?

If you think you’re at risk, make an appointment to see your doctor, they’ll be able to run the necessary blood tests to check for pre–diabetes. The most common tests for this are:

The FPG (fasting plasma glucose test): You’ll need to fast overnight for this test, which generally means no eating past 10pm the night before.
The OGTT (oral glucose tolerance test): This also requires fasting overnight before the test
The glycohemoglobin A1c test: This doesn’t require fasting

How do I know if I’m at risk?

Anyone who is aged 45 and older, and overweight, should be tested regularly. If you’re younger than 45, overweight and have any of the risk factors, then you should also make an appointment to get screened:

Don’t exercise regularly
Have a family history of diabetes
Have had gestational diabetes or have given birth to a child weighing more than 4kg
Have high blood pressure
Have an HDL (“good”) cholesterol level of 35 mg/dl or lower, and/or triglyceride level of 250 mg/dl or higher
Have polycystic ovary syndrome
Have previously been identified as having IFG (impaired fasting glucose) or IGT (impaired glucose tolerance)
Have a history of vascular disease

The good news, people who’ve been diagnosed with pre-diabetes can do a lot to delay or even prevent diabetes. One study showed that losing just 5-7% of your bodyweight if you’re overweight, and exercising 3-5 times a week can lower a person’s risk of type 2 diabetes by nearly 60%.
If you think you might be at risk of pre-diabetes, and want to find out more about the condition and how you can prevent it, why not speak to one of our doctors right now – they’re online and waiting to answer your questions. Get Hello Doctor NOW, you can start speaking to a doctor right away!

Questions to ask your doctor if you have been diagnosed with pre-diabetes

What tests will you do to confirm the diagnosis?
Do I need to do anything special to prepare for the test(s), for example fast?
If I have pre-diabetes, will I get diabetes?
What can I do to prevent diabetes if I have pre-diabetes?
My father has diabetes. Should I be screened for pre-diabetes on a regular basis?
I have diabetes. Should I have my children screened for pre-diabetes?
I had gestational diabetes when I was pregnant, should I be screened for pre-diabetes regularly?
Are there any foods I should eat that will help me to avoid pre-diabetes or diabetes?
Should I speak with a Nutritionist or Dietician about changing my diet?
Do I need to lose weight? If so, how much?
What other lifestyle changes do I need to make?
Will the condition resolve itself if I don’t change anything?

Sources: Doctor Oz; WebMD; Family Doctor

Can you reverse diabetes?

July 17th, 2017 by The Hello Doctor Team

You can manage it. You can control it. But can you reverse diabetes? It may sound too good to be true, but with drastic diet changes some of us can turn back the clock on this lifestyle disease.

There are two types of diabetes. In Type 1, your immune system attacks the cells in your pancreas that produce insulin; hence – no insulin.

Type 2 is known as the “lifestyle” type, because it’s largely brought on by unhealthy living, and genetics. With Type 2, your body produces insulin but doesn’t use it effectively. This means that glucose isn’t properly absorbed into the cells and accumulates in the blood, causing raised blood glucose levels.

Reversing the tide

Dr Wayne May, an endocrinologist from Cape Town, explains that Type 2 diabetes is reversible in patients who have significantly altered their diets and lost weight. Before we get too excited though, Johannesburg-based dietician, Michelle Daniels, cautions that a drastic change in diet ALONE will not contribute to the remission of diabetes.

Remission means having blood glucose levels in the normal range on little or no medication.

“Healthy eating in itself can improve your nutritional status, while carbohydrate awareness and management can help improve blood glucose levels. But more specifically, a low-calorie diet may influence diabetes going into remission,” Daniels says.

The research is getting there. In a clinical trial by researchers from the Newcastle University, all the participants reversed their diabetes by cutting their calorie intake to an extremely low 600 calories a day for two months. The diet consisted of liquid diet drinks and non-starchy vegetables.

After a week, the patients’ blood glucose levels returned to normal. The amount of fat in their liver and pancreas was also reduced, which helped restore their ability to make insulin and maintain diabetes remission.

A few months later, a few had regained some weight, but still had normal blood glucose control. Nonetheless, most of them remained diabetes-free.

Wake up your insulin cells

It isn’t clear why the diet reversed diabetes, but according to Professor Roy Taylor, the lead researcher of the study, it may be linked to how the body stores fat. Excess fat in the liver can spill into the pancreas, and obstruct insulin secretion and the liver’s response to insulin. This can lead to insulin resistance and diabetes.

Following a very low-calorie diet allows your body to use up fat from your liver, causing fat levels in your pancreas to drop. This “wakes up” the insulin-producing cells in your pancreas, and normalises your blood glucose levels.

“To have people free of diabetes after years with the condition is remarkable,” says Taylor. “This is a radical change in understanding Type 2 diabetes. It will change how we can explain it to people newly diagnosed with the condition.”

Researchers are optimistic about the results, daring to hope that, “We can get across the message that ‘yes, this is a reversible disease — that you will have no more diabetes medications, no more sitting in doctors’ rooms, no more excess health charges’ — that is enormously motivating.”

But as remarkable as these results may be, this diet is no quick fix and doesn’t mean a cure for diabetes. A very low calorie diet is extreme and should be undertaken with care and only if your doctor approves.

You’ll also need to maintain the change in the long term to keep your blood glucose levels in check and diabetes in remission. “Otherwise, all you will have done is temporarily push down your glucose levels into normal range,” states Dr May.

The study does reveal the importance of diet and weight loss in the management of diabetes, though. Obesity is now, more than ever, linked to Type 2 diabetes. “Working with a dietician can help individualise an achievable approach, and equip you with the tools necessary for making changes,” says Daniels. “Reading and having an understanding of nutritional information on food labels can also help you make sensible food choices.”

References:

Sugar vs guns: which kills more people?

April 14th, 2017 by The Hello Doctor Team

Sugar may be the newest and deadliest of modern-day killers. Current research shows that obesity is one of the five risk factors of early death. The rate of obesity in South Africa is growing rapidly with almost 70% of women and 40% of men overweight or obese.

Diabetes in South Africa is also on the increase. High blood sugar levels have been linked to an estimated three million deaths worldwide on a yearly basis directly due to diabetes. In South Africa, it’s reported that around 5000 deaths were caused by gun shots in 2012, while 58 people died from diabetes every day in the same year – that adds up to over 21 000!

Sweet yet deadly
The three main parts of sugar (fructose, glucose and sucrose) come from sugar canes and sugar beets. The metabolic pathways in our body receive these sugars differently. Fructose is the “bad guy” as it’s simply excess sugar that the brain and muscles don’t necessarily need. This can also turn into fat in the body.

The human liver has a limited storage capacity for sugar; this means that the leftovers return into the bloodstream as fatty acids. These acids then store themselves in different parts of the body namely thighs, breasts and the belly. Thanks to this unfortunate side-effect, you then put yourself at risk Type 2 diabetes, heart diseases, obesity, high cholesterol, gout, hypertension and liver disease.

Why so addictive?
Think of sugar as little gremlins that lurk around causing upheaval. The metabolic pathways in our bodies are tampered with by sugar; causing changes in the brain and the dopamine receptors (these influence body movement and emotional states through the brain). Sugar becomes addictive because of the overstimulation in the reward centres of the brain; the area of the brain that primarily processes “desire” and “want” caused by stimulants. Too much sugar causes an imbalance in our brain biochemistry, blood glucose and gut health, reducing our “feelgood” brain chemicals. This, in turn, makes us crave more sugar to feel better.

Hop off the sugar train
Sugar cravings are very real and withdrawing from sugar can leave you feeling cranky and tired.

The best approach is to stay away completely. Replace sugar with good fats and protein foods. As soon as you let your blood glucose levels drop you’ll start craving sugar.
Read food labels and look out for “hidden” sugars that might be lurking under names like maize syrup, glucose syrup, fructose syrup, fruit fructose and crystalline fructose.
Limit your fruit juices and energy drinks, and stay away from artificial sweeteners if possible.
Many kinds of bread (both white and wholewheat) contain sugar. Some breads contain as much as a teaspoon of sugar per slice.
Sugar is often added to tomato products to counter the acidity, and tomato sauce is one of the worst culprits when it comes to hidden sugar. Up to one-third of the content of tomato sauce can be sugar. Keep in mind that a tablespoon of tomato sauce equals one teaspoon of sugar.

Decoding the labels:

Sugar-free: less than 0.5 grams of sugar.
Reduced sugar: at least 25% less sugar for each serving than the original product.
No added sugar: no sugar in any form has been added as an ingredient.

References:

Diabetes: keep your eyes out for these red flags

September 22nd, 2016 by The Hello Doctor Team

As a diabetic, you probably know all about the potential complications of your condition: diabetic coma, blindness, ulcers, lost limbs to name but a few. Steering clear of these means you need only look after one thing: the perfect balance of blood sugar. But this can be a difficult task. How do you know you’re spiking or dipping, when your blood sugar monitor is not at hand?

Continue reading “Diabetes: keep your eyes out for these red flags”

World Health Day 2016 – Diabetes

April 7th, 2016 by The Hello Doctor Team

What do Vanessa Williams, Randy Jackson, Halle Berry, Tom Hanks and Aretha Franklin have in common – other than being famous? Diabetes.

Continue reading “World Health Day 2016 – Diabetes”