Q: Can you explain what the glycemic index is? I understand that it is a better measurement of which carbohydrates and sugars are good for you. I have Type 2 (late onset) diabetes, so it is important for me to control my blood sugar level with diet, because I do not have to have insulin injections or pills.
A: At one time, it was relatively simple to follow a diet suitable for diabetics. All you had to do was to avoid eating candies and other foods containing sugar and replace them with artificial sweeteners or foods labelled diabetic.
Read Also
Restaurant blends zero waste, ancient farming
A Mexico City restaurant has become a draw for its zero-waste kitchen, which means that every scrap of food and leftovers is reused for other purposes.
The next set of recommendations included exercising more and eating more fibre, more carbohydrates and fewer saturated and trans fats. The problem with this diet is that most carbohydrates can easily be turned into glucose by the enzymes in the intestine, which means that blood glucose can rise to dangerously high levels.
The carbohydrates that are the most rapidly converted into sugar are said to have a high glycemic index or GI.
To add to the confusion, it is not enough to know the GI of the food substance. You also need to know the amount of carbs that are in a serving of a particular food.
Dr. Walter Willett, a researcher at Harvard School of Public Health and his associates, developed the concept of the glycemic load, or GL, which takes into account the glycemic index as well as the amount of carbohydrates in a standardized portion of food.
A low glycemic index is in the range of one to 55. Mid is 56-69 and high is 70-100. The glycemic load comparable figures are low one to 10, mid 11-19 and high 20 or above.
Some examples of high GI foods that you should avoid are refined sugar, cereal such as corn flakes, rice cakes, bread, bagels, muffins, carrots, kidney beans, potatoes, tortillas and granola. Eat these in moderation. Medium levels are found in oatmeal, pasta, peas, pita bread, rye bread and sweet potatoes. The best GI foods are mostly fruit and vegetables, including peas and lentils, with the exception of bananas, raisins and beets.
For more detailed information, you may want to get the book The New Glucose Revolution: The authoritative guide to the Glycemic Index by Jennie Brand-Miller and Thomas M.S. Wolever. The latter is from the University of Toronto and is one of the world experts in this subject. The book is published by Marlowe & Co. of New York. It is available in Canada and costs about $26.
Anger linked to strokes
A new study recently released by the American Heart Association indicated that angry, hot-headed men are 10 percent more likely to suffer from a stroke than those who were not as hostile. The researchers found that angry outbursts could lead to episodes of atrial fibrillation, an irregular heartbeat caused by a fluttering of the atria, the upper chambers of the heart. As a result, blood clots were more likely to form inside the heart, which could then travel to the brain causing a stroke.
These types of men were also found to have a 20 percent greater chance of dying from any cause during the study.
Although this may not seem to be anything new, it was originally thought that men who vented or released their anger were healthier, but this study disproves that theory. It seems that the outbursts themselves are responsible for the episodes of atrial fibrillation, so perhaps bottling it up is better. Of course, it is healthier still to have a relaxed attitude to life.
Clare Rowson is a medical doctor with a practice near Belleville, Ont. Her columns are intended for general information only. Individuals are encouraged to also seek the advice of their own doctor regarding medical questions and treatments.
