Diabetes Tips

Can a brittle diabetic with no pancreas chew sugar-free gum?

Even if a gum or other sugar-free product does not contain traditional sugars, most DO contain sugar alcohols, such as maltoses, which can have the same effect as a product containing sugar. This is because they are alcohol-based.

Your body processes alcohols in a similar way to sugars and, in fact, alcohol is considered a carbohydrate by Nutritionists.

I would recommend talking with your Diabetic Doctor, a Diabetic Educator or a Nutritionist, about alternatives to sugar-alcohols.

Fad Diets and Diabetes

Every time you open a newspaper, there is another diet being touted as the best new breakthrough in losing weight.

Quick and easy schemes for losing weight may seem appealing, especially if the doctor has told you to drop pounds in order to better control your diabetes, and losing weight has not been easy for you, in the past. But what impact do these fad diets have on your body and your disease?

Some popular "new" or fad diets are:

* Atkins Diet
* Southbeach Diet
* Blood Type Diet
* Mediterranean Diet

In looking at each diet, there are both risk and benefits for the diabetic person that need to be considered, and discussed with your physician, before beginning the diet.

1. The Atkins Diet - this diet is based on the belief that our bodies do not manage carbs effectively, and we must retrain them. The diet is high protein and fat, and gradually adds carbs.

Risks: 1) High fat diets can increase cholesterol - a risk factor for developing diabetes and complications of diabetes,
2) High protein levels have been implicated in diabetes in young people, are difficult for the kidneys to process and can cause ketoacidosis - a serious complication of diabetes associated with the body using protein and fat for fuel, instead of carbs

Benefits: 1) rapid weight loss

2. Southbeach Diet - a three-phase plan that is also low-carb, high in proteins, but low in fats, in which you gradually add your carbs back in, using a list of "Foods to Enjoy" and "Foods to Avoid."

Risks: 1) Low carbs and high proteins can cause ketoacidosis - a serious complication of diabetes

Benefits: 1) Three meals + six snacks each day decreases cravings and roller-coaster blood sugars, 2) Uses Glycemic Index (the rate at which a food raises the blood sugar) to help make food choices - leans toward whole grains, fresh fruits and veggies.

3. The Blood Type Diet - touts that different blood types need different types of nutrients, and that eating the "wrong" food their their blood type would cause serious injury to the body.

Risks: 1) Not based on scientific fact, the information in the diet may frighten or mislead the readers, into unnecessarily limiting intake, 2) Limits foods for certain blood types, that have known health benefits, which may result in high cholesterol, ketoacidosis, anemia, and malnutrition.

Benefits: 1) None identified.

4) The Mediterranean Diet - based on intake of a wide variety of grains, fruits and vegetables, moderate protein, unsaturate fats and seafood.

Risks: 1) Suggests wine in moderation - causes blood sugar fluctuations and can contribute to mood swings.

Benefits: 1) Low in red meats and animal fats, touting fish and unsaturated fats can decrease cholesterol, 2) Balanced diet including all food types, to provide core nutrients, 3) High in essential fatty acids and antioxidants - touted as cancer preventatives

Each diet listed above has both risks and benefits, with some demonstrating greater potential risks for complications for persons with diabetes, due to the complex needs of your body.

Obtain information about the diet you are considering, and then meet with your physician, Nutritionist or Diabetes Educator to discuss the risks and benefits of the diet, and it's potential impact on you.

The Role of the Nutritionist

A nutritionist is a person who has education and training on diets and nutrition, and who can advise you on healthy eating and nutritional topics.

A nutritionist is not a Registered Dietitian or licensed as a healthcare practitioner. They may have a degree in nutrition, but this is not required, in order to be a nutritionist.

When you have diabetes, there are many questions, including:

* What should I eat?
* What can't I eat?
* Is there a special diet I should
follow?
* Why do I need to eat a bedtime snack?

A nutritionist can help to answer these questions, while also providing:

* information on eating properly
* nutritional information regarding
different types of foods
* weight loss suggestions/ideas
* support during your diet challenges
* coaching for meal problem-solving

When you have diabetes, you don't have to tread the diet and nutrition waters alone. Talk to your doctor about a referral to a nutritionist or registered dietitian to help you develop appropriate meal plans, and to problem-solve your nutritional needs and concerns.

Water and Diabetes

Have you ever seen a recipe where it calls for "reducing" something by 50%? What this refers to is cooking the water out of the food until it is 1/2 the volume that it was when you started. This process concentrates the food.

When your body gets low on water, everything becomes concentrated. This includes your blood sugar. When you are dehydrated, your urine gets darker, you become constipated and your blood sugars go up.

Ideally, each person should drink 1 ounce of water each day, for every 2.5 pounds of body weight. When you do not reach this goal, everything is more concentrated in your blood stream - this includes your blood sugar.

When you see a high blood sugar, you then treat it by changing the dose of your medication. However, f the blood sugar elevation is false, because you do not have enough fluids on board, you may be giving yourself unnecessary additional insulin.

The best way to avoid dehydration and the possible complications is to:

1. drink 1 ounce of water for every 2.5
pounds of your body weight
2. avoid beverages that dehydrate you, such
as coffee, sodas with caffeine, sugary
beverages and anything alcoholic
3. if you are exercising, add more water to
compensate for sweating and rapid
breathing - you lose water when you
breathe fast
4. if you are doing urine dipsticks, check
your specific gravity (the concentration
of your urine). If the value is higher
than 1.030, than you need to get more
water on board.

Keep up on your Food Diary to help you track trends on your blood sugars, and your hydration status.

Talk to your doctor or Dietitian about more ways to keep hydrated.

Risks and Benefits of Low-Calorie Sweeteners

There is alot of information out there about sugar and reduced-calorie or low-calorie sweeteners. It can be hard to get the facts that you need, to make the best decisions regarding your diet plan.

If you are considering adding reduced or low calorie sweeteners to your diet, you may want to consider the following risks and benefits:

Risks:

1. Sugar-alcohols - one type of reduced-
calorie sweetener - are neither sugars
nor alcohols. They are used to sweeten
sugar-free gum and candy and can cause
diarrhea and other stomach upset,
elevate your cholesterol and blood sugar.
2. Nutrasweet in large quantities may
actually increase your appetite.
3. Saccharine, though not widely used
anymore, is believed to cause cancer
in rats.
4. Low-calorie sweeteners have no nutritive
value.
5. They may alter the taste of beverages
and food products, and some can leave an
aftertaste.

Benefits:

1. Low-calorie sweeteners, with the
exception of sugar-alcohols such as
mannitol and sorbitol, are "free foods" -
they add no calories or carbohydrates to
foods and beverages.
2. Many now have a similar taste as sugar.
3. You can cook with low-calorie sweeteners
by following special recipes.
4. They contain no fats, carbs or proteins
5. They can be added to your diet instead
of being substituted
6. The ADA accepts them as part of a
healthy diet.

Making the decision about whether to use reduced or low-calorie sweeteners requires some research.

Talk to your doctor, Nutritionist or Registered Dietitian about which reduced-calorie or low-calorie sweetener would be right for you.