Turn up the volume on the ‘silent killer’

DIABETES has been dubbed the ‘silent killer’ for years, with 2.7 million cases of diabetes in South Africa in 2014. The rate of people living with diabetes is expected to increase by 55 per cent in 2035, according to the International Diabetes Federation.

Even though World Diabetes Day is celebrated annually on November 14 with the aim of raising awareness and educating people about this dreaded disease, it is complicated and the care that people with this condition need is a big concern.

Jenny Russell, the branch manager at Diabetes SA in Durban, says the public needs to be encouraged to show more interest in monitoring their health, fitness and diet, irrespective of the date being ‘observed’.

In light of this, everything is about moderation and balance and Diabetes SA, together with Julie Peacock, a registered dietitian, offer some guidelines to assist in improving your daily diet and lifestyle.

Three of the components that affect your blood glucose levels on a daily basis are:

· The quantity of foods and drinks you consume.

· The types of foods and drinks you consume.

· The timing of your meals and snacks.

Key points to remember when selecting carbohydrate foods for your daily eating plan:

· Select high-fibre/low-GI starches and limit your intake of refined starches (those with a high flour and sugar content). Remember that GI only applies to starches.

· Eat five to six portions of whole grains each day.

· Control your portions. The quantity of carbohydrate foods you eat affects your blood glucose levels.

· Aim for a minimum of three portions of fresh vegetables per day, especially green leafy vegetables.

· Fresh fruit is the best snack to enjoy if your blood glucose levels are within the normal range, but aim for a maximum of only three per day and only one at a time, not all at once.

Key points to remember about proteins:

· Lower your intake of saturated fats by avoiding protein and dairy foods that are high in saturated fats such as fatty meats, processed meats and hard cheeses.

· Select all low fat milk and milk products and low fat cheese. Lean protein total fat content is less than 10g fat/100g food.

· Use skinless chicken when stir-frying and stewing as cooking methods. Remove the skin afterwards when roasting chicken in the oven or on the coals.

· Eating protein enables you to consume smaller portion of starch, which will improve your glycaemia control.

· A small amount of protein is sufficient to sustain our body’s growth and metabolic processes.

· Choose your proteins lean. The most to least desirable protein foods are fatty fish, white fish, legumes, lean meat and chicken, eggs, low-fat soft cheeses and hard cheese.

Key points to remember when selecting fats for your daily eating plan:

· Limit your intake of saturated and trans-fats and choose unsaturated fats when possible.

· Oleic acid (a monounsaturated fat found in plant fats such as olive oil, canola oil, avocados and some nuts) has superior health benefits and should be the oil of choice in our diet.

· Avoid exceptionally low-fat diets as your body needs a certain amount of healthy fats to enable it to function normally.

· Eat fatty fish at least three times a week for the beneficial effects of Omega 3 fatty acids.

· Control the quantity of all fats in your daily eating plan, as all fats are calorie-dense and will add weight.

There will be free blood sugar and blood pressure checks during the Diabetes SA Global Walk on Sunday, 29 November.