Role of diet in diabetes care
Diabetes (diabetes mellitus) is classed as a metabolism disorder. Metabolism refers to the way our bodies use digested food for energy and growth. Most of what we eat is broken down into glucose. Glucose is a form of sugar in the blood - it is the principal source of fuel for our bodies.
Diabetes comes from Greek, and it means a siphon. Aretus the Cappadocian, a Greek physician during the second century A.D., named the condition diabainein. He described patients who were passing too much water (polyuria) - like a siphon. The word became "diabetes" from the English adoption of the Medieval Latin diabetes.
Once a person diagnosed of diabetes ,it is important for him/her to recognize the place lifestyle adjustments necessary for the control of blood sugar level.Drugs alone will not do it.
One of the two key lifestyle changes that must be effected is diet,the other is increased physical activity.
Please, note the following points with respect to dietary measures for people living with diabetes.
(1.)The whole purpose is for diet to be less in calorie and balanced.
2. Generally speaking apart from refined sugar or drinks containing them, which should be avoided, any of our local staple food can be consumed by someone living with diabetes.
3. Diet types and prescription should be individualized.
4. Diet should be prescribed based on broken down to simple sugars like glucose and fructose.it is important to note that not all complex carbohydrates are broken down at the same rate due to the glycaenic index of the carbohydrate.
For carbohydrates (starch and fruit), the simple way of deciding the amount to take is to choose an amount equivalent to the size of two fists.for fruit,use one fist.
PROTEIN:choose an amount equivalent to the size of the palm of your hand and the thickness of your little finger.
VEGETABLES:choose as much as you can hold in both hands.these should be low carbohydrate vegetables, green or yellow beans,cabbage or lettuce.
FAT: Limit fat to an amount the size of the tip of your thumb,Drink no more.
