Saturday, December 20, 2008

Diet Tips - Atkins and Diabetes

By Jonas Milkei

The diet Atkins principles laying the groundwork for a more balanced and healthy eating to the standard American diet. Emphasis is placed on the use of good carbohydrates in balance with adequate protein. This is in stark contrast to what most Americans eat on a daily basis. The average American eats a lot of processed foods that have hidden sugars and carbohydrates highly processed. This has enabled most Americans on the road to diabetes and pre-diabetes. What is sad is that diabetes has a series of steps and predictable that they can be easily recognized.

The road to diabetes has to do with what is called the glycemic index. All carbohydrates are quoted on the index with regard to the degree of response of the insulin they produce. Foods that have a high glycemic index rating will cause your pancreas to release a lot insulin to break down the amount of sugars and carbohydrates (which produce large amounts of glucose). Carbohydrates and refined sugars which make up the vast majority of the American diet rank very high on the glycemic index.

We are able to more readily digest these foods as children, because our bodies function more efficiently in our youth. There may have been side effects, like weight gain and mood swings, but they didn't stand out. As we age, however, these symptoms begin to grow and become more prevalent. The nation-wide obesity epidemic is a result of high-carbohydrate diets and unstable blood sugar levels.

Many people who are overweight are also resistant to insulin. Insulin resistance means that insulin is not doing its job in removing glucose from the bloodstream. The pancreas is working and it releases huge amounts of insulin, sometimes 20 times more than the body really needs. The result is a drop in blood sugar to extremely low levels. This would trigger a chain reaction in the body leading to a release of adrenaline to correct the problem blood sugar.

With age, blood sugar and insulin more difficulties compounded. The condition is called "hyperinsulinism" and is a precursor of type II diabetes. It is usually accompanied by high blood pressure and high triglycerides. After years of using a high-carbohydrate diet, you are finally in full diabetics. Insulin is the principal organ of the fat and creator pounds usually accompany late-onset diabetes. Conditions of pre-diabetics, if not treated effectively, will lead to diabetes indefinitely.

However, there are warning signs easily identifiable with diabetes appearing early. Your family doctor can perform tests insulin levels that will allow you to know if you are at risk for pre-diabetic conditions, and studies show that a diet low in carbohydrates like Atkins can help. Controlling blood sugar is one of the most effective methods for the control of pre-diabetic conditions.

The Atkins diet helps to effectively control blood sugar. The combination of proteins, fats and carbohydrates maintain good body satisfied without the roller coaster effect. Controlling the amount of carbohydrates and the type will help limit the peak insulin. This will allow his pancreas work in the way they are meant to be, and that will reduce the likelihood of your development of pre-diabetic conditions. It is a vicious circle which, if unchecked, can lead to diabetes later in life. When the Atkins diet is followed effectively that produces blood sugar stable throughout the day and helps you stay off the road to diabetes. - 15343

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