Nutrition is an essential factor in any person's life, even though it might not the attention that it should. The fast pace of today’s living gives people less time to check their health and what they are eating - their body however may be giving them sign of some ‘abnormality’ whether it be severe or not. People do not often learn to listen to their body but if we took time to do this we might be able to catch various disease at their most treatable stage instead of getting too far down the line to do anything.

What we eat has always been a contentious issue - when we were little milk was good for you now it isn’t, red meat was good for you now maybe too much is not a good thing.

There are various conditions that are affected by what we eat - cholesterol levels, heart disease, diabetes, skin disorders, migraines, cancer. The body runs into problems when it has excesses of certain foods ie too much saturated fatty foods.

I am going to concentrate on the area of Diabetes versus Nutrition

Diabetes  is another of those conditions that people blame themselves for - it is their fault i.e. too much sugar, it feels like a punishment, some seem to think they deserve it due to living ‘badly’.

It has been reported that there are 1.4 million diagnosed cases of Diabetes, it is important that you know that you are not alone.

Nutrition is an essential factor in any person's life, even though it might not the attention that it should. The fast pace of today’s living gives people less time to check their health and what they are eating - their body however may be giving them sign of some ‘abnormality’ whether it be severe or not. People do not often learn to listen to their body but if we took time to do this we might be able to catch various disease at their most treatable stage instead of getting too far down the line to do anything.

 of Diabetes can be written off as just feeling unwell, perhaps an infection - these symptoms include a thirst for fluids that does not subside ie two glasses of water is not enough, generally feeling off colour, passing lots of urine on a more regular basis than your norm, weight loss, tingling in your hands and feet an blurred vision. Skin and fungal infections can also be present.

Too little glucose in the blood, however, can also cause problems - it results in low blood sugar (Hypoglycaemia). Symptoms of this include - dizziness, weakness, extreme hunger and even coma in extreme cases. You don’t seem to be able to win either way.

Foods containing carbohydrates i.e. chocolate, cakes, biscuits, jam, bread, potatoes can raise the glucose levels but to restore the level to a proper balance requires the action of insulin. This does not happen if the output of insulin from the body is low, or if the insulin is ineffective - this is how Hyperglycaemia, high blood pressure, is caused.

Diabetes takes two main forms: Type 1 Diabetes (INSULIN DEPENDENT) - this usually develops in adolescence or childhood. Type 2 Diabetes (NON INSULIN DEPENDENT) - this tends to be more common in older people.

Type 1, which must be treated with regular insulin injections, leads from the inability of the pancreas to produce insulin due to either damaged or destroyed cells. It is in this instance that the protection body mechanism for fighting foreign organisms turns against itself and starts destroying the healthy tissue. The link between nutrition and Type 1 is uncertain and is still being investigated.

Type 2, common causes which include being overweight and lack of exercise, can be to some extent be helped/prevented. This type was usually more common in the over 50’s but due to the growing obesity problem in younger people it is becoming more common. This type results from the reduced recognition of insulin by the body tissues, which then causes the pancreas to raise the insulin levels to compensate.

It is at this early stage of Type 2 Diabetes that treatment can be through diet alone - even so doctors may prescribe medication at this stage. It is in its later stages, when the overworked pancreas does not produce sufficient insulin, when an injection of insulin may be needed. However weight reduction and regular exercise have been shown to be very helpful for this type of Diabetes.

In both types of Diabetes it is very important that the person eats at regular intervals to prevent the blood sugar decreasing. If you are being treated with insulin you might find that you need to eat every 2 - 3 hours and need snacks in between. It is also important that if Hypoglycaemia occurs in those who take insulin, glucose is needed as soon as possible - perhaps by a packet of the sports energy sweets which are instant glucose boosters.

If this state occurs before a meal time is due their timing needs to be advanced and enough carbohydrate should be consumed immediately to prevent any recurrence. A word of warning, where nutrition/diet is concerned, about the so called Diabetic products that are on offer in most stores - Diabetes UK deter people from buying these products as besides costing a lot more than standard foods, it promotes the idea that diabetics have to eat differently ie not the norm but also that they contain a very high fat content.

Anyone with Diabetes, type 1 or 2, need a very carefully planned diet prepared with expert help. The advice for both types would be very similar, obviously individual needs being taken into consideration covering areas such as general health state, body weight and how active they are.

The pattern of eating must take into account the timing and type of insulin injections as well as the sensitivity to insulin and any prescribed drugs per individual.

Old advice on controlling glucose levels, i.e. restriction of carbohydrates has long been superseded, the new approach being to adopt a diet low in fat and high in carbohydrates and fibre (no different recommendation to a ‘normal’ person) but does emphasise foods that slowly release the carbohydrates.

Overall fat intake should be kept low but it has to be noted that fatty acids from oily fish are required as they do help to normalise blood lipid levels and blood pressure.

A high quantity of fruit and vegetables and whole grains must also be eaten as they provide the body with the Antioxidants, vitamins C and E, carotenoids and flavonoids, as well as many trace elements. The antioxidants are needed to neutralise any toxic free radicals - diabetics are prone to these. The trace elements and minerals that have been shown to be important for maintenance of health in Diabetes include magnesium, chromium, manganese, zinc. Supplements can be taken but should not be in replacement of a healthy diet.

Diabetes management is the aim of keeping blood glucose levels within the normal limits and over a longer period of time, is to avoid any of the known complications i.e. heart disease, eye problems, kidney failure. Exercise and diet alone can achieve these normal levels for type 2 diabetics even though drugs may be prescribed as a support mechanism. 

As an overview, the below gives the general dietary guidelines for a diabetic sufferer so as to keep blood sugar levels under control:

Living with diabetes does not have to be a science - to keep the blood sugar levels under control listening to your body is of paramount - the body is a wonderful mechanism that can tell us a lot about ourselves and our condition if only we take the time to listen.

For some people having a shock, like being told they have diabetes, is seen as a time for change but why let yourself get to this point in the first place? The ‘damage’ is already done

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