How on Earth is Diabetes Affected by Sugar and Insulin? - an Overview

One of the most important things that diabetics can do in their efforts to maintain a healthier lifestyle within the condition is to get as much information about diabetes as possible. When diabetes get the right information about the condition, they can understand it better and make choices that help to keep them healthier.

Sugar and diabetes

With regards to sugar, diabetics can make a huge impact on their health by limiting the amount of sugar that they consume. Sugar is not just refined sugar, like candy, but it also means limiting high-carbohydrate foods, such as starches and white breads. Here's why:

The body produces insulin that breaks sugars down and makes them available as energy. However, a diabetic either doesn't produce enough insulin to properly break sugars down, or the insulin that they produce is not as effective as it should be. Therefore, diabetics are unable to properly process food.

Sugar, insulin, and the body

In a nondiabetic person, the body will secrete the right amount of insulin to break down foods that the nondiabetic has eaten, creating an equilibrium. However, because diabetics either don't produce the right amount of insulin or that insulin isn't effective, diabetics tend to have elevated blood sugar levels. Elevated blood sugar levels are damaging to the kidneys, eyes, nerves, and entire circulatory system, according to Sugar Busters. (Sugar Busters p. 78) As a result of prolonged elevated blood sugar levels, many diabetics have long-term negative effects of diabetes, which may include loss of vision, heart disease, diabetic neuropathy, and more.

While many diabetics help to control their blood sugar levels through exercise and medications, diabetics still need to pay attention to their diets. After all, even insulin injections are not as effective as the insulin that the body naturally secretes in a nondiabetic.

The importance of limiting sugar

In order to manage diabetes most effectively, diabetics need to use a combination of exercise, medications, and diet. The diet they follow should be low in sugar, or carbohydrates. By limiting sugar consumption, diabetics can help to reduce overall blood sugar levels and better manage spikes and valleys in their blood sugar levels throughout the day.

Limiting carbohydrate intake generally means consuming foods that score about 50 or less on the Glycemic index. Diabetics should also pay attention to the food portions that they consume. After all, even when consuming healthy foods, it's important to be careful not to consume too much. Portion control dishes may help diabetics to learn more about proper food portions so that they can be sure to get enough of the right types of food every day.

Sources:

http://shop.imtypefree.com/Portion-Control-Dishes-s/97.htm

­Sugar Busters­; by H. Leighton Steward, Morrison C. Bethea, M.D., Sam S. Andrews, M.D., and Luis A. Balart, M.D.; 1995