At a time when the NHS is in crisis, it is staggering to think that the cost of treating Type 2 Diabetes (and its complications) is estimated to be more than £12bn per year. At present it is thought that around 1 in 16 of the UK population has Diabetes (diagnosed, or undiagnosed) and this number has doubled in the last 20 years.

So what is Diabetes?

Diabetes is a medical condition characterised by high levels of glucose (sugar) in the blood stream. It is caused by either the immune system attacking the insulin-producing cells in the pancreas (Type 1), or the body’s cells not being able to react to, and deal with, high levels of sugar in the blood (Type 2). Type 1 is an auto-immune condition which is non-reversible, typically managed through careful monitoring and regular medication, and tends to be identified at a young age.  Type 2 is more often diet and lifestyle related, and the good news is that small changes in these areas can have a significant positive impact.

Why is blood sugar balance so important?

Carbohydrates in our diet are broken down into simple sugar molecules when we digest our food. These sugar molecules enter the blood stream and give us a source of energy for our body and brain. The body is a clever beast, and it understands that sugar levels need to be stable. Too much in the bloodstream is harmful and can cause tissue damage; too little and we are deprived of the energy source we need to function and survive. We therefore have our own in-built mechanism to regulate this, which is where the pancreas and its hormones come into the story.

When we eat, and sugar enters our blood stream, our pancreas releases the hormone insulin, which then travels to the bloodstream and carries the sugar molecules away to safety, storing them in cells as fat (glycogen). When blood sugar levels dip too low, the brain signals the pancreas to release a hormone called glucagon, which breaks the glycogen stores, converts them back to glucose, and carries it back to the bloodstream to give us energy we are craving. We therefore create our own in-built larder to store and release energy.

This worked perfectly back when we evolved and had irregular access to food, but modern living has now thrown a huge spanner in the works, and is creating a health crisis. Our 24 hour access to meals and snacks means we are overdosing on the sugar, storing it as fat, and then overdosing again before our body has the chance to break down and use what we have stored. This has a number of implications for our health; we are gaining weight at an alarming rate, and we are damaging our blood sugar regulation by over stressing it.

The insulin demand to deal with more and more sugar becomes ever urgent, the body tissues receiving the insulin tire and eventually fail; a situation known as insulin resistance. Blood sugar levels then rise and the body is in severe danger, resulting in diabetes and associated health complications such as damage to the nerve endings in the eyes, kidneys and extremities. When uncontrolled this can result in blindness, kidney failure, amputations, and eventually death.

That’s the doom and gloom bit over. How can you find out if you are at risk; and more importantly, what can you do about it?

 Look out for symptoms associated with Pre-Diabetes and Diabetes, such as:  

Fluctuating energy and slumps; particularly after eating

Mood swings, irritability and depression

Cravings; particularly for sugary and junk food

Frequent trips to the toilet; excessive thirst

Headaches, shakiness or dizziness

Difficulty sleeping or poor concentration

Weight gain – in particular around the waist

Make small but important changes to your diet

Foods to include:

• ‘Break the Fast’. Start the day with a good breakfast to kick start your metabolism. Low sugar muesli or porridge with nuts, seeds and live yoghurt are ideal. Add cinnamon, which can help regulate insulin and reduce sugar cravings.
• Combine complex carbohydrates (brown rice, lentils, pulses, oats) with lean proteins, such as fish, chicken, eggs or beans. Protein takes longer for the body to break down, so will slow the release of the sugar into the bloodstream.
• Eat small, frequent snacks every 2-3 hours throughout the day; e.g. in between meals, eat an apple with a handful of nuts or seeds; hummous on Ryvita or with raw vegetables such as carrot sticks. Fibre in fruit and vegetables also helps to slow the release of the sugar.
• Eat healthy fats such as oily fish (salmon, sardines, mackerel, tuna), flax or hemp seeds, walnuts (all omega 3 essential fats) or olive oil drizzled on your vegetables. Seeds can be ground onto muesli or eaten as snacks.  
• Eat your greens; in fact all vegetables. They are rich not only in slow releasing carbohydrates, but also plenty of other nutrients to keep you healthy.

 Foods to avoid:

• Avoid alcohol – it is full of sugar, with little nutritional value, and not only quickly converts to fat, but also depletes B vitamins which are essential for energy metabolism.
• Avoid processed foods ie cakes, sweets, chocolate, cakes, crisps and biscuits.
• Switch from white bread, rice and pasta to brown alternatives. These will release sugar more slowly into the blood stream and keep you feeling full for longer.
• Never skip meals! This creates a rollercoaster of blood sugar levels.

Stress has a similar impact on insulin release as sugar, so  find ways to relax with some nurturing activities such as meditation, yoga or pilates. Moderate exercise can also help enormously with glucose and insulin regulation, and also weight management, so keep moving and factor in at least a daily walk.

For more information visit Diabetes UK’s website and look out for Diabetes Awareness Week from 11-17 June.

If you are struggling with any of the symptoms above, or are worried about the amount of sugar in your diet, feel free to contact me  for a chat.

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