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Vital: Battling Diabetes; The Best Way to Beat the Disease

Posted on: Tuesday, 2 November 2004, 06:00 CST

WHAT do Halle Berry, Elizabeth Taylor and Luther Vandross have in common? They all suffer from diabetes, a condition reaching epidemic proportions in the western world.

One in 33 Scots has been diagnosed as a sufferer, however it is believed as many as 250,000 may have the disease.

Of those, 95 per cent are suffering from Type 2 non-insulin dependent diabetes, which is commonly caused by obesity.

While diabetes most widely affects the middle-aged and the elderly, alarming numbers of youngsters are now being diagnosed with the condition.

And with obesity in Scotland already increasing at an alarming rate, the number of diabetics is also expected to rise.

Fortunately, Type 2 can be controlled simply by diet and exercise.

And that has prompted the nutritional therapist Jane Frank to write a new guide to handling this condition, called The Basic Basics Diabetes Handbook.

She said: 'I've always been interested in studying diabetes, and really it is clear that action needs to be taken when there is such a huge epidemic.

'I recently read a frightening study that suggested 30 per cent of all children born in America could be diabetic.

'Almost all of my own clients are pre-diabetic or going that way, but diet can make all the difference.

'This book is not just for those who are already diabetic. In fact, it can be used by anyone - especially those who are at risk from diabetes due to factors such as their age, body mass index and high waist-to-hip ratio.'

Diabetes is a condition where there is too much glucose, or sugar, in the blood.

Glucose comes from carbohydrates and is the principle source of energy for muscles and the brain.

These levels of glucose are normally regulated by our insulin and glucagon hormones. However, in diabetics this mechanism fails to work.

Symptoms of diabetes can include weight loss, extreme thirst, fatigue, and a tingling or numbness in the hands and feet.

For the Type 1 diabetics, these symptoms will begin suddenly and will need to be treated with insulin.

The cause of the disease's onset is generally accepted to be genetic.

Type 2 diabetics, however, may have no symptoms at all, which leads to many sufferers going undiagnosed for years.

There is a hereditary element involved and the threat tends to rise with age, but the greatest risk factor is obesity.

While it's true that not all diabetics are overweight, an astonishing 90 per cent of those who develop Type 2 are.

Jane has based her dietary advice on a preliminary study in which people with Type 2 diabetes achieved lower blood glucose and blood fats following a diet made up of 30 per cent protein, 40 per cent carbohydrate and 30 per cent fat.

This eating pattern is characterised by high intake of vegetables, pulses, fruit and whole grains and a low intake of red meat, processed meat, high-fat dairy products and refined grains.

Jane said: 'I have created 100 recipes which are ideal for those who are either diabetic or heading that way.

'The dishes are varied and I've tried to make the recipes pretty easy to follow.

It's really just a matter of changing the balance of your diet.

'Some of the ingredients are more unusual, but most of them can be found in health food shops.

'However, I would recommend that people speak to their GP before adopting this diet.

'It's important for those with Type 1 to monitor their blood sugar very carefully.

'For example, in the book I recommend that people try to take half a teaspoon of cinnamon every day - this lowers blood glucose levels, so doing this may also mean that diabetics need to alter their insulin intake.'

In the book, Jane also recommends the foods which are particularly beneficial for sufferers of diabetes.

Her top five are: #Broccoli - a superfood recommended by doctors as a nutraceutical.

#Onions and garlic - appear to increase insulin in the blood by preventing it being inactivated by the liver. #Buckwheat - this may help increase insulin sensitivity, helping the body to use insulin more effectively.

#Cinnamon - just 1g a day could reduce blood glucose levels by 20 per cent.

#Oily fish - lowers serum triglycerides and contribute to glycaemic control.

The Basic Basics Diabetes Handbook by Jane Frank is published by Grub Street and is available from bookshops now priced pounds 7.99.

RecipeJane's favourite recipe from the book. *Fruit and Nut TrufflesIngredients: 90g Dates, stoned 90g Raisins3 tbsp Organic cocoa powder 90g Chopped walnutsSunflower seeds75gMethodPlace dates and raisins in a small saucepan with a little water . Bringto a gentle simmer for about 5 minutes, then drain and cool.

Place dates, raisins, walnuts, sunflower seeds and 2tbsps of the cocoa in a food processor and mix until ingredients are finely chopped and mixture adheres into a large ball. With hands, form the mixture into 24 balls and roll in the remaining cocoapowder . Place the truffles in paper cases and refrigerate for a few hours.

Then serve chilled.

Protein (per truffle): 2g Carbohydrates: 7g Fat: 4g

Source: Daily Record; Glasgow (UK)

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