Diabetes is a chronic disease characterized by metabolic disorders due to an absolute or relative lack of insulin. The pancreas is the only organ weighing 70 to 100 grams found in the abdominal cavity of the duodenal arch. It plays a key role in the digestion of proteins, fats and carbohydrates. It also produces insulin, which regulates the metabolism of carbohydrates in the body. In this article, we will talk about what nutrition should include in diabetes mellitus.
Types of diabetes
Doctors differentiate between several types of diabetes because of the cause and course of the disease:
- Type I diabetes, insulin dependent;
- II. type 2 diabetes, usually occurs later in life, especially in obese patients.
Type I diabetes is usually caused by damage to the pancreas. That is, the primary damage to beta cells (those that produce insulin in the pancreas) and the absolute lack of insulin secretion.
The initial signs of type I diabetes are severe thirst and hunger, unexplained weight loss, frequent urination of large amounts of urine, blurred vision, fatigue, and chronic infections. In some cases, the appearance is accompanied by convulsions, confusion, blurred speech, loss of consciousness. Type I diabetes mellitus is considered an immunological disease.
Type II diabetes is more common in obese people. The disease can be congenital or acquired and is characterized by decreased insulin secretion by the pancreas as well as insulin resistance. This means that the body does not have the right amount of insulin to do the job.
The disease is accompanied by excessive thirst and copious urination, slowly raising blood sugar levels. The patient feels weak and sleepy. The disease often begins in middle-aged people and the elderly. In recent years, however, there has been a dramatic increase in II. Number of young patients with type 2 diabetes. And an alarming number of overweight and obese children and adolescents suffer from such diseases.
Hyperglycemia is what it is
Hyperglycaemia - your blood sugar level is higher than normal. Symptoms of hyperglycemia include: excessive thirst, dry mouth, frequency of urination, weight loss, excessive daytime sleepiness.
The most common cause of hyperglycemia is undiagnosed or poorly controlled diabetes. In diabetics, this situation may be due to insulin insufficiency.
Less commonly, hyperglycemia is the result of infectious and endocrine diseases (acromegaly, Cushing's syndrome). There is a high risk of late complications, especially in the cardiovascular system.
Chronic hyperglycemia is associated with dysfunction and dysfunction of various organs - eyes, kidneys, nerves, heart and blood vessels.
Proper nutrition for diabetes
Diet is a very important part of therapy to prevent diabetes. Adequate blood sugar and lipid levels as well as optimal blood pressure should be maintained. A well-chosen diet reduces the risk of developing complications of diabetes and minimizes the risk of developing vascular disease. An adequate dietary pattern of diabetes plays an important role in the prevention and treatment of chronic complications of diabetes. Including microvascular complications, retinopathy, nephropathy, diabetic neuropathy, and others.
Diabetes consumption is one of the main factors influencing the outcome of diabetes.
Sugar is essential for life, but in this case it is better to remove the sugar holder! In diabetes, carbohydrate metabolism deteriorates primarily. People diagnosed with diabetes should limit their sugar or carbohydrate intake.
Sugar:
- monosaccharides - glucose and fructose are found in fruits and honey;
- sucrose disaccharide is a sugar from a sugar container;
- Polysaccharides - Flour products, cakes, cookies and bread, potatoes, bananas, pasta, dumplings, pasta, pancakes and more.
Carbohydrates for Diabetes
Carbohydrates are part of our diet. Their consumption should cover 55-60% of total demand. Much depends on the form and structure of the origin of the carbohydrate. Carbohydrates in the gastrointestinal tract are digested and broken down into simple sugars, mainly glucose.
Please note that excess carbohydrates cause continuous stimulation of pancreatic beta cells in insulin production and secretion.
As your sugar levels rise, our pancreas secretes insulin. Insulin is a hormone that allows glucose to enter cells. Simple sugars like glucose are transported quickly by cells in about an hour.
Unfortunately, insulin is a hormone that lasts for hours and you don’t like to be “unemployed”. Thus, elevated insulin levels cause fluctuations in blood sugar levels and carbohydrate hunger.
A hungry man opens the fridge and starts eating to satisfy that feeling of hunger. The adrenal glands receive information about: fluctuations in blood sugar levels. All of these reactions indicate adrenal secretion by the adrenal gland. This creates a vicious circle that leads to stress, depression, and autonomic neurosis (neurasthenia).
It is therefore advisable to keep your carbohydrate intake to a minimum. In such a situation, fluctuations in blood sugar levels and excessive production of insulin and adrenaline hormones do not occur.
Glucose passes through the walls of the digestive system and, along with the blood, reaches various organs where it is transformed and becomes a source of energy. In the absence of proper exercise, energy requirements are reduced and glucose is stored as glycogen in the muscles and liver.
When glycogen is in excess, it is converted into fats, leading to fatty liver and the accumulation of excess body fat. The metabolic process of glucose is regulated by insulin, a hormone produced by the pancreas.
Carbohydrates, as the main energy substances, can only enter the cell with the help of insulin, which distributes simple sugars in the body. However, insulin deficiency, for example, causes an increase in blood sugar levels, followed by severe cellular metabolism. A general lack of insulin leads to diabetes in children and adolescents - type I diabetes.
Protein in diabetes mellitus
Protein should cover 10-15% of energy needs. Higher amounts are needed for children during the growth period, for pregnant women. The most valuable - animal protein is found in lean meat, cottage cheese, eggs and sour milk.
Because our body can produce 56 g of sugar at 100 g of protein, it is important to limit our protein intake. In order not to harm the body, you need to eat high quality protein (yolk, meat offal). Sources of vegetable protein: soybeans, legumes, dark bread made from wholemeal flour.
Diet for diabetes mellitus do's and don'ts
Foods such as egg yolk, butter, sour cream, milk and unsweetened vegetables should be included in the diet for diabetes mellitus in the first phase of treatment.
During this time, you should significantly reduce or eliminate from the diet: egg whites, lean meats, fish, poultry, and nuts.
Diabetics should not eat high protein foods in the evenings. At night the body is unable to use. Because the pancreas does not release enough insulin, blood sugar levels rise in the morning. In this case, a dinner consisting mainly of carbohydrates and fats is recommended.
Fats contain the most energy. They can only cover 30% of daily energy consumption. They contribute excessively to the development of obesity.
Spices such as cinnamon, garlic, cloves, turmeric and bay leaves lower cholesterol and blood sugar.
Can diabetics eat fruits and vegetables? Yes, because it is a rich source of vitamins and minerals. Fresh vegetables, including broccoli, are ideal for diabetics as a great source of chromium. An onion capable of releasing insulin. Peeled potatoes (boiled potatoes raise blood sugar too fast), asparagus, raw carrots, fresh cucumbers, sauerkraut, elderberry leaf and stem tea, and garlic.
Vegetables you can eat without significant restrictions:
- tomatoes;
- fresh and pickled cucumbers;
- raw and sauerkraut;
- chicory;
- kohlrabi;
- radish;
- paprika;
- salad
- mushrooms;
- zucchini.
Excellent antidiabetic agent - fresh blueberry leaves, which are harvested before the fruit ripens. Blueberries can prevent diabetic retinopathy - studies have shown that people with diabetes have significantly improved vision during diabetes. This disease leads to a change in the fundus, which significantly impairs blood flow to the eye.
Overweight diabetics (BMI over 25) are advised to limit calorie intake to reduce weight.
Food Glycemic Index
Blood sugar levels are affected not only by the amount of carbohydrates but also by their type. Therefore, the amount and quality of carbohydrates in the diet should be checked, but it is also desirable to calculate the glycemic index of the product.
Low GI foods are slow to digest and are absorbed, do not raise blood sugar levels quickly, and do not stimulate insulin secretion. A low GI diet reduces the risk of developing insulin-dependent diabetes.
The higher the GI of a food, the higher the blood sugar level after consuming that food. Foods that have high GI levels are like blood sugar. After consuming low-GI foods, the slow absorption, gradual increase, and decrease of blood sugar levels help control the blood sugar levels of diabetics. It is best to eat foods with a GI value of less than 60.
Foods have a significantly lower GI when consumed in their natural form, i. e. raw and unprocessed.
Diabetics are also advised to abstain from alcohol.