Simple diets to help prevent and treat diabetes

Diabetes is a huge problem in our population and it's only getting worse. Here are some healthy tips to help you prevent and treat it.

If you haven't heard the word "epidemic" linked to the word "diabetes," then you've clearly chosen to avoid TV news, the newspaper, or even the Internet.

• As the World Health Organization — an international agency not known for its bold pronouncements — puts it: "Diabetes is a common condition and its frequency is dramatically rising all over the world."
• Today at least 171 million people worldwide have the disease, a figure likely to more than double by 2030 as populations age.
• And just who are these people? Primarily, older people. In fact, one out of five people age 75 and older have diabetes.
• But let's be clear: Diabetes is not merely a side effect of aging. Yes, it's true that as we age, our bodies become less efficient at producing and using glucose and insulin — the two key factors in type 2 diabetes. But this natural decline isn't enough to cause the disease. Instead, look at the other major lifestyle issues of our time.
• Not too long ago, many people — and doctors — blamed a diet high in sugar as the cause of type 2 diabetes. Today, we know that's not the real issue.
• More recently, doctors have shown that being overweight is a major risk factor for the disease. But here's the breakthrough news, based on an increasing body of evidence: The amount you exercise — not just how much you eat — in large part determines your risk of developing diabetes or its precursor, insulin resistance.
• Put simply, sedentary living, coupled with excess body weight, are the real culprits. And you control both.

The issue of what and how to eat when you have diabetes is one that is constantly changing.

• At one time, people with the disease were forbidden any foods with sugar. At another, they were told to cut nearly all the fat from their diets.
• Today, the advice focuses more on an overall diet than on any specific food or food ingredient.

Focus on just one thing: Having a diet high in fibre (14 grams of fibre for every 1,000 calories).

• You should get at least half of all grains from whole grains like brown rice, whole-grain pasta, barley, and oat bran. Other top sources include green, leafy vegetables and beans.

Your carbohydrates should come only from whole fruits and vegetables (not juices); whole grains; beans; and low-fat milk.

• This means no sugary desserts or breads made from refined flour.
• You should also eat fibre-rich foods like those listed above, keep saturated fats (butter, shortening, red meats) to less than seven percent of your total calories; and get at least two servings of fish a week (not fried!).
• You should also stay away from trans fats and limit cholesterol intake from food to less than 200 milligrams per day, about the amount in one egg yolk.

Want a really powerful diet to control your blood sugar — and you're willing to drastically change the way you eat? Consider a vegan diet.

• A study published recently in a diabetes journal found that a vegan diet, which eliminates all animal-based foods including dairy and eggs, dramatically improved blood sugar control, cholesterol, weight, and kidney function in people with type 2 diabetes.
• One advantage: No limits on calories, carbohydrates, or portions!

Healthy eating is a great way to help prevent or treat diabetes. Keep these tips in mind and start your healthier diet today!