Getting To Know Glucose

What is diabetes? A question that keeps disturbing patients living with diabetes. Even if you have not been diagnosed with diabetes, you’ve probably already heard the term glucose. Glucose is an important player in the body and in diabetes.

In your bloodstream, circulating to all the organs of the body, is sugar. Most of the sugar in your body is the kind called glucose. Other sugars in your body includes fructose, the sugar found in fruit, and ribose, the sugar that makes up the chromosomes that carry your genetic information. Glucoses’s main job is to supply the body with energy. The body breaks down glucose, releasing energy, water and carbon dioxide, the gas we expel when we breathe.

In answering the question, what is diabetes, it is important to note that glucose is a quickly available fuel source that can be used by nearly all of the tissues in the body, And when it comes to your brain, glucose is the only source of fuel it can use. The brain can survive without glucose for only a short time. Just as it can go only a few minute without oxygen. Because glucose is the only fuel your brain can use, your brain directs your nervous system and hormones-producing glands to protect your glucose level, making sure it does not fall too low. It is the glucose level that is meant when people talk about blood sugar, and it is the glucose level in your blood that is affected by diabetes.

The other fuel used in the body are the fatty acids. Fatty acids differ from glucose in that they provide a source of fuel that is called upon only during longer periods of fasting. Fatty acids come from the fats we eat, and they are stored in our fat cells as triglycerides. Triglycerides are continuously being converted into fatty acids in the blood and then back again, waiting to be called upon for energy. The more fatty acids we store away in our fat cells, the more visible our energy reserves becomes. Excesses of these fatty acids are now found to play a role in the development of diabetes.

There are many questions concerning what types of foods people with diabetes should and can eat. Here is a summary of some of the most asked questions I posed to my doctor who has helped a family member of mine cope with diabetes for over 20 years.

I am diabetic and I like to drink to wine with dinner. Is that unhealthy?

A moderate amount of any alcoholic beverage does not affect a diabetic person, but certain precautions should be taken. Alcohol can cause an abrupt drop in blood sugar levels. The magnitude of the decline is so large that it can be risky, even for a person who is not diabetic. For this reason it is advisable to drink alcohol moderately but only during one of your two main meals so that sugar levels do not fall excessively.

Should a diabetic go on a diet that is rich in fiber?

The answer to that question is yes. If you are diabetic, a diet rich in fiber can help you a lot.

What foods have a high fiber content?

Fibers are found mainly in fruits, vegetables, legumes and cereals such as wheat and oats. Some studies have found that some of these foods (although in small measures), actually produce a decrease in blood sugar levels.

Should fructose sugar be used instead or regular sugar to make desserts?

You should not if you have high cholesterol. While it does cause a lesser increase in blood sugar levels, the elevated cholesterol is not a benefit for the body.

Is it necessary to drastically reduce all sugars from my diet?

No. You should greatly decrease sugars that are rapidly absorbed and maintain sugars that are slowly absorbed to a reasonable level. The rapidly absorbed sugars are found in products such as jams, chocolate and some fruits. The slowly absorbed sugars are found in starches such as pasta, rice, potatoes, dry beans, breads and cookies.

Can I eat chocolate?

If you suppress your desire for chocolate you run the risk of binging during moments of weak will. It is a better idea to adequately plan your sweet intakes. Instead of eating milk chocolate (which has a higher fat and sugar content), replace it with dark chocolate.

What changes can I make to feel better?

Eat 5 or 6 times a day in small amounts rather than having 3 major meals. Studies have shown that after moderate intakes the blood sugar level decreases whereas is rises after big meals. Also, you will decrease your appetite and at the end of the day you will eat fewer calories because you’ll be less tempted to eat large quantities during your main meals.

|I wake up starving in the morning. What can I have for breakfast to calm my hunger without affecting my blood sugar level?

You can opt for a good breakfast with great nutritional value for a diabetic person. Drink coffee or tea (no more than 2 cups) with 50 ml of skim milk and sweetener. Eat 30 grams of light cheese, 50 grams of whole wheat bread and 100 grams of fruit. A breakfast similar to this one will provide you with long lasting energy and will maintain your blood sugar level.

The information provided here was done so to answer some common questions out there concerning nutrition for diabetics. Please keep in mind however, that you should always consult your doctor before implementing and changes to your diet.

Our bodies use the carbohydrates, proteins, fats and fiber that we eat and breaks them down as fuel. Diabetics need all four in their daily diets to maintain a healthy body.

Carbohydrates

Carbohydrates are broke down and turned into fuel called glucose and this fuel is distributed throughout the body to help the heart, lungs, eyes, legs, arms, feet, hands do their job without complications.

Carbohydrates are used by our bodies to create energy and we use that energy to work and play. They include starches, sugars and dairy that are found in the foods we eat Carbohydrate do affect each Diabetic differently, I find that potatoes, corn and peas really make my blood sugar levels go extremely high so, I eat them on special occasion and never together in the same meal.

There are two types of carbohydrates, they are Simple-Carbohydrates that when eaten convert to sugar quickly and can spike blood sugar levels quite rapidly and with the same speed drop your blood sugar levels making you crave more carbohydrates only to continue the cycle, and Complex-Carbohydrates, that will convert into sugars more slowly, level off and slowly be used for fuel by our bodies, and this will allow your blood sugar levels to slowly drop.

Proteins

Protein is important for the development of healthy muscles and strong bones. Proteins are made up of many different amino acids, but the human body needs 22 amino acids to stay healthy, 13 of these amino acids the human body can create on its own, the other 9 amino acids can be found in the foods we eat.

There are two food groups that we can get those 9 amino acids in, grains/beans/vegetables and meat/dairy. We have no problems getting amino acids in the meat and dairy that we eat, however if you are a vegan/vegetarian or just someone who has cut back on eating meats then you need to do a little food combining by eating a variety of protein-filled foods to get a perfect balance of amino acids.

Fats

Fats do not exclusively make you fat! We do need fats in limited amounts to help our bodies absorb vitamins and fats help our bodies to use carbohydrates and proteins more efficiently. You do need fats, but not all fats are the “good-for-you” types of fat.

Good fats are found in Vegetable Oils; olive, sunflower seeds, avocados, sesame, soybeans, Fish; salmon, tuna, mackerel, Nuts and Seeds. Not so Good fats are found in Animal meats and product like butter, cream, cheeses and milk.

Fiber

Everyone needs to be eating more fiber rich foods. It is the fiber in our diet that allows the bowels to function properly, protecting our intestines from problems like colon cancer.

It is important to eat fiber rich foods like fruits, vegetables, oats, oatmeal, and legumes. Including foods with soluble fibers in your diet can aid in the lowering of blood cholesterol levels.

How to lower blood sugar is something that is frequently (if not constantly) on the mind of someone who is afflicted with diabetes or diseases related to excessive blood glucose levels. In order to learn how to lower glucose level amounts, you need to first understand exactly what causes high blood sugar to begin with. Let’s explore what causes high glucose levels and learn some ways to reduce sugar and return to normal glucose levels.

Blood sugar is found in the bloodstream when someone eats food that is high in carbohydrates. If your body is producing sufficient amounts of insulin, the hormone will perform its job and convert the sugar in the blood to energy. When excessive sucrose amounts are present for extended periods of time in the bloodstream, the sugar can create damage to the internal organs of the body - including the eyes, heart, kidneys and urinary tract, just to name a few. Anyone who has been diagnosed as diabetic, prediabetic - or having any diseases related to high blood glucose levels needs to learn how to lower blood sugar. If they cannot do this naturally, then they will most likely have to live a live which includes medicine - with the worst case involving taking insulin shots to keep your blood sugar in check.

Here are some tips to reduce blood glucose on your own:

1) Eliminate sugars and any foods high in carbohydrates from your diet. When eating any carbohydrates, avoid the ‘white’ ones - including anything made with white flour.

2) Get 8 hours of sleep every night. The human body needs 8 hours of sleep per night to operate at its best. This is especially important in order to maintain a hormonal balance which could help your insulin to perform its job.

3) Reduce your stress. If you cannot eliminate stress from your life - seek out ways to counterbalance the stress - such as taking walks and meditating. Most people who are trying to learn how to lower blood sugar are surprised to learn about the affect that stress has on attaining normal glucose levels.

4) Exercise is a great way to reduce blood glucose levels. Particularly if you are overweight. The combination of weight loss and cardio benefits are a winning strategy for diabetics or pre-diabetics.