Nutrition and Dietetics

In the earlier posts, we discussed about the types of diabetes and the various risk factors that we should be aware of to delay the onset of diabetes. At present, it is not possible to prevent diabetes but we can delay the onset by Maintaining a healthy weight by exercising regularly Taking a balanced diet, by consuming high fibre foods and avoiding too much of sugar, salt and fat foods Limiting your cigarette and alcohol consumption Healthy food choices combined with increased physical activity will delay the onset of diabetes. Just remember that when you change your lifestyle to prevent diabetes, you will also lower your risk for other possible complications like heart disease, stroke, nerve damage, and other health problems.

In the previous post, we discussed about diabetes mellitus and the various types of diabetes . Diabetes can be caused by a confluence of various factors, ranging from your own lifestyle to your heredity. Knowing the risk factors can help us to delay the onset of diabetes to some extent. The following is the list of some of the factors that may influence whether you will get diabetes or not. Heredity : Heredity plays a strong role in the susceptibility of the disease. The closer the blood relationship of a person to the diabetic, greater is the chances of getting diabetes. Obesity : Sudden increase in weight is a danger signal in middle aged people. Obesity is a strong predisposing factor to diabetes Sedentary Life Style : People who have inactive life style are more prone to diabetes. It is possible that good physical exercises may reduce the risk of diabetes Age : Type 2 diabetes commonly affects those over 40 years of age, hence should be cautious to avoid the diabetogenic environmen...

Diabetes Mellitus is a chronic disorder where the body is not able to produce or utilize the available insulin properly, resulting in higher concentrations of sugar in the blood. Types of Diabetes There are three main types of diabetes, which I have explained in detail below. Type 1 or Insulin Dependent Diabetes (IDDM) This often affects children, but adults can develop it too. In this type of diabetes, body is not able to prepare insulin. Hence, people have to take their daily dosages of insulin regularly. Type 2 or Non-Insulin Dependent Diabetes (NIDDM) This type of diabetes widely affects people after their middle age. In this type of diabetes, the body can prepare insulin but the cells cannot utilize it. Gestational Diabetes This type of diabetes occurs in pregnant women. The same person may or may not develop diabetes during her later stages of life. Diabetes is no longer a dreaded disease. It can be well managed by dietary modification and changing lifestyle.

What is Body Mass Index (BMI)? Body Mass Index (BMI) provides an easy way to evaluate your weight in relation to your height. BMI provides a number computed from a person’s weight and height. Importance of Body Mass Index BMI is considered to be a reliable indicator of body fatness for most people and is used to identify whether your body weight may lead to health problems. A higher BMI indicates higher risk of heart diseases and diabetes whereas a lower BMI could be an indicator of nutritional deficiencies. Computation of Body Mass Index BMI can be computed if you know your weight in kilograms and your height in meters. Just divide your weight in kg by the square of the height in m. BMI = (Weight in kg) / (Height in m x Height in m) Ranges for Body Mass Index For adults, BMI below 18.5 kg/m 2 indicates underweight and risk of nutritional deficiency diseases and osteoporosis. BMI between 18.5 and 24.9 is generally considered to be in the healthy range while a number above 25 is consid...

This is the second and concluding part of the discussion on Food Labels . You can read the first part of this post at Smart Shopping for Healthy Lifestyle: Part 1 . In a food label, the ingredient list is like a recipe. A food label defines the food. It lists all the ingredients of the product in descending order by weight. So, the first ingredient is present in the highest amount, followed by the second and so on. A healthy food is one that contains all the essential nutrients appropriate for you in right proportion. For example, limiting your fat and sodium reduces the risk of heart diseases, blood pressure and cancer. Eating more fiber, calcium, iron and vitamins help you to improve and maintain a healthy life style. You should select whole grain cereals, breads and biscuits to improve your fibre. It should be noted that a product should be used only till its expiry date, provided the storage instructions are followed. If storage instructions are not followed, then you cannot expect...

Smart shopping can lead to healthy eating. Want to know how? I will explain in detail. To be a smart shopper, it is necessary to read the labels of the food items you purchase. Food labels provide the following details: Quantity Country of origin Details of manufacturer and distributor Manufacturing date and Expiry date of the food item In addition to the standard details listed above, the food labels also keep you informed on the ingredients that make up your food and their nutritional valu e. Food labels help you to identify food items that are good sources of fiber, calcium, iron and vitamins. It also comes in handy to select food items that are low in calories, fat and salt. Food labels can be of assistance to pick the right product when you have to make a choice between two suppliers or two similar products. Make it a habit to compare the food labels of similar products and select wisely according to your meal plan. I will discuss further about food labels and how they can facili...