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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Day 4, and so far things seem to be going well.

Admittedly this programme has taken a degree of planning and preparation, but thank goodness for great health food shops in Brighton & Hove! Infinity Foods makes life so much easier and local grocers and supermarkets are now also stocking much more variety when it comes to alternative flours and unusual vegetables, so it’s more a question of being organised! My kitchen has transformed into a healthy mini-mart, but a good distraction for the weekend could be a kitchen cupboard clear out.

This isn’t intended as a weight management exercise, but my clothes are definitely feeling looser, which is very motivating. More importantly, I have been sleeping very deeply, my mind feels clearer and I’m waking up quickly and with plenty of energy, so I seem to be getting through so much more during the day.

The hard part is planning meals. I have all the ingredients and plenty of menus, supplied both by the organisers but also other participants who are kindly sharing theirs on the group Facebook page we are using; but fitting the meal preparation into a busy working day needs a bit of organisation. I have to say though, the results have been fun and I’ve tried all sorts of things which I have never sampled before. (Admission to former clients – I had never actually tried quinoa porridge before, but it’s genuinely delicious!)

The other challenge is planning meals whilst away from home – a reality for most of us face on a regular basis, and one of my biggest this week. Again pre-planning so the key here. Work out where you are likely to be, and the options you will have available. If eating out in a restaurant, it is usually possible to look at the menu online before you go. This helps your brain engage with the choices you want to make and helps avoid making hasty bad decisions when faced with the waiter and his notebook. When heading out for a day’s work, take prepared food and snacks to avoid the temptation of the local sandwich shop or garage.

The foods, meals and supplements we are working have all been carefully selected to support the liver and gut with their natural processes of removing waste matter and toxins from the body. If these aren’t efficiently removed they can cause all sorts of problems such as IBS, bloating, PMS and a range of other hormone-associated complaints; so this really is the basis of achieving good health.

As for today; lunch will be an avocado salad (full of essential fats and Vitamin E) and tonight I’m aiming for something creative using chicken.

Watch this space, and visit my Pinterest and Facebook pages to see what I come up with. (with apologies to any proper cooks out there!)

 If you have any detox recipes you would like to share, send them through and I will post my favourite on my recipe page.

 P.S. This is the avocado salad I came up with – from anything I could find in the fridge, which ended up comprising:

A mix of spinach, rocket and watercress; sliced avocado, tomatoes, bean sprouts, sliced pear, walnuts and pomegranate seeds; all drizzled with flax seed oil.

Slightly off-menu but it worked for me!

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If you are celebrating the Jubilee this weekend but worried about ruining your healthy eating regime, there are tasty snacks and nibbles you can make quickly and simply which will still grace a party table, contribute to your daily fruit and vegetable quota, and provide a great alternative to the fatal temptations of cakes, crisps and pastries.

Chopped vegetables are packed with nutritious vitamins, and eaten raw can be a great fibre boost. Carrots, celery and sweet peppers make terrific dips and roasted vegetable kebabs go well with a barbecue. Try roasting chopped peppers, aubergine, tomato, mushrooms and courgettes and then skewer with some leafy  herbs (basil  leaves work well) to add colour to your plate.

Instead of red meat, don’t forget  salmon is a great source of both protein and essential ‘good’ fats. Smoked salmon is very versatile and can be rolled and added to vegetable kebabs, or added to mini toasts or wholemeal bread squares to make a tasty canapé. Add some dill to dress.

A good substitute for crisps and salted nuts is to nibble on toasted almonds or mixed seeds instead. Try flavouring with spices such as tamari or paprika to make them more interesting. You can also use walnuts and pine nuts as toppings on salads or to add flavour to celery boats stuffed with low fat cream cheese. Sprinkle with pomegranate for a burst of colour.

Fruit can also be fun to combine with cheese and vegetables – and the children love them. Whilst we are in nostalgic mood, why not reconstruct the grapefruit hedgehogs so popular back in the 70’s. Halve a grapefruit, lay flat side on the plate and create a hedgehog effect using fruit and cheese kebabs on cocktail sticks. You can experiment with all sorts of combinations, alternating cheeses (try grilled haloumi cubes or cheddar) with pineapple cubes, halved strawberries, red and green grapes and blueberries. If you want to add vegetables, cherry tomatoes and sweet pepper cubes also work well. Mint and basil leaves also add colour, flavour and even more healthy nutrients.

Don’t forget to add a non-alcoholic fruit punch to the party table. Another fantastic source of antioxidants and refreshing on a hot day. Let’s hope!

Here are some suggestions below. Have a fun and healthy weekend!

 

 

 

 

• Celery boats stuffed with blue cheese and toasted pine nuts
• Cucumber rounds spread with goats cheese and walnuts
• Chicory leaves filled with blue cheese and pine nuts
• Mini Nairns biscuits with hummus or soft cheese spread, chives and pomegranate
• Mini toasts with pesto, sun dried tomatoes and sprinkled with parmesan

• Tamari or paprika toasted spicy roasted almonds
• Skewers (or cocktail sticks) with cherry tomatoes, blueberries, strawberries and haloumi  or cheddar cubes
• Celery boats stuffed with guacomole and pomegranate
• Grilled haloumi kebabs with peppers, roasted peppers, cherry tomatoes and mint
• Smoked salmon kebabs with cherry tomato and cucumber
• Cucumber rounds with salmon and dill topping
• Garlic free hummus  or guacamole dips with pepper, cucumber and celery crudités
• Flat mushrooms grilled with teriyaki sesame seeds
• Cherry tomatoes stuffed with soft cheese and chives
• Asparagus spears wrapped in smoked salmon or prosciutto

 

 

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