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The regime for this
study involved participants exercising for one hour
every day and following a diet that was based on
vegetables and whole grains with a little animal
protein.
Another small study in
the USA concluded that high fibre diets assisted in
keeping blood glucose levels low.
There is controversy
over the dietary recommendations being offered by the
diabetic associations both in the UK and the USA. Their
current advice is for diabetics to follow a low fat,
carbohydrate based diet despite what appears to be
fairly compelling evidence to the contrary.
The problem everyone faces in
deciphering what represents a safe diet, whether they
are diabetic or not, is in knowing which research to
trust. |
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Just
about every piece of research undertaken has an agenda to be
fulfilled. It may be that the research is being sponsored by a
drug company to prove the benefits of a particular drug
treatment; it may be that the research is undertaken by someone
who is simply setting out to prove a pet theory. There is too
little research that is truly independent and undertaken without
prejudice to the outcome.
It has been suggested, and some
would say proven, that an Atkins type diet high in fat and
protein and low in carbohydrate is the most suitable for a
diabetic and it would certainly seem logical that restricting
(particularly refined) carbohydrates would help to prevent
elevated glucose levels in the blood stream.
There is a link between insulin,
glucose and cholesterol – particularly what is termed “bad
cholesterol” and proponents of the Atkins diet claim that
cholesterol levels are not adversely affected by this diet
regime. Of course there are contrary views.
It is important for diabetics to
realise that everyone has an individual metabolism and
physiology. What may be a healthy diet for one person could be
life threatening for another. A diet based around healthy
protein – organic white meat and fish; natural carbohydrates –
vegetables, salads and fruit; and monounsaturated fat
supplemented by the essential fatty acids is a good starting
point. Once this is established there is no reason why, under
controlled conditions, individuals should not try introducing
whole grains to see what effect they have on their glucose
levels. In this way diabetics can assess for themselves what
represents a healthy, life saving diet.
