Category: Diabetes

TYPE I DIABETES AND EFFECTS ON THE KIDNEYS

Posted by admin2011-04-02T16:04:16+00:00"> – April 2, 2011

All the blood in the body is continually filtered through the kidneys. These two large, bean-shaped organs get rid of many of the body’s waste products and poisons by producing urine. Blood cells and large molecules such as proteins are held back by the kidneys. There is a continual trading of chemicals back and forth. If there is too much of something in the blood—a salt, for example—the excess passes into the urine. If there is only just enough of a substance, or a shortage of it, the kidneys will return it to the blood.
In a healthy person, there is just the right amount of glucose in the blood, so the kidneys hold it all back. Normally there is no sugar in the urine. But when the blood sugar level rises beyond about 180 mg%, the renal threshold, the excess sugar begins to “spill” over into the urine, like extra water over a dam. The presence of glucose in the urine is called glucosuria.
There must always be enough water in the urine to keep irritating and poisonous wastes well diluted. As the amount of glucose spilling into the urine increases, the urine becomes more concentrated. So the kidneys must pass out more water to keep the urine diluted enough. Then the body becomes dehydrated, and the person becomes thirsty. With all the extra water flowing out through the kidneys, minerals are washed out too, along with proteins and fats, which are not normally excreted by the kidneys. So a person with uncontrolled diabetes begins to lose weight.
Meanwhile, despite all that sugar floating around in the blood, the person is unable to use sugar effectively as a fuel for normal body activities. Chemical distress signals are sent out by the hungry cells, and a metabolic switch-over begins. The body begins to raid its fat stores for energy fuel, and it may even begin to pull protein from the muscles. (That’s like a family who have run out of fuel oil chopping up their furniture and burning it in the fireplace to keep warm—it may solve the problem temporarily, but it creates even worse problems later on.)
When fats are broken down for energy, chemicals called ketone bodies are formed as by-products. These build up in the blood and spill over into the urine; they may give the breath a distinctive “fruity,” acetone odor. Ketone bodies are somewhat acid, and they upset the acid balance of the blood. This is a delicate balance, and it is normally maintained within very narrow limits. Too much acid can poison or even kill body cells. If too much fat must be used to provide energy because there is not enough insulin to allow the use of glucose for fuel, a state called ketoacidosis develops. The person may lose consciousness, may go into a coma, and—if not rescued by prompt medical treatment may die.
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THE CARBOHYDRATE ADDICT’S PROFILE

Posted by admin2011-03-01T16:14:03+00:00"> – March 1, 2011

Our documented research has shown that 75 percent of overweight adults identify themselves as “carbohydrate addicts.” Clinical and laboratory findings suggest an even higher percentage is more likely. Evidence indicates that there is an 85 percent incidence of carbohydrate addiction in overweight Americans. The bread, pasta, potatoes, sweets, and other carbohydrate-rich foods that they consume testify to their carbohydrate addiction. Some report that they don’t enjoy the food, that it doesn’t make them feel good, or that they don’t find it satisfying. Yet, they often feel a powerful drive to eat.
Addiction is a strong word, yet most carbohydrate addicts seem to understand the concept well. It fits, they say; it describes what they have known and felt. By definition, “addiction” is a dependence on a substance (food or chemical) that produces a habitual or an excessive need for its continued use or consumption. Accompanying notions of withdrawal from and an addictive response to carbohydrates are also familiar to carbohydrate addicts. If you are a carbohydrate addict, you probably recognized the symptoms even before you took the Carbohydrate Addict’s Test in the previous chapter.
Not all carbohydrate addicts are the same. There are, however, certain patterns of behavior that are common to many of us. For example, most carbohydrate addicts feel the compulsion to eat when they aren’t genuinely hungry. They crave rich, carbohydrate-dense foods like bread or sweets only an hour or two after finishing a meal. It is common for carbohydrate addicts to report that at times they are less satisfied after eating than before; it is also common for carbohydrate addicts to find they have difficulty stopping once they begin to eat bread or pasta, snack foods, or (sometimes) sweets.
Once they begin to eat carbohydrates, the impulse to continue is often difficult to control. Even though they want to stay true to the rules and regulations of their diets, carbohydrate addicts frequently eat foods that are not on their eating programs. This drive to cheat usually builds until the need is satisfied. As this pattern repeats, the carbohydrate addict loses his or her motivation and, over time, the will to diet loses out to the need to eat.
The carbohydrate addict’s determination to lose weight is sabotaged by a biologically based disorder.
It usually isn’t personality, it’s biology.
When a carbohydrate addict eats carbohydrates, his or her body releases too much of the “hunger hormone,” insulin, into the bloodstream. Rather than telling the brain the hunger has been satisfied, this excess of insulin (hyperinsulinemia) causes the carbohydrate addict to desire more food after eating. Carbohydrate addicts often feel driven to eat. Yet the more often sweets, starches, and snack foods are eaten, the more insulin is produced and the more frequent and stronger are the cravings for carbohydrate-rich foods.
This seeming compulsion to eat produces weight gain. Even more often, the effects of the insulin on the metabolism will make losing weight much more difficult for the carbohydrate addict than for the normal person.
Most carbohydrate addicts are entirely unaware of their biologically based disorder. Thus, they continue to try to eat and diet as if they were normal people. But following diets designed for normal people usually results in a cycle of disappointment and frustration. The inevitable failure of other diets, the increasing tendency to cheat, and impulses that prove uncontrollable, all lead to self-blame. Rarely do carbohydrate addicts question the appropriateness of their diets. “If my friends manage to lose weight, why can’t I?” is a familiar question.
Although carbohydrate addicts often find themselves eating when they had no intention of doing so, the pattern isn’t always constant. Strangely, the carbohydrate addict sometimes finds it relatively easy to keep from eating almost anything for a long period; at other times the addict cannot refrain from eating for even short spans of time. The drive to eat often follows the intake of carbohydrates.
One carbohydrate addict we’ve treated described some of her feelings in this way. Her words are typical of many of the people with whom we have worked.
It seems like an uncontrollable craving at times. I think I should be able to control myself but I don’t. I know I’m not weak-willed. I keep most other aspects of my life together—but not my eating.
Another carbohydrate addict told us:
Each time I say, “This time I’ll do it,” but I fail on diet after diet. I often think I’ll just give up trying, but I can’t. I want to be able to control my eating, lose weight, and look good—and feel good about myself, too.
These are not weak-willed people. Most carbohydrate addicts know, deep inside, that they do not lack willpower. In fact, over the years, we have learned that our dieters are likely to be strong-willed people who are able to control many parts of their lives. But the key point is that, because of the way their bodies react to certain of the foods they eat (i.e., because of their metabolism), most carbohydrate addicts experience hunger or recurring cravings much more intensely and more often than do normal people. They may feel a sense of irritation, anxiety, or anger. They often tell us of feeling tired or sleepy after eating carbohydrate-rich foods. And these responses seem to get stronger over time.
Many carbohydrate addicts tell us their eating baffles them, that they feel betrayed. All too often, they feel like they are betraying themselves.
Maybe you’ll recognize some of Rita’s frustrations.
With her red hair and expensive attire, Rita made a striking appearance when she came to see us. She had given up her acting career a few years earlier, but was married to a successful businessman who enjoyed seeing her dress well. And so she did.
But Rita found she was outgrowing her clothes as fast as she bought them. “Last week was the last straw,” she told us. “I put on a dress that had seemed a bit tight, but certainly fit, a month ago. I had sent it out to be cleaned and when I went to put it on last week, I couldn’t get the zipper together. I was furious.
“I called the cleaners and complained that they had shrunk my dress. They were very courteous and said they would check it out. They asked for the number on the receipt. It was still attached to the plastic bag so I gave it to them and they traced the cleaning process.
“They called me back and explained that the item had been cleaned two months before. I was mortified as I realized that the dress didn’t fit because I had gained so much weight in that time that I had gone up a complete size or more. If there had been a hole in the floor, I would have dropped in it. Can you imagine?”
We could imagine. Many carbohydrate addicts can understand her feeling of being out of control. That is what this diet is all about.
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THE G.I. FACTOR: ANSWERED QUESTIONS

Posted by admin2009-05-08T13:50:20+00:00"> – May 8, 2009

Does the G.I. factor predict the glycaemic effect of a normal serving of food?

Although the G.L is based on 50 gram carbohydrate portions, the ranking of foods is roughly the same when compared on a per usual serving size, per 1000 kilojoule or per 100 gram food basis. There are some exceptions to this, one being carrots. You can eat as many carrots as you wish despite their high G.I.

Studies have shown that even though the G.L factor has been determined on the basis of a 50 gram carbohydrate portion, it can be used to predict the effect of a normal serve size with a meal. This is why the long-term studies of real people with diabetes eating real low G.L meals have been successful.

Would a person with diabetes need to reduce their insulin dose if they changed to low G.I. foods?

It is possible that if a person with well controlled diabetes changes their carbohydrate to low G.I. types that they could reduce their insulin dosage and maintain the same blood sugar levels. While we have heard anecdotes of this occurring, it has not been demonstrated in any scientific studies.

Does the G.I. factor of a food only apply to a certain quantity of the food?

No. The G.I. factor of a food remains the same whether you eat 10 grams of the food or 1000 grams of the food. Because it is a ranking of one carbohydrate food to another according to glycaemic impact, to make the comparison fair, the amount of each food being compared must be the same. This is why a 50 gram (usually) carbohydrate portion of a food is compared to 50 grams of glucose or a 50 gram carbohydrate portion of white bread, when the G.I. factor is being measured. What does change with the quantity of food, is the actual glycaemic effect of that food in the body. We can eat less of a high G.I. food or more of a low G.I. food and end up with the same blood sugar responses.

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LIVING WITH DIABETES: DIABETES AUSTRALIA

Posted by admin2009-04-28T09:00:33+00:00"> – April 28, 2009

Diabetes Associations are well established in most countries. Most of their members are people with diabetes whose aim is to help themselves and other people with diabetes lead a full and healthy life. Thus they may help in many ways, such as advice with social, diet, employment and travel problems, or information about the medical and other facilities available for people with diabetes. Many diabetic associations run holiday camps for children with diabetes, and publish a regular magazines and booklets giving information of interest to people with diabetes.

Diabetes Australia, like most Diabetes Associations, has a medical and scientific section for doctors and scientists who specialize in the care of diabetes, or who are involved with research in diabetes. There is also an association of Diabetes Educators. This leads to cooperation and the sharing of knowledge at all levels of care of those with diabetes. A very important aspect of this association is the support and sponsoring of research in diabetes.

You will probably want to join your state branch of Diabetes Australia because it could be very helpful to you, and it will allow you to support an organization which is established to help all persons with diabetes in the community by advice, information, negotiation with outside bodies and in research.

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