Dh’s mother was a diabetic, we are getting older and thats the time when Type 2 Diabetes (previously called mature-age diabetes) can rear its head also both he and I have this problem with homesick kilos – for a while they go away and then they come back again.
So every now and again when I look at the food we are eating I check the Glycemic Index – whats that you ask – well its to do with carbohydrates and the effect they have on the blood sugar.
Not all carbohydrate foods are created equal, in fact they behave quite differently in our bodies. The glycemic index or GI describes this difference by ranking carbohydrates according to their effect on our blood glucose levels. Choosing low GI carbs – the ones that produce only small fluctuations in our blood glucose and insulin levels – is the secret to long-term health reducing your risk of heart disease and diabetes and is the key to sustainable weight loss.
Nicole Senior an award winning dietician writes for a monthly ezine called GI News published by the website of the Glycemic Index and GI Database. I really like her articles, they are readable and often ‘tell it as it is’
This month she is talking about ‘Being Healthy on the Inside’ – its not the number on the scale that counts but whats going on inside and using a bit of humour she likens our bodies to cars.
There are lots of lovely tips like these:-
Power up with protein – Lean red meat, pork, chicken, fish, seafood, eggs and legumes (beans, lentils and chickpeas)
Refuel with carbs (look for the low GI ones) – Grain foods such as low GI grainy breads and breakfast cereals, pasta, noodles, low GI rice like basmati or Doongara Clever Rice and starchy vegetables like lower GI potatoes (Carisma or Nicola), orange-fleshed sweet potato, corn, carrots, butternut pumpkin and parsnips.
Rust-proof with fruit and veg – Tomatoes, onions, broccoli, mushrooms, lettuce, capsicum, celery, zucchini (courgettes), peas, cabbage, beans and beetroot etc. Fruit and berries such as apples, oranges, bananas, pears, grapes, kiwifruit, plums, nectarines, rockmelon, papaya (paw paw), mango and strawberries etc.
Reinforce your frame with good dairy foods – Reduced fat milk, yoghurt, cheese and custard.
Grease the machine with the right oils – Sunflower, olive and canola oils; spreads like margarine or peanut butter; nuts and seeds, and avocado.
Prevent overheating with fluids – Water, juice, cordial, tea and weak coffee
http://ginews.blogspot.com/2011/07/food-for-thought.html
This is one site I think worth a visit – each month there is oodles of information in the newsletter – its free as well lol
http://ginews.blogspot.com/
Still Waters 