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Eat Diabetes Away with Weight Loss

Do you know someone with diabetes, or have a loved one with the condition?

If so, you may want to do everything possible to prevent this happening to you. With diabetes, there are many factors to consider, but the focus of this article is around how obesity can cause diabetes and how losing the weight can help you regain not just a stable blood sugar level, but melt away those pounds you’ve been wanting to shed for a while.

Almost 90% of people living with the type 2 diabetes are either overweight or obese. When you carry extra weight it puts additional pressure on the body’s ability to use insulin. The most important factor is that fat causes resistance to insulin, which is the hormone that regulates the metabolism of fats, carbohydrates, and proteins.

What is the First Thing to Consider?

The first thing to consider is a high-sugar diet that includes refined carbohydrates, such as biscuits, cakes and sweets. Even though glucose, or sugar, is the primary source of energy for our bodies, too much sugar puts your pancreas under undue stress. This is because when glucose starts to rise in our blood, the pancreas released the hormone insulin to lower and control the rise of glucose. The higher the glucose level, the higher the insulin.

The same foods that normally cause you to put on the pounds, like cakes and biscuits, are a double-whammy as in addition to the refined sugar, the carbohydrates in them also turn into glucose in the body. When you eat a cake, there is a substantial release of insulin.

The Opposite of High-Sugar Diet: Low Glycaemic foods

Low Glycaemic foods are those foods with carbohydrates that are broken down into glucose in support of our energy at a slower rate, to sustain energy throughout the day. These foods include the following:

  • Oatmeal, oat bran, muesli
  • Sweet potato, corn, lentils, and legumes
  • Most fruits, non-starchy vegetables and carrots
  • Sourdough rye, wholemeal rye, pumpernickel bread

Protein

Combining foods such as proteins with low glycemic carbohydrates really helps stabilise blood sugar and reduces the need for insulin, and burning fat. The great thing about protein is that it releases small and equal amounts of insulin, which is the ideal situation.

Food Rich in B-Vitamins

Many people who are suffering from diabetes have high cholesterol. Food that is high in Vitamin B3 is very effective for lowering bad cholesterol and increasing your high-density lipoprotein (HDL) which is your good cholesterol. These foods include:

  • Green peas
  • Chicken breast
  • Turkey
  • Tuna
  • Avocado
  • Sunflower Seeds

If taking a supplement, it is better to take a B3 vitamin as part of a B vitamin family, such as a B complex. Always check with your GP before taking any kind of supplements.

Breakfast: The most important meal of the day

While eating breakfast is important, what you eat for breakfast is equally important. Why? It not only affects your blood sugar levels but can contribute to weight gain depending on what you eat.

Make sure you include a little protein in your breakfast as this keeps you feeling full longer. Choose a healthier option like:

  • Scrambled eggs on rye bread.
  • Some humus with mixed nuts and seeds with some crudités.
  • Apple and cinnamon compote.
  • Oat pancakes with berries and yogurt.

The Importance of Water

Besides keeping you hydrated, water works wonders for weight loss because it gives you that feeling of fullness and is great for stabilising your blood sugar. The other thing is if you have fibre and drink water, the fibre will absorb the water and acts as a bulking agent.

For example, when you’ve chewed all your food and you drink some water, this acts as an appetite control, same as when you soak your oats in milk before you eat them…it gives you that sense of fullness.  Make sure that you drink a good 8 glasses of water throughout the day, as sometimes thirst can get confused for hunger.

How do you Cook Your Food?

It is always better to eat foods as close to raw as possible. How we cook our food is also important on how we digest, as this is a factor in losing weight.

Steaming. This is the best way to cook as food maintains its vitamins and minerals using this method. You can steam things like vegetables and fish.

Boiling. Similar to steaming, especially if you use very little water when boiling.  When boiling vegetables, keep the lid on but remember to eat them al dente (firm to the bite).

Poaching. When you poach fish and vegetables, keep the water and use it to make a delicious sauce to go with your meal. Add things like spices–such as lemongrass, garlic, ginger—to the water as all the nutrients will be in the water.

No Good Sleep Means More Weight Gain

If you don’t sleep you are less likely to fat burn efficiently. Therefore, getting into a good sleep cycle is beneficial if you want to lose weight. Try going to bed an hour early instead of staying up and going to bed late every night watching television, working on your computer, or reading you iPad as this stimulates your brain and disrupts your sleep cycle.

Conclusion

Avoiding refined foods with high sugar content, and including protein and fibre with complex carbohydrates so that you release glucose slowly to help with energy, will help you lose weight while managing your blood sugar levels. And make sure that you drink at least 1.5 to 2 litres of water per day to help with cravings and keep you feeling full. Get a good sleep routine going, your body and mind will thank you for it, as well as burning fat while you sleep.

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