Glycemic Index

The Glycemic Index is a concept developed in the University of Toronto in 1981.  The purpose of the Glycemic Index is to measure the effect carbohydrates have on blood glucose levels.  The Glycemic Index is imperative for anyone who needs to monitor their glucose level due to diabetes or hyperglycemia.  With diabetes reaching epidemic levels in the United States, the development of the Glycemic Index could not have come at a better time.  Each year, more people are diagnosed with this potentially life threatening disease that can cause many serious complications.  It is important for anyone with this condition to familiarize themselves with the Glycemic Index so they can empower themselves and learn which foods should be avoided.

Carbohydrates are a diverse group of foods and all have different ways of breaking down in the system.  People with diabetes have a difficult time breaking down certain foods, particularly those high in carbohydrates, in their system.  Digestion is slow and sugars and starches are absorbed into the blood stream, causing an excess in blood glucose.  Diabetics are often warned to limit their carbohydrate intake because it takes such a long time for most carbohydrates to digest.  However, this is easier said than done and it is difficult, if not impossible, for many diabetics to eliminate carbohydrates from their diet.  This is one of the reasons many diabetics are non-compliant in their treatment.  Because diabetes does not often cause serious complications at onset, many patients refuse to take their medicine and continue eating foods that are high in sugar and starch.

The Glycemic Index is very helpful because it rates different carbohydrates based upon their effect on the different levels of blood glucose.  Those foods that digest rapidly cause the less harm to the system and have a low glycemic index.  The carbohydrates that take a longer time to digest have a higher rate as they cause more harm to the blood glucose level.

The Glycemic Index ranges from one to one hundred.  A low food in the glycemic index has a rating of below 55.  These include fruits, vegetables, whole grains and some pastas.    Foods that fall between the 56 to 69 range are considered "medium" in the Glycemic Index.  They include candy bars, croissants and some rices.

Surprisingly, although a candy bar scores in the medium classification of the glycemic index, it is not as harmful as those carbohydrates that score in the high glycemic index range.  These include corn flakes, white rice, white bread and  baked potato.  In other words, it is easier for a diabetic to digest a candy bar than a baked potato.

Knowledge of the glycemic index is imperative for anyone who has diabetes or who has been diagnosed as borderline diabetic.  To be able to understand which foods have the most impact on blood glucose levels is crucial for anyone fighting this potentially life-threatening condition.

If you or a loved one suffers from diabetes, become familiar with the Glycemic Index so that you learn about the different categories of carbohydrates and which groups should be avoided.  There are many substitutes for carbohydrates that rate high in the Glycemic Index and are available at most grocery stores.  While diabetes is currently without a cure, there are many different ways that people with this disease can life long, productive lives.

How to Avoid Health Problems

Many people consume a lot of junk food on a regular basis to keep them from craving large portions of meals.  However, what you may not realize is that this doesn’t really help you lose weight.  In fact, it may even contribute to a whole string of health problems in the long run, and several organs in your body may be affected as well.  Of course, some of these foods may also contain essential ingredients which, when taken in moderate doses, contribute to one’s well being.  Yet, too much intake of unhealthy food choices can impact your health negatively.  Therefore, you would want to avoid health problems as much as possible.  This can be done by simply adapting your way of living to one that can be beneficial.  Below are some points which you should seriously consider:

            A lot of people experience certain health conditions because they don’t really have any discipline over alcohol.  They would do a lot of binge drinking, which can then do much liver damage eventually.  Going beyond small portions of alcohol intake can be dangerous, and you’ll experience high levels of toxicity in the body.  This can even contribute to the development and growth of cancer cells which would then lead you to have a serious health problem.  Aside from that, over eating can lead a person to see high levels of cholesterol in the body once they’ve done their regular physical check ups at the medical clinics. There’s bound to be some increased risks of heart problems as well as digestive disorders.

            In order to refrain from experiencing problems with your health, you might actually want to reconsider the food you eat.  Instead of going for those which are rich in oils and fats, opt for a high fiber diet.  Grains and nuts contain nutrients which can help you improve your bodily functions.  Fruit juices, while often rich on sugar, can also be beneficial especially when they’re made from natural fruit and not synthetically produced.  Exercising regularly also does well to improve the circulation of blood in the body, and can definitely decrease the risk of experiencing cardiovascular conditions.  Don’t ever starve yourself, since you don’t want to be deprived of all the natural nutrients which can help you perform a lot better, physically and mentally.  Incorporating some reliable dietary supplements such as pills that can boost your energy will also make it a lot easier to maintain peak physical fitness.

These are things which you should look into if you wish to avoid health problems.  There’s nothing more important than being aware of your health, and you would want to ensure that it’s kept safe from illnesses and ailments.

Fitness Tips for the Health Conscious

Everyone has an obligation to him or herself to live a healthy life as much as possible.  The problem, however, lies in the fact that not many people know the best way to go about it.  They would probably want to seek out ways in which they can avoid gaining weight or staying away from possible ailments which can only impact their lives negatively.  They would try to seek out ways to live much healthier lives through the exercise and the implementation of a proper diet.  However, sometimes the results aren’t all that effective.  Therefore, if you’re someone who has sought out proper methods for maintaining peak physical fitness, you can simply look to the following fitness tips:

·          It would be a good start to keep a journal of the food that you eat every day.  With this method, you can actually keep track of your own health.  You may find that you’ve been indulging in way too much carb consumption.  Knowing this allows you to balance it out with every other healthy food group.  You may even want to slip in some details on how a particular fruit and veggie smoothie has helped you acquire some extra boosts of energy when doing your daily routines.  With a journal, you are clued in on your own health, and you will certainly have a reference to base from if ever you visit your doctor.

·          As gut wrenching as it may sound, eat-all-you-cans or buffets should be avoided as much as possible.  Sure , the idea of being able to save a lot of money on meals which allow you to eat anything you want, as much as you want may be practical.  Health-wise, it’s not going to do you any good at all.  You’re not even sure if the ingredients used in these foods are entirely fresh, and you may even be getting more food which is filled with unhealthy substances.  Don’t ever force yourself to consume a lot more food than you can handle just because you want to get your money’s worth.

·          Slip in a bit of protein intake in your diet if you want to live a life that’s filled with the proper nutrition.  You can eat nuts, lean meats or even dairy products.  Protein is essential in order for bodily functions to be carried out at an optimum level.  With protein consumption, you’ll certainly see improvement in your own health.

These are just some fitness tips that you may want to keep in mind.  Planning what you eat is always important, and will go along way in extending your life span too.