FAQ
 

What is diabetes?
Diabetes is a disease in which blood glucose levels are above normal. Most of the food we eat is turned into glucose, or sugar, for our bodies to use for energy. The pancreas, an organ that lies near the stomach, makes a hormone called insulin to help glucose get into the cells of our bodies. When you have diabetes, your body either doesn't make enough insulin or can't use its own insulin as well as it should. This causes sugar to build up in your blood.
What are the symptoms of diabetes?
People who think they might have diabetes must visit a physician for diagnosis. They might have SOME or NONE of the following symptom

• Frequent urination
• Excessive thirst
• Unexplained weight loss
• Extreme hunger
• Sudden vision changes
• Tingling or numbness in hands or feet
• Feeling very tired much of the time
• Very dry skin
• Sores that are slow to heal
• More infections than usual

Nausea, vomiting, or stomach pains may accompany some of these symptoms in the abrupt onset of insulin-dependent diabetes, now called type 1 diabetes.

Why does losing weight help my diabetes?
Weight loss helps people with diabetes in two important ways. First, it lowers insulin resistance. This allows your natural insulin (in people with type 2 diabetes) to do a better job lowering blood glucose levels. If you take insulin or a sulfonylurea, losing weight may allow you to quit taking it. Second, it improves blood fat and blood pressure levels. People with diabetes are about twice as likely to get cardiovascular disease as most people. Lowering blood fats and blood pressure is a way to reduce that risk.

Can I eat foods with sugar in them?
For almost every person with diabetes, the answer is yes! Eating a piece of cake made with sugar will raise your blood glucose level. So will eating corn on the cob, a tomato sandwich, or lima beans.

The truth is that sugar has gotten a bad reputation. People with diabetes can and do eat sugar. In your body, it becomes glucose, but so do the other foods mentioned above. With sugary foods, the rule is moderation.


Eat too much, and:

1. You'll send your blood glucose level up higher than you expected.
2. You'll fill up but without the nutrients that come with vegetables and grains.
3. You'll gain weight.

Are Low-Carbohydrate Diets the answer for weight loss?
Popular diets question carbohydrates in a healthful eating plan. You thought they were good for you. What are the facts? Carbohydrates yield readily available glucose and are the best fuel for the body. Skipping carbohydrates is like trying to drive your car with oil instead of gas.

The facts for weight loss are very simple and not too glamorous. Weight loss occurs when you burn more calories than you consume. You can change calories in one of three ways--eat fewer calories, exercise more, or do a little of both.

For more assistance with healthy eating and for more information about the risks involved with low carbohydrate diets speak with a registered dietitian.

What happens when I eat food?
Your blood glucose levels after a meal are most affected by the amount of carbs in your diet and the amount of insulin secretion and its action on your tissues.

The nutrient that has the greatest effect on blood glucose is carbohydrates. Fat slows glucose absorption. Both, the quantity and the type or source of carbs of the food you eat, influence your glucose levels after having a meal.

What are the glycemic index and glycemic load?
Glycemic index and the glycemic load are two good tools for meal planning when you are diabetic.

  • The glycemic index measures the change in blood glucose concentrations after eating foods that contain carbs. Some foods cause a very rapid increase in glucose levels while others have smaller effects. The glycemic index ranks foods containing carbs comparing them according to the increase in blood glucose (over the fasting level) that is observed in the 2 hours after eating a certain amount of carbs in an individual food.

  • The glycemic load of a food takes into account the glycemic index of a specific food as well as the amount of carbs in a serving of that food. In summary, the glycemic index is a qualitative measure and the glycemic load is a quantitative one.

Access this tool to calculate the glycemic index and glycemic load of the foods at the website of University of Sidney. They also have great books with recipes and information.

What is Insulin?

  • Insulin is a hormone needed to sustain life since it is necessary for converting blood glucose into energy and for the cellular metabolism of many other nutrients.
    Insulin is a hormone produced by the beta cells in the pancreas that allows glucose from the food we eat to get into our cells for energy. Insulin is necessary for life. Without insulin action, glucose and other nutrients from food cannot be used properly and glucose levels rise in the blood.

  • Because food intake affects the body's need for insulin and insulin's ability to lower blood sugar, diet is the cornerstone of diabetes treatment. Today, diabetes experts no longer recommend a single meal plan for all people with diabetes. Instead, they recommend meal plans that are flexible and take into account a person's lifestyle and particular health needs. The American Diabetes Association recommends that people with diabetes consult a registered dietician to design a meal plan.