Controlling Diabetes for Antiaging
Controlling diabetes is one of the most important health consideration facing you in your antiaging efforts.
The symptoms of diabetes are all around us and coincidentally the best diabetes diet is in many respects the best antiaging diet! With access to diabetes testing supplies, along with natural methods of controlling the disease, there is not reason for diabetics not to be in control over their blood sugar.
You may think this is a strange statement if you don't have diabetes, but in reality diabetes can be thought of as part of a syndrome rather than an isolated disease condition.
What is Diabetes?
Controlling diabetes starts with understanding what it is. There are two types, type1 where the islet cells of the pancreas are not able to produce insulin. Type 2 involves insulin resistance where the body loses it's sensitivity to insulin. The best diabetes diet is the one that will work on both types!
The symptoms of diabetes are similar in both cases.The end result is chronically high blood sugar causing many health problems from cardiovascular disease to nerve damage and acute pain.
What is Metabolic Syndrome?
Metabolic syndrome , sometimes called Syndrome-X, is a collection of symptoms relating to high blood sugar levels, poor blood lipid profile, and clinical obesity which makes it more likely that the person with these symptoms will go on to develop type 2 diabetes.
Each of these symptoms is a sign of an aging process, which is badly managed, and all these issues should be addressed in your antiaging program. Preventing or controlling diabetes is essential to longevity, so you need to be proactive in dealing with the symptoms of diabetes if you have them.
You should consider any one of the symptoms of diabetes as warning signs that your aging process is accelerated, and take steps to combat the disease. Since the symptoms are all related, proper lifestyle changes including the best diabetes diet can alleviate all of them rather than dealing with them separately.
Insulin Sensitivity Index
Insulin resistance is the loss of sensitivity to insulin. Your pancreas then has to secrete more and more insulin, until finally it becomes so impaired that it loses part or all of its insulin producing ability. At this point injections are necessary to supply insulin the pancreas can no longer produce.
This is known as insulin dependent diabetes and is the worst kind, because chronic insulin use causes many problems with the cardiovascular and nervous systems and will significantly shorten your lifespan.
The insulin sensitivity index is a way to determine just how effective the insulin in your body is in lowering your blood glucose levels over time, how well your pancreas is functioning and how you will go about controlling diabetes.
Controlling Diabetes With the Best Diabetes Diet
There is no one diet that will work for everyone, all of the time, and for all conditions. However when I refer to the best diabetic diet, I am really talking about a general philosophy of eating that you can use to successfully manage the symptoms of diabetes for both types of diabetic conditions.
There are several factors that you should consider if you have a diabetic condition and want to eat in a way that minimizes the negative impact of the sugars in your diet.
- The glycemic index – which foods raise your blood sugar the fastest
- The glycemic load – the total carbohydrate content of the meal
- The insulin index – the insulin required to control blood sugar after a meal
Here are some general guidelines for controlling diabetes with the best diabetes diet that you can follow.
- Eat plenty of fiber rich foods to slow absorption of sugars
- Eat plenty of low glycemic fruits and vegetables
- Eat protein with carbohydrates to balance the glycemic load of a meal
- Use spices like cayenne or cinnamon to help keep blood sugar low
- Check blood sugar before/after eating to gauge glycemic response
- Eat approximately every three hours to keep blood sugar stable
I would hesitate to recommend eating grains because even whole grains can raise blood sugar beyond the desirable range in a diabetic. Remember that the glycemic index is just a general guideline and should not viewed as absolutely accurate.
You will have to develop an eating plan based on your unique responses to the foods you eat, the timing of your meals, and the effects of exercise on your blood sugar levels. This can only be done through experience, and you will learn what works for your body!
Since this page is only a general guide to the topic of diabetes, I will be including more information about the symptoms of diabetes and will include links to valuable sources of information that will help you in controlling diabetes, and ensuring a longer healthier life in the process.
Always remember that your health YOU! Preventing and controlling diabetes is YOUR responsibility. You MUST take charge of your health and learn how best to take care of your body. You have the power to live a longer, and healthier life!
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