ABC about Diabetes and our health
What is diabetes?
When we eat, the carbohydrate in food breaks down in our bodies and turns into glucose (a type of sugar), which gets absorbed into our blood. In a healthy body, the pancreas produces a hormone called insulin, which helps bring the glucose from the blood into our cells and tissues. We can then use that glucose for energy.
In diabetes, the process of turning blood glucose into energy doesn’t work properly. This may happen because our pancreas cannot make insulin; cannot make enough insulin; or the cells resist the insulin so that glucose cannot enter the cells. When glucose cannot go into our cells, it stays in the blood. This can lead to many health complications.
Types of diabetes
Type 1 diabetes
This is usually diagnosed in childhood or the teen years. At present, it cannot be prevented and its cause is unknown. With this condition, the pancreas does not produce any insulin so individuals need to inject insulin every day to stay healthy. Only about 10% of people with diabetes have this type.
Type 2 diabetes
This is the most common form of diabetes and is usually diagnosed in adulthood. This occurs when the pancreas still produces some insulin but not enough to meet the body’s needs, or the body does not use the insulin it makes effectively. Type 2 diabetes is caused by a combination of preventable and non-preventable risk factors.
Gestational diabetes
This is a temporary condition that happens with some pregnancies. It usually disappears after the mother gives birth. Women who have had gestational diabetes are often at higher risk for type 2 diabetes later in life.
**Prediabetes: While not an “official” type of diabetes, prediabetes is the word used to describe blood glucose levels that are higher than normal, but are not yet at diabetes levels. Having prediabetes increases your risk of diabetes later on unless steps are taken to prevent the disease.
1. Myth-Eating too much sugar causes diabetes
False
When carbohydrate-containing foods like bread, pasta, rice, milk and fruit are digested, they change into a type of sugar (called glucose). Blood glucose (also called blood sugar) levels naturally rise after eating carbohydrate foods, and then the hormone insulin uses that glucose to give you energy. In diabetes however, the levels of blood glucose build up and stay higher than normal because there either isn’t enough insulin produced (as in type 1 diabetes), or the insulin isn’t working properly (as in type 2 diabetes).
We don’t know what causes type 1 diabetes. The body’s defense system may be attacking insulin-making cells by mistake, but we don’t know why.
About 90% of people who have diabetes have type 2 diabetes. In this case, either there isn’t enough insulin produced, or the body isn’t effectively using the insulin that is produced. There are the many different risk factors that can cause type 2 diabetes. You can’t do anything about your age or ethnicity, but you can change some of the other risk factors by eating well and being active.
Risk factors for type 2 diabetes:
•Age – being 40 years or age and older;
•Member of a high risk ethnic group – Aboriginal, Hispanic, Asian, South Asian, or African descent;
•Overweight - especially if you have extra weight around the belly. About 80% of people with type 2 diabetes are overweight;
•Family history - a parent, brother or sister with diabetes;
•Health conditions - high blood pressure, high blood cholesterol, high blood triglycerides, polycystic ovary syndrome, schizophrenia, or acanthosis nigricans (darkened patches of skin);
•Pregnancy related - gave birth to a baby that weighed more than 4 kg (9 lb) or had gestational diabetes (diabetes during pregnancy); and
•Impaired glucose tolerance or fasting glucose.
2-Myth- Fruit, bread and pasta are not allowed for people with diabetes
False
Fruit, bread, and pasta are all healthy foods that provide carbohydrate, energy, vitamins, minerals and fibre. When it comes to carbohydrate-containing foods, portion size is key. People with diabetes should eat carbohydrate at every meal. The amount of carbohydrate to eat varies from person to person, and has to be determined in consultation with a dietitian.
Some carbohydrates are better than others. If you’re cooking for someone who has diabetes, try to offer a variety of fibre-rich carbohydrate-containing foods that are also lower in fat such as:
•whole grain bread, buns, cereal and crackers;
•barley, bulgur, whole wheat couscous, whole wheat pasta, brown rice;
•vegetables;
•berries, melons, fruit with skins on; and
•beans, chickpeas and lentils.
3 Myth- If you have diabetes, you can’t eat any sugar or sugary foods
False
According to the Canadian Diabetes Association, it’s OK for people with diabetes to eat a limited amount of sugar (sucrose), birthday cake, jellybeans and other sugar-containing foods as part of a meal plan that has been carefully designed by a Registered Dietitian.
If you haven’t seen a dietitian yet, ask your doctor for a referral to a dietitian at a hospital or diabetes education centre. Or, find a private practice dietitian from the Dietitians of Canada.
Artificial sweeteners such as aspartame, sucralose, acesulfame potassium, thaumatin, and sugar alcohols (e.g. sorbitol, mannitol, maltitol, and xylitol) can also be part of a well-balanced diet for people with diabetes. Sweeteners help to make food taste sweet, without affecting your blood glucose levels.
4-Myth- If you have been diagnosed with “prediabetes”, then you will definitely develop diabetes
False
Prediabetes is a condition in which your blood glucose levels are high, but not high enough yet to be called diabetes. As with type 2 diabetes, you can have prediabetes without even knowing it. The symptoms of prediabetes are the same as those for diabetes:
•Feel thirsty often;
•Need to urinate often;
•Blurred vision;
•Feel tired with no apparent reason;
•Or, there may be no symptoms at all.
When you have prediabetes, you do have a higher chance of eventually developing diabetes. Your doctor may prescribe medications to bring your blood glucose back to more normal levels. But, your lifestyle habits can make a big difference too! You can help to prevent prediabetes from progressing to diabetes when you:
•Eat a healthy lower-fat and low calorie diet;
•Exercise moderately for at least 150 minutes a week (about 30 minutes a day on most days of the week); and
•Lose 5-7% of your body weight.
In fact, research shows that making these lifestyle changes may lower your risk of developing type 2 diabetes by about 60-70%!
5. Regular exercise can help control blood sugar levels in people with type 2 diabetes
True.
For anyone with type 2 diabetes, exercise is a very important part of their management plan. Not only does exercise help insulin to work better, but it also helps with weight loss, improves blood cholesterol levels, controls blood pressure, and zaps stress. If you have type 2 diabetes, here are some activity tips to keep in mind:
•Before starting any exercise plan, always check with your doctor first.
•Over three to five days, try to accumulate at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise (such as brisk walking, swimming or cycling) spread out over three or more days of the week. For example, a 30-minute walk on most days of the week would be fabulous! Start by walking 10 minutes at a time and gradually build up. The ultimate goal is to build up to four or more hours of exercise a week.
•Resistance (strength) exercises should be done three times a week
6. Type 2 diabetes doubles your risk for developing heart disease and stroke
True
The chances for developing these complications are two to three times higher in men and four to five times higher in women with diabetes, compared to those who do not have diabetes. Take care of your health and your heart by following our Heart Healthy Eating Tips, and have your blood pressure checked at every diabetes visit.
(Source- EatRight Ontario)
