Insulin has many functions, and while it can’t get glucose into your muscle cells efficiently when you have type 2 diabetes, it still manages to carry out its other tasks. What are they you ask, well it is still able to:

• convert carbohydrates to fat and store them in fat cells, and
• prevents stored fat from being released and used as energy for your body

In a non-diabetic, as much as forty per cent of carbohydrate eaten may be converted to fat, of course, that would depend on your calorie/kilojoule intake. If you have insulin resistance, as type 2 diabetics do, that figure would be higher. So when you take higher insulin doses, or if your pancreas is still releasing insulin and needs to release more to cover the food intake, it’s really more likely you will store extra body fat as a result!

Eating carbohydrates that require a lesser amount of insulin will make it easier for you to lose weight. So a low-GI carbohydrate diet, plus lowering your blood lipids (fats) and your blood sugar levels, will help you to stay slim or lose weight.

Facts about food that help raise your blood sugar levels quickly:

1. Boiling and cooking foods containing starch will enable them to be absorbed more quickly. Heating breaks down starch making the sugar more accessible and faster to digest.
2. Mashed potatoes are absorbed more quickly than whole potatoes, wheat-flour gives a higher blood sugar response when baked in bread, than when used in pasta
3. Salt in food increases the absorption of sugar into the blood stream
4. Drinking fluids with a meal encourages the stomach to empty more quickly
5. Fruit juices raise your blood sugars dramatically as they have had the fiber removed
6. Peeled fruits also raise your blood sugars faster than whole fruit

Just about everything we eat or drink causes our blood sugars to rise. There is one exception: water. Staying well hydrated can actually lower your blood sugar levels … part of the excess glucose will then be excreted in your urine.

The three major nutrients in food are protein, fat, and carbohydrate. Protein’s effect on blood sugars is minimal as very little, if any, is converted to glucose. Large amounts of protein though can have a sparing effect on your glucose metabolism giving a gradual rise in sugar levels.

The impact of dietary fat is usually of little significance. However, large amounts of fat causes a prolonged rise in your blood glucose levels. The reason this happens is not clear; researchers say large amounts of fat in your bloodstream contribute to temporary insulin resistance.

Carbohydrates are the nutrients that have the most effect on blood sugar levels.

The same dietary advice applies to people with and without type 2 diabetes and that is:

• eat less high-GI carbohydrates (refined)
• compensate with more low-GI carbohydrates

If you have high blood sugar the first step in getting it under control is scheduling an appointment with your doctor. Your physician will advise you of healthy ways to keep your blood glucose levels as close to a normal count as possible. If you are given a specific diet for diabetics to follow, be sure to stick to it! The key in keeping those levels down is eating the right foods that will prevent them to rise.

There are many delicious foods that even diabetics can enjoy. These include raw fruits and vegetables, baked lean meats, and even low sugar desserts or candies. The diet plan given to you by your physician will have a complete layout of which foods you can eat and which ones you need to avoid.

You may also be given a prescription of daily medication to take to help keep your diabetes under control. It is very important to take the medication as prescribed at the same time every day to help maintain healthy blood sugar levels. If you can do this by taking medication and sticking to your diet, the chances of needing to begin insulin shots will greatly decrease.

Getting regular daily exercise can also help get your blood glucose count where it needs to be. This doesn’t have to be excessive, strenuous exercise. Taking daily walks or riding an exercise bike three times a week is a perfect exercise plan for anyone, especially diabetics. Getting out into the fresh air raises oxygen levels which can also assist in lowering those blood sugar levels.

Having high blood sugar doesn’t have to stop you from enjoying life. See your doctor and devise a safe plan to fight back! By eating right, taking your medication, and getting exercise you may find yourself the winner in the battle against diabetes.

The symptoms of diabetes are similar in children and adults. The symptoms in both often go unnoticed. The different types of Diabetes are Type 1, an autoimmune disease, and Type 2, caused by insulin resistance. Type 1 diabetes usually develops in children and Type 2 in adults. However, the recent rise in obesity in children is making Type 2 a more common problem. Both types of diabetes have the same symptoms even though the cause is different.

The most noticeable symptoms of Diabetes in both children and adults are increased thirst, frequent urination, increased hunger, and fatigue. These symptoms are easily attributed to other causes, which is why people sometimes go undiagnosed. The increase in thirst and urination are caused by excess sugar in the blood stream. To counter the high blood sugar, the body pulls fluid from the tissues, resulting in thirst. Frequent urination results from the diabetic drinking more fluids to counteract the thirst. The increase in hunger is a direct result of the body not having enough insulin available. Muscles and organs do not get enough glucose if there is not enough processed because of insulin levels and then hunger occurs. Fatigue sets in when the body is deprived of the glucose it needs for energy. Other symptoms one should be aware of are blurred vision, decreased healing capability, and patches of darker colored skin.

Type 1 Diabetes will require treatment with insulin and the close supervision of a doctor. Type 2 Diabetes can often be managed, and prevented, with appropriate diet and exercise. People at risk for Diabetes or that develop any of the symptoms at any age, should seek out a medical diagnosis and treatment.