Diabetes and diet

Diabetes and diet are intensely interlinked because once you are diagnosed for diabetes; your diet takes the center stage in diabetes management.  On a global scale relentless research has not produced a sustainable cure for diabetes even to date. This brings into focus the importance of managing diabetes through a disciplined regimen of exercise and diet complimented by prescription medication.

Diabetes and diet need not however become an overwhelming issue because in fact, there is no such diet that is prescribed exclusively for those who suffer from diabetes. In fact, the entire family can very well transition to a diet regimen that can pre-empt diabetes and help those who have already been diagnosed for diabetes. By linking diabetes and diet, the effort is always to prevent excess carbohydrates to help control blood sugar.  Thus, even for members of the family, whose blood sugar levels are not worrisome, it is still desirable to control the intake of carbohydrates and potentially prevent diabetes.  Individuals with diabetes are also required to monitor the intake of proteins and total fats. 

ABC of Diabetes and Diet

Before examining diabetes and diet in its details, let us understand the ABC or the basics around this topic.

·         A – Hemoglobin test – A1c

·         B -  Blood pressure

·         C – Cholesterol

The diet regimen for individuals with diabetes will focus on the ABC or keeping the hemoglobin, blood pressure and cholesterol levels within permissible limits. 

Alcohol avoidance

The human metabolism processes alcohol much the same way it does with fat.  The calorie value of alcohol is also similar to fat. Therefore, avoiding alcohol is a preferable option for diabetes control.  But, for some people the restriction can be more challenging and limiting the consumption of alcohol should be considered by those who cannot abstain from it.  Your health care provider can advise you on the permissible levels of alcohol considering your blood pressure and blood sugar levels. 

Glycemic index is the key factor

The Glycemic index holds the key to an efficient diabetes and diet administration.  Glycemic index measures the impact of each food component on blood sugar. It considers the relationship between carbohydrates in meal and blood sugar levels.  With a low glycemic index blood sugar level after a meal is unlikely to soar.  Without a guided approach to diabetes and diet, it is likely that the individual is left free to consume food with a higher glycemic index.  Therefore, physicians particularly trained and experienced in the treatment of diabetes ensure that the patient is provided with a structured diet chart.

The better approach to diabetes and diet

Structuring an appropriate diet to keep diabetes under control is never an overwhelming task. The ABC of diabetes diet gives you the basics. The intervals between each meal (keep them shorter than usual) and what you eat are important. Avoid junk food and choose a wider variety with plenty of fruits, vegetables, greens, vegetables and other protein carriers like diary products, nuts, grains and cereals. Your diet chart will help you determine the quantity of food to be consumed for each meal. Cereals, fruits, and breads made out of whole grains are rich in fiber. Global research so far points out that fiber is a huge source of help in controlling diabetes and aiding near normal life.

Keep an eye on serving sizes

The relationship between diabetes and diet cannot be undermined. Your physician supplies you with a diet chart and this will help you determine the quantities on each serving.  Spacing out the meal and sticking to the serving sizes will ensure that you prevent excess calories from entering the system. Apart from serving sizes regularity in timing is another essential component of effective diabetes management.  Any medicine prescribed follows the meal and the timing for the medicine is the same every day.  More importantly, you should never skip your meals.

Some liberties are permissible

Contrary to popular belief, diabetes and diet does provide some room for marginal liberties with what you eat on a given day. For instance, many diabetic patients keep table sugar away. Sugar in any form does hurt diabetic administration. Nevertheless, experts agree that some sugar at well spaced intervals, particularly when it is part of a well planned diet cannot become an overwhelming factor. Take for example the case of Mangoes. Mangoes are seasonal and a few slices of mangoes every week during the season cannot alter your diabetic condition significantly. 

What are the challenges to the future of food?

The future of food faces a series of challenges and no singular solution is available to address this massive problem. Concerted and focused effort from every nation and every individual involved with food administration is the vital need of the hour. Even as we are engaged in discussing the issue of food security a couple of decades down under, we tend to skirt issues like over consumption, hidden hunger and abject poverty in some pockets across the globe. Food systems across the globe faces a number of potential threats and urgent action on several fronts is essential which could include minimizing or eliminating food waste and changing dietary habits. 

Volatility in food prices

Volatility in food prices present multiple dimensions. When food goes beyond the reach of the common man, it can trigger social tensions, migration and conflicts. Such a situation can also adversely affect the economic growth of communities and regions impacted by rising food prices. Though the World Bank for now presents a rosy picture on the global food prices, on its own admission large price differences are noticed between countries. Unstable/high oil prices too contribute in a significant measure to the global volatility in food prices. In recent times, we have already experienced how high oil prices can impact every household and how a cascading effect topples our household budgets. 

Resource utilization

The rate at which we consume some of the precious resources far outstrips the nature’s ability to replenish them. Hydrocarbons and fossil fuels is a case in point. Every single day more and more automobiles, airplanes and other gas guzzlers are being added to an already choked system. Fewer metros around the world can claim to be free of traffic jams on any given day. Gas prices are already going through the roof and we fight shy of the impending dangers that high gas prices can trigger. Preservation/conservation of natural resources like water and oil should be brought on to the centre stage to ensure that future generations can enjoy similar or better quality of life in this universe. This is a collective responsibility of every human being on this planet and we cannot expect the law to address the problem single handedly. The future of food should therefore be everyone’s concern and not just the governments. 

Policy makers and the future of food

Policy makers around the world have a stellar role to play in ensuring the future of food security. Establishing sustainable practices in food production should become the central objective of every policy maker around the globe.  This task, by no means, is simple and calls for active involvement from every individual vested with the authority to implement the desired changes. In some instances, strong political will may be necessary to reverse some of the practices that are profitable in the immediate term but detrimental to the long term objectives. Best practices evolved for each region should also ensure that the eco system around the region is carefully harnessed and efforts to enhance the ecological balance are carefully woven into the best practices. Farming practices evolved should also factor in the inelasticity of agricultural land and therefore, focus on getting the best out of what is available. 

Reducing waste and improving decision making tools

Decision making in the context of the future of food can be a complex process. Collecting a wide array of facts and collating them to evolve viable solutions can consume plenty of time and labor. The quality of information generated cannot be compromised in favor of quick decisions. Once decisions are arrived at based on the data obtained, appropriate metrics should be developed to ascertain progress. Another core area that should engage the policy makers is bringing about significant improvement in managing food that is wasted. Billions of dollars worth of food is wasted in America and elsewhere year after and with improved management, this food can feed millions of needy humans elsewhere on the planet. 

Empowered citizens

Food security is an issue that needs to be addressed at the grass root level. Empowering citizens and educating them on the enormity of the problems that the future generations can face is essential to obtain tangible results from policy decisions. Technological advancements have made it easier to ensure efficient information percolation without physical or linguistic barriers. When every participant in the effort to improve food security is conscious about the consequences of his/her action, positive results can start flowing sooner than expected. Empowering citizens is thus a major contribution to the future of food.