Like Pouring Gas On A Wildfire
by Dr. Al Sears
As you get older, there's a good chance you'll experience changes in your blood sugar. And if you're not careful, it can lead to health problems like diabetes and obesity.
In fact, one in four Americans over the age of 60 struggles with blood sugar imbalance. But you don't have to be one of them.
To start, don't take the American Diabetes Association's (ADA's) recommended diet advice. It's like pouring gas on a wildfire. You see, the cornerstone of the ADA's diet program is to lower fat intake.
But the notion that eating fat will make you fat is a fundamental mistake. Fat has nothing to do with it. In most cases, excess insulin is the cause of the fat, not dietary fat.
The ADA also recommends high-fiber foods. But that doesn't take into consideration that fibrous whole grains and starches spike your blood sugar even more than sugar. To top it off, studies show that low-fat and high-carb diets like the one recommended by the ADA just don't work.
Fat and protein are not the bad guys. The key is to eat the right kinds of fat and the right kinds of protein.
Here are some tips to help you make the better choices.
- Stay away from starches. Starches are of little nutritional value. They convert to sugar. Your body stimulates too much insulin when you eat starches. Manufacturers are producing highly processed starches. If it is processed, don't eat it. Processed foods often have harmful additives like sugar, preservatives, and other chemicals.
- Choose quality protein. Protein is a "guilt-free" food. The right sources of protein won't raise your blood sugar and will help your body handle insulin better, build muscle, and repair tissue - all essential for you to prevent diabetes and stay lean. Grass-fed beef, free-range poultry, cage-free eggs, and wild salmon are all good choices.
- Exercise large muscle groups. Concentrate on exercising the biggest muscles. Leg muscles are the largest. These hefty muscles burn excess sugar in the blood faster than any others.
- Choose your vegetables wisely. Choose vegetables that don't spike your blood sugar (low glycemic). Those that grow above ground are good choices - cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, asparagus, mushrooms, green beans, leafy green vegetables, and tomatoes.
1. National Diabetes Information Clearinghouse (NDIC) National Diabetes Statistics. 2007. diabetes.niddk.nih.gov/index.htm
2. Rabin , Roni Caryn. "Recommended Diet for Diabetics May Need Changing, Study Suggests", The New York Times, 12/19/08, nytimes.com
3. "The Diabetes Food Pyramid: Protein," The American Diabetes Association. (diabetes.org/nutrition-and-recipes/nutrition/protein.jsp), 9/1/2004
