Foods for diabetics: what they are and when to take them 🆙

, Naturopath Iridologist

Il diabetes it is a rather widespread pathology in the West. She has been defined as one of the main evils of our age therefore linked to an "excess of well-being and abundance". THE foods for diabetics they are useful for maintaining blood glucose values and for slow down the absorption of sugars. Let's find out what they are.

> What is diabetes

> Who is at risk of diabetes

> Symptoms and consequences of diabetes

> Prevention is better than cure

> Food for diabetics

Jerusalem artichoke among the foods for diabetics

What is diabetes

Diabetes is a disease that is characterized by an increase in the concentration of glucose in the blood. The cause is a "Defect" related to insulin production or an altered functionality. Insulin, on the other hand, is a hormone that has the task of reducing blood sugar in the blood. It is produced in the pancreas by beta cells (islets of Langerhans) and is essential for metabolizing sugars.

It can happen that this mechanism gets jammed because insulin is not produced in sufficient quantity or because the cells of our body do not respond in the right way to insulin, causing an increase in blood sugar. The result of this equation is the onset of diabetes.

More simply, when there is a defect around the function or production of insulin, the glucose it does not reach its destination (muscles, adipose tissue) concentrating only in the bloodstream thus creating one organic decompensation which also involves the kidneys and urine (glucose is expelled from the urine giving the characteristic sweetish odor and hence the term "mellitus" in use which derives from "honey" that is sweet as honey. Basically, excess glucose does not modulated by insulin, it passes through the blood and is subsequently eliminated in the urine.

So in the diabetes mellitus or type one (insulin-dependent) the pancreas produces little insulin resulting in an increase in blood glucose. On a practical level, after meals, blood sugar increases in a physiological way so that the pancreas produces insulin by activating the mechanisms necessary to decrease glucose in the blood stream so that the cells can use it correctly. In type two diabetes (insulin-independent), insulin is produced but the cells do not respond to demand resulting in the accumulation of glucose in the blood which is not disposed of.

Why the pancreas no longer produces insulin? Heredity and autoimmunity are the causes of poor insulin production. The risk of developing diabetes in case of inheritance ranges from 5% to 30%. This variability is given by the type of parental relationship with the diabetic (parent and children, brothers and sisters, etc.). Immunity: Sometimes the immune system is altered for as yet undefined reasons. This complication causes the system to fail to recognize its own cells which are "attacked" as foreign bodies. Sometimes responsible for immune diseases are certain viruses such as measles that can damage cells.

You can learn more about the symptoms, causes, and natural remedies for diabetes

Foods for diabetics: what they are and when to take them

Who is at risk of diabetes

People at "risk" they are those who have a diabetic family member and who have unhealthy eating habits or who lead a sedentary and stressful life. In fact, stress is an important contributing cause that determines the onset of many diseases.

Also obesity should not be underestimated. The increase in weight exerts a greater demand for insulin that the organism in deficit of productivity is not able to support (hyper insulinism). Diabetes can also appear later on chronic pancreatitis or some endocrine diseases. There is no shortage of iatrogenic causes or from the use of drugs such as cortisone. The gestational diabetes, that is formed during the period of pregnancy generally resolves itself without the use of particular therapies or dangers that the disease becomes chronic.

Symptoms and consequences of diabetes

The general symptoms are heat, need to urinate frequently and even at night, excessive hunger, fatigue, visual impairment, weight loss. The consequences can also be serious: progressive loss of vision and the infamous diabetic foot. For type one diabetes there is dependence on exogenous insulin delivery.

Prevention is better than cure

A healthy diet against diabetes provides the elimination of foods with a high glycemic index such as refined carbohydrates (bread, pasta and baked goods in general), but also honey and sugar (including cane), fruit that is too sugary. Even long fasts and binges are definitely not recommended.

Anyone who is overweight should have the willingness to plan a weight loss plan and start one controlled training cycle and suitable for your needs. Physical activity plays a very important role in the prevention of many pathologies. Prevention can also be done through regular blood glucose control (which can also be done in pharmacies).

Food for diabetics

The fiber: the intake of fiber in the diabetic's diet and also in a prevention regime is essential for maintaining glycemic values. The fiber slows down the absorption of sugars, prolongs the sense of satiety and cleanses the intestine. It is therefore good advice to combine whole carbohydrates with a significant amount of fiber within the same meal.
Vegetables: vegetables must never be missing on the diabetic's table for the reasons mentioned above. In fact, vegetables are excellent sources of fiber as well as being rich in minerals and vitamins valuable for the proper functioning of the body. You just have to avoid those vegetables that are more sugary like the carrots or beets and potatoes.
Roots: Jerusalem artichoke is a tuber very rich in fiber very suitable for blood sugar control. There are also some Jerusalem artichoke based supplements to be used to sweeten drinks instead of sugar. This tuber can be eaten in several ways. It is delicate and tasty at the same time and is also suitable for the preparation of excellent vegetable creams, alone or together with other vegetables.
Chromium picolinate: it is an essential element for the absorption of sugars and is indicated as a valid aid in slimming diets. As already mentioned, overweight and obesity are two factors that play favorably in the outcome of the game to win diabetes. Chromium is found in these foods: brewer's yeast, whole grains, asparagus, sprouts, broccoli.
Leguminous plants: they have a low glycemic index, legumes are very suitable for controlling the glycemic trend.
Whole grains: they can be introduced into the diabetic's diet taking care to adapt the portions well in a balanced diet of proteins, fibers and carbohydrates.