Durban - As a widespread lifestyle disease, increasing in prevalence every year, almost everyone knows someone with diabetes. And yet type 2 diabetes, the most common form of diagnosis, is not only preventable but also reversible. World-renowned nutrition expert Patrick Holford emphasises that the key to combatting the disease is grounded in lifestyle changes.
“Worldwide, type 2 diabetes accounts for 90% of all diagnoses and, what’s more, for every three people who have been diagnosed, there’s another person who doesn’t know they have diabetes. If that didn’t get you thinking, consider that for every diagnosis, 10 people are in the pre-diabetic stage,” Holford said.
Holford has over 30 years’ worth of experience with thousands of people suffering from blood sugar diseases and is well known for his low-GL lifestyle; based on managing blood sugar levels for a healthy life and for managing type 2 diabetes.
"The vast majority of people with diabetes can achieve perfectly stable blood sugar levels. Choosing to change your diet and lifestyle doesn’t just improve your health, it also changes your life. Even so, it can be a challenge to get started, and hard to stay on track. The keys to success are effective planning – and developing self-belief,” Holford said.
Individual factors can contribute to the likelihood of developing diabetes – obesity, poor sleep, diet and stress in type 2 diabetes, and food allergies, autoimmune reactions, viral infections in the gut, and low Vitamin D levels in type 1. In both cases, a genetic predisposition is also a risk factor. While everyone is susceptible to diabetes, Holford shares his top tips for reducing the risk of developing and reversing type 2 diabetes.
- Practise meal-balancing at every meal. A quarter of each main meal should be protein, another quarter low-GL carbohydrate or starchy vegetables, and half should be non-starchy vegetables.
- Eat regular low-GL snacks.
- Choose good fats and avoid bad ones.
- Never skip breakfast. Eat protein with a carbohydrate such as eggs on toast.
- Avoid food that you are allergic or sensitive to.
- Exercise regularly. Keep active by choosing stairs, walking, cycling or anything that focuses on fitness.
- Eat no more than 55 GLs per a day and allocate an additional 10 GLs for drinks and dessert. For more information on the GL value of foods, read Patrick’s book The Low-GL Counter or visit www.patrickholford.com.
- Enjoy plenty of low-GL “wonderfoods” such as strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, tomatoes and olives.
- Eat a variety of colourful low-GL approved vegetables to get as many vitamins and minerals from your food as possible and to keep your blood sugar levels balanced.
- It is also a good idea to take a multivitamin to ensure you are getting enough vitamins and minerals.
If you have type 2 diabetes, or suspect you may be pre-diabetic, Holford recommends consulting your doctor before embarking on any dietary changes. He also advises not to discontinue the use of any prescribed medication unless instructed to do so by your doctor.