DIABETES CARE

RICE AND THE MANAGEMENT OF DIABETES Due in part at least to the current popularity of “low carb” diets, people with diabetes are often advised to at the very least severely limit, if not completely avoid rice. This is of course a major issue for people who traditionally eat rice for all of their main …

DIABETES CARE

FIBRE AND DIABETES  People with diabetes are usually encouraged to include more fibre-rich foods in their diet. The importance of this has been confirmed in a recently published systematic review and meta-analysis looking at the role of dietary fibre and whole grains in diabetes management.  The scientists combined the findings of 44 studies involving people …

DIABETES CARE

BRAIN HEALTH The brain is the organ in the body that scientists know the least about. What we do know is that for its size (around 1.4 kg for an adult) it uses a disproportionate amount of resources. The brain is 2% of body mass but consumes 20% of the oxygen we inhale, and this …

DIABETES CARE

INDIVIDUALS FASTING BLOOD GLUCOSE AND INSULIN ARE STRONG PREDICTORS OF THE WEIGHT LOSS RESPONSE TO DIETS WITH DIFFERENT MACRONUTRIENT COMPOSITION IN A LONG-TERM STUDY  Efforts to identify a single optimal diet for the treatment of overweight and obesity have so far failed. Overall, the body of scientific evidence from randomised controlled trials (RCTs) indicate that …

DIABETES CARE

THE ADVANTAGES OF A LOW GLYCEMIC INDEX DIET FOR WOMEN WITH GESTATIONAL DIABETES  Disorders of blood glucose levels in pregnancy are relatively common. In a representative Australian population about 1-2% of women with pre-existing diabetes become pregnant. This type of diabetes is usually insulin treated type 1 diabetes or type 2 diabetes with various treatments …

DIABETES CARE

EGGS AND DIABETES  Eggs are popular. They are delicious, convenient and easy to cook. There’s also a steady stream of scientific research looking at whether we can enjoy them as part of our daily fare, or whether we should limit them. Several recent systematic reviews examine the evidence and provide an answer for people with …

DIABETES CARE

WHAT TO DRINK TO QUENCH YOUR THIRST?  Plain water is best to quench your thirst: it is the most refreshing drink, provides zero kilojoules plus a few minerals, and has no effect on your blood glucose levels. It doesn’t have any taste, although the minerals that are sometimes found in water naturally, or that are …

DIABETES CARE

DIABETIC EYE DISEASES Ophthalmologist Dr Shanel Sharma explains why it’s vital to be vigilant if you have diabetes and why the eye is vulnerable to damage from the complications of diabetes. Diabetes is the most common cause of blindness for people between 20 and 65 and diabetic eye diseases can affect anyone with diabetes whether …