Can The Glycemic Index Really Help You With Your Diabetes? by Andrew Mason

The war against diabetes is never-ending and the glycemic index is one of our most important tools in this battle. Developed so that we could give a rating system to a variety of different foods, the index is designed to rate carbohydrates. Type II diabetes has become an increasingly prevalent illness for a large number of people around the world and we need to be able to compose a plan to manage the condition. The index has been structured with this in mind.

In order to manage carbohydrates correctly as we tackle this difficult illness, we have to find a way to measure the glycemic response, to control insulin and to regulate the level of glucose in the blood. This is easier said than done, of course, but by following the readings of the glycemic index, the category of food, the amount of each portion and the way that it is prepared, you will be more likely to be successful.

As many as 16 million people have type II diabetes and we're seeing an increase in the number of people who are diagnosed with this problem each year. People who weigh too much, are obese or are otherwise health-compromised have a much greater chance of developing this illness, which in turn can lead to problems such as cancer or heart disease.

Science tells us that we should look out for a number of different symptoms, to warn us of the advance of diabetes. In particular, we should look for Metabolic X Syndrome by watching for high blood pressure, presence of blood fats, or triglycerides, low levels of HDL, resistance to insulin and weight problems.

We can measure food by using the glycemic index, by referring to particular guidelines. Each food is allocated a number between zero and 100. It is recommended that anyone wanting to avoid diabetes or to control its presence should eliminate any foods that have a rating of 70 or higher on the index and instead propose a daily diet of low and medium rated foods.

Those foods that are classified toward the top of the index include such items as white bread, while the "good guys" are the fruits and vegetables found toward the bottom. If you avoid foods with a high glycemic load, you can also avoid peaks and troughs in your blood glucose levels, a condition which is known to create excess insulin within the body. This behavior can lead to a lot of stress on the pancreas as it seeks to develop this amount of insulin and can lead directly to the onset of type II diabetes.

Remember that if we are to exercise true control over these conditions, we need to be able to assess the glycemic load as well as the index value of any carbohydrates. In order to do so, we need to review the way that we prepare the food as we calculate this load. It is essential to regulate the quantity of the carbs, but also to consider the quality of the food that we are preparing.

A low glycemic index is the most important consideration for those suffering from either type I or type II diabetes. If we focus here, we can help to control glucose levels in blood sugar on a daily basis. Remember that we should not "load" up our food portions and we should regulate our caloric intake, to manage our body weight and handle our diabetes effectively.