Posts Tagged ‘glycemic index’

The Effect of The Glycemic Index on The Body

Friday, October 8th, 2010

The Glycemic Index was discovered in 1981.  It determines the rates of how different carbohydrates effect the body.  The Glycemic Index is especially important to those who suffer from diabetes who need to watch their blood glucose.  Diabetes have a difficult time breaking down glucose found in many carbohydrates and digesting them normally.  This causes kidney and sometimes liver damage    The effect of the glycemic index on the body is that it allows people to know which carbohydrates are the ones that can cause the most damage and those that break down easily in the system.  The effect of the glycemic index on the body  is crucial to anyone who wants to monitor their blood glucose level.

For example, certain foods, such as vegetables and fruits, with the exception of the potato, can be good glycemic foods.  They are low on the glycemic index and tend to take a long time to break down in the body, giving the system plenty of time to absorb the sugars and eliminate them without causing too much damage to the body.  Other good glycemic foods include whole wheat pastas and certain types of rice.  There are many excellent whole wheat pastas on the market today that make a wonderful substitute for traditional pastas that are made from white flour.

By being aware of the glycemic ratings, the effect of the Glycemic Index on the body can also assist a person who wants to avoid those carbohydrates that absorb quickly into the system and are the most difficult to digest.  These include white breads, refined sugars, baked potatoes, rice, items made with white flour.  By understanding the ratings of these carbohydrates, a diabetic can be educated to know the effect of the glycemic index on the body.

Years ago, people with diabetes would simply be told to avoid carbohydrates.  It was not until 1981 when the medical community began rating different carbohydrates as to their impact on the system.  It became apparent to medical researches that certain carbohydrates absorbed quickly into the system and others absorbed more naturally and were more desirable alternatives to the high-rated carbohydrates.  By 1981,  the medical community was discovering he effect of the glycemic index on the body not only pertaining to diabetics, but to others as well.  The effect of the glycemic index on the body gave birth to some very popular low-carb diets such as The South Beach Diet and other diets that monitored carbohydrate ratings.

The effect of the glycemic index on the body can assist a person who is watching his or her carbohydrates, either due to diabetes or a diet, to determine which carbohydrates are more dangerous for their body than others.  A person who has been diagnosed with diabetes should familiarize him or her self with the Glycemic Index as soon as possible.

Diabetes can be controlled by a healthy diet.  By learning about the Glycemic Index, one can empower themselves to learn which foods should be avoided and which foods can be beneficial to their health.  All individuals can benefit from the Glycemic Index, but this information is particularly invaluable to someone with diabetes.

Mystically yours,

Michael Holt, Ph.D.

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High Glycemic Foods

Sunday, April 18th, 2010

In 1981, Dr. David Jenkins of the University of Toronto came up with a ranking system for carbohydrates based upon how long it takes them to break down into the system. Some carbohydrates break down very slowly and those release glucose gradually into the bloodstream and have a low glycemic index. For people who are diabetes, particularly those who are insulin dependent, a low glycemic index is preferable. These foods allow the insulin or medication to respond better to the blood glucose and allows for the sugars to break down more naturally.

Other foods are rated high on the Glycemic Index. These foods currently have high ratings and raise the blood glucose level quickly. High glycemic foods can be beneficial for people who are recovering from high exertion or those suffering from hypoglycemia. People with Type I or Type II Diabetes should avoid high glycemic foods as they can play havoc with the insulin or medication they are taking.

Some examples of foods that considered high glycemic foods include corn flakes, white rices such as jasmine rice, white breads and baked potatoes. People who have diabetes, either Type I or Type II, should avoid these foods as much as possible.

Other foods that are high glycemic foods include those with large amounts of white refined sugar or white flour. One thing a doctor will tell a patient on how to avoid high glycemic foods is to avoid anything white. This includes white bread, pasta made with white flour and even cakes or sweets made with refined white sugar or white flour.

High glycemic foods tend to take a long time to digest in the system of a diabetic. The glucose, or sugar, stays in the blood because the system of a diabetic is unable to process the refine sugars and flours. The glucose stays in the blood and in the urine causing the diabetic to frequently urinate, experience thirst and hunger more than the average person and sweat profusely.

After a while, this takes its toll on the system of a diabetic. The kidneys begin to hurt because they are not functioning properly. This is one symptom that diabetics often present with when seeking a physician. They also get blood in their urine and, in the worst case scenario, they faint or enter into an episode of semi-consciousness, confusion which can even lead to a diabetic coma. In some instances, a diabetic coma can prove fatal.

People who have Type I and Type II diabetes should be very mindful of which foods have a high glycemic index and avoid these foods in their diet. With proper diet, medication or insulin and monitoring of blood sugars, diabetics can lead a normal lifespan.

Diabetes is not a death sentence at all. It is simply a condition that many people possess that does not allow their body to break down sugars and starches through their system so that they digest normally. Diabetes is harmful to an individual who does not follow the advice of their physician, does not consume a proper diet and does not monitor their blood glucose levels. People who adhere to the medical guidelines concerning diabetes have just as much of a chance of living a normal life as anyone else.

Make sure to take our Free Assessment to receive your multi-page report that provides calorie consumption required and calorie burn estimates for your goal.

Mystically yours,

Michael Holt, Ph.D.
Magi Institute of Natural Medicine

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Glycemic Index

Monday, April 12th, 2010

The Glycemic Index is a concept developed in the University of Toronto in 1981.  The purpose of the Glycemic Index is to measure the effect carbohydrates have on blood glucose levels.  The Glycemic Index is imperative for anyone who needs to monitor their glucose level due to diabetes or hyperglycemia.  With diabetes reaching epidemic levels in the United States, the development of the Glycemic Index could not have come at a better time.  Each year, more people are diagnosed with this potentially life threatening disease that can cause many serious complications.  It is important for anyone with this condition to familiarize themselves with the Glycemic Index so they can empower themselves and learn which foods should be avoided.

Carbohydrates are a diverse group of foods and all have different ways of breaking down in the system.  People with diabetes have a difficult time breaking down certain foods, particularly those high in carbohydrates, in their system.  Digestion is slow and sugars and starches are absorbed into the blood stream, causing an excess in blood glucose.  Diabetics are often warned to limit their carbohydrate intake because it takes such a long time for most carbohydrates to digest.  However, this is easier said than done and it is difficult, if not impossible, for many diabetics to eliminate carbohydrates from their diet.  This is one of the reasons many diabetics are non-compliant in their treatment.  Because diabetes does not often cause serious complications at onset, many patients refuse to take their medicine and continue eating foods that are high in sugar and starch.

The Glycemic Index is very helpful because it rates different carbohydrates based upon their effect on the different levels of blood glucose.  Those foods that digest rapidly cause the less harm to the system and have a low glycemic index.  The carbohydrates that take a longer time to digest have a higher rate as they cause more harm to the blood glucose level.

The Glycemic Index ranges from one to one hundred.  A low food in the glycemic index has a rating of below 55.  These include fruits, vegetables, whole grains and some pastas.    Foods that fall between the 56 to 69 range are considered “medium” in the Glycemic Index.  They include candy bars, croissants and some rices.

Surprisingly, although a candy bar scores in the medium classification of the glycemic index, it is not as harmful as those carbohydrates that score in the high glycemic index range.  These include corn flakes, white rice, white bread and  baked potato.  In other words, it is easier for a diabetic to digest a candy bar than a baked potato.

Knowledge of the glycemic index is imperative for anyone who has diabetes or who has been diagnosed as borderline diabetic.  To be able to understand which foods have the most impact on blood glucose levels is crucial for anyone fighting this potentially life-threatening condition.

If you or a loved one suffers from diabetes, become familiar with the Glycemic Index so that you learn about the different categories of carbohydrates and which groups should be avoided.  There are many substitutes for carbohydrates that rate high in the Glycemic Index and are available at most grocery stores.  While diabetes is currently without a cure, there are many different ways that people with this disease can life long, productive lives.

Mystically yours,

Michael Holt, Ph.D.
Magi Institute of Natural Medicine

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