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  • Glycemic Index

    The glycemic index is a number from 0 to 100 assigned to a food, with pure glucose arbitrarily given the value of 100, which represents the relative rise in the blood glucose level two hours after consuming that food

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    <p><a href="https://www.healthchoicesfirst.com/practitioner-type/endocrinologist">&nbsp;Endocrinologist</a> talks about how understanding glycemic index can help improve your diabetes.</p>

     Endocrinologist talks about how understanding glycemic index can help improve your diabetes.

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    <p><a href="https://www.healthchoicesfirst.com/practitioner-type/endocrinologist">&nbsp;Endocrinologist,</a> talks about the downside of crash dieting.</p>

     Endocrinologist, talks about the downside of crash dieting.

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    <p><a href="https://www.healthchoicesfirst.com/practitioner-type/registered-dietician">&nbsp;Professional Dietitian</a>, talks about how to eat healthy carbohydrates for a good energy sources and improved glycemic control.</p>

     Professional Dietitian, talks about how to eat healthy carbohydrates for a good energy sources and improved glycemic control.

  • Healthy Carbohydrates for Glycemic Control

    Carbohydrates are starches, fibres and sugars that we can find in different foods. So, there are different food groups that contain carbohydrates, such as our grains and starches, fruits, some vegetables, and dairy and milk. We also find them in another food group called other. So, this is usually cookies, candies, things like that. Carbohydrates are actually our main fuel and source of energy, and even the brain will use carbohydrates as its source of energy.

                            

    In carbohydrates, we find a lot of vitamins, minerals and fibre. So, fibre has a lot of benefit for our body. It can actually help lower our cholesterol levels. It’s very important for the health of our intestines and our digestion. Best of all, it can even help with management of diabetes. There are different types of carbohydrates, such as short-chain carbohydrates, so these are also called rapid-acting carbohydrates. Meaning that the body will digest them and absorb them quickly or faster, which can actually cause a spike in the blood sugar. Some examples would be juice, white bread and sugar.

    Then we have longer-chain carbohydrates, so this takes the body longer to digest and absorb, causing less of an effect on the blood sugar. Examples would be legumes, oats, barley and berries, for example.When you’re looking for foods, let’s say out in the grocery store, and you’re reading labels, a really important thing to look for is the amount fibre. So, when you choose products that have higher fibre, these are going to take longer to digest.Carbohydrates can play a very important role in diabetes management. Aiming to choose high-fibre carbohydrates will help in slowing down the digestion, causing less spikes in blood glucose. Also, when choosing carbohydrates, we’re looking at the quality – so meaning high fibre – but also the quantity.

    For example, on your plate, a quarter of your plate should be the quantity of carbohydrates, which could equate to about one cup, or a fist. So, for example at a meal, having a cup of cooked barley, or a cup of cooked lentils, for example, on your plate could be your portion of carbohydrates.

    Here are some tips: aiming to put more vegetables and legumes on your plate. Looking at the quality of the carbohydrates, so high fibre, and also keeping an eye on the quantity. As you increase your fibre, don’t forget to increase your water as well.

     And if you’d like more information, reach out to a Registered Dietitian or a Professional Dietitian, as well as your healthcare team.   Often seeing a Endocrinologist or  local family physician  in conjunction with a registered dietitian and athletic therapist is a great option to take control of this condition. Smart Food Now and exercise is also optominal for overall health. 

  • If you're affected by diabetes, you may have noticed that some foods may make your blood sugars rise up much more higher and quicker than other foods. For instance, when you have roti made of refined flour, it may make your sugars go up through the roof compared to roti made of barley, oats or Jo.                

    This is because of something called glycemic index. Glycemic Index is basically the proportion of sugar and the kind of sugar that is present in every food. It's really important to know the glycemic index of foods so that you can choose wisely in the quality as well as the quantity of foods that you are about to eat. Certain foods may have very high glycemic index. These include Cornflakes or Cheerios. In fruits, stuff like bananas, watermelon, dates, in vegetables, potatoes or frozen corn, white rice, bread, all of these have high glycemic index. Low glycemic index foods include oatmeal, bran, fruits like apples, berries, peaches, legumes like dal, vegetables like cabbages, eggplant, tomatoes, spinach, brown rice, nuts, skim milk and eggs, all of which are very healthy for people with diabetes. That's why whenever you're choosing your food, try to choose brown rice or wild rice over white rice. In fruits, try to choose things like apples or blueberries instead of bananas or watermelon.

    The Endocrinologists on this site are in good standing with the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada, and  Canadian Diabetes Association and the Canadian Medical Association

    Key Words: Blood Glucose Monitor, Novel Diabetes Medications, Diabetes, Obesity, Protecting Kidneys Diabetes, Type 1 Diabetes, Hypoglycemia, Diabetes Nutrition, Obesity and Diabetes, Lipohypertrophy

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