![[AUGUST COLLAGE]](http://www.glycemicindex.com/blog/2007/august2007/collage_aug450.jpg)
Just back from the American Diabetes Association meeting in Chicago, we have to say we could feel a bit despondent at the number of health professionals, especially dietitians, who like to trumpet their belief that the glycemic index doesn’t work or that it’s too complicated for ordinary people or too hard to understand. And perhaps it is for them. But, sometimes we wonder if this is a genuinely informed position based on research and experience or simply an entrenched one. What immediately cheers us however, are your stories, letters and posts on GI News – the ones where you tell us that when diagnosed with diabetes you took responsibility for making the necessary lifestyle changes into your own hands, checked out the internet, discovered the GI and gave it a go. You make our day when you tell us how making the switch to low GI foods within an overall balanced diet (plus a bit more exercise), has transformed your health, your life and your blood glucose levels. And often in remarkably quick time too as you’ll read in Karen’s, Louisa’s and Toma’s ‘Success Stories’. Cinnamon is back in the news with a study on how eating around 6 grams at a sitting can help with blood glucose levels. To make sure you don’t go barking up the wrong tree we ran a background check in 'Food of the Month'. Of course there are all our regular features too: the latest research, low GI recipes, new GI values for Yakult and your questions answered plus 10 tips to help you eat to beat stroke from dietitian Nicole Senior.
Enjoy August GI News.![[AUGUST QUOTE]](http://www.glycemicindex.com/blog/2007/august2007/quote_aug2007.gif)
GI News Editor: Philippa Sandall
Web Design and Management: Scott Dickinson, PhD
1 August 2007
GI News—August 2007
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12 comments:
hello. Just wanted to let you know that not all dietitions are unimformed. I work in Idaho at a hospital and our contracted dietition regularly educates us...in fact our theraputic diet for our diebetic follows the glycemic principals...it is not difficult...and we pass those teachings on....
That's great news. Thank you for taking the time to tell us what it's like out there in The Real World. Conferences can be depressing when you are surrounded by people who don't get it - or don't want to. Congratulate your dietitian. Better still if you send us her/his contact details to gifeedback@gmail.com we'll ask our US publisher to send a copy of The New Glucose Revolution for Diabetes.
Staffan Lindeberg at the University of Lund in Sweden (http://www.staffanlindeberg.com/Home.html) has just published an interesting study: http://www.springerlink.com/content/h7628r66r0552222.
Your comments, please?
The link to Staffan Lindeberg's paper was truncated. Here's a compressed version of the link:
http://tinyurl.com/39y9wg
Prof Jennie Brand-Miller wrote about the Paleolithic Diet and its benefits in The New Glucose Revolution Life Plan (check your local library or Amazon). Thanks for the link, we will put it on the list to follow up as a Food for Thought in an forthcoming issue of GI News.
I am beginning to think that the drug manufactuers have some sort of hold over things like diet. The reason for this is that when I was diagnosed in May, the first thing that was said to me was "I'll go and get the Dr. so that we can get you some medication." I told her that I was not going there. Needless to say she got a little miffed with me.
I went to nutritional counseling. The insurance company is willing to pay for medication, but not for counseling.
In doing research. I found this site. This week I am ordering 2 books. Blood sugars are down, but I know that they can be better.
Re medication or diet - we hope that the books help you manage your blood glucose levels and look forward to hearing your feedback. Just send any comments to gifeedback@gmail.com
I recently sent an e-mail to CSPI questioning why a recent article in Nutrition Action magazine had portrayed the glycemic index in an unfavorable light for dieting. They responded and told me that it was no magic bullet. Gosh, who ever said it was! I don't see why the glycemic index needs to be a issue political at all. I use it as a general guideline in my diet and I am a Type 2 diabetic. My motto for eating is "follow the fiber", and if you do that you will generally find that the glycemic index works in your favor.
Thanks for taking the time to write. We agree, it's not a magic bullet. It's a 'this for that' practical tool to help people make better food choices when it comes to carbs. It's sad some people and organisations turn information into a political football.
I own A Touch of Sugar Healthy Lifestyle Center in Cleveland, Ohio, USA. It is America's first Diabetic & Special Diets Restaurant & Catering Service. I cook for people with diabetes, obesity, high-blood pressure, high-cholesterol, heart disease and kidney disease. My website is www.atouchofsugar. com. I cook foods with Low GI and results to the customers have all been favorable. I eat this way and results in my weight have been fantstic just by changing my eating habits. I believe your theory works and until the public can grasp the complexity or it can be simplified, somebody cook the food and serve the people. They'll eat it, they'll reap the benefits. You'll seem like a hero. I think it imperative that restaurants and food service providers understand and use the index in their food preparation. The public eats what is prepared for them. Change how we cook and what we cook and people will automatically change what they eat. They eat whatever the commercial sources produce. We must make sure it's the right thing. Cook it, Sell it, Serve it! Help the public. It's lonely out here doing what I'm doing and still very unpopular. But, you're on to something very beneficial and good. Please contact me. Thank you.
- Pat LeGrand, Owner
A Touch of Sugar: We absolutely agree that it's imperative that all food providers - manufacturers and the food service industry at least provide people with the choice of low GI foods in their product ranges and menus. It would also be good to see vegetables take centre stage on the plate when you order a meal in restaurants rather than something you have to pay extra for as a 'side' dish. We have contacted you as requested.
Being on GI for almost two years now, it really has changed my life. I'm not overweight or diabetic - I have IBS! And as it turns out, it was the sugar and white flour that irritated my stomach much more than the coffee, dairy, beans or onions (as you will hear from the IBS camp). I have a much healthier lifestyle, am off the medicines, and can actually treat myself to the things I love (like that coffee in the morning or even glass of wine with dinner) without constantly worrying about my stomach.
I find the GI is anything BUT complicated. Protein, veggies, whole grain, fruit, nuts and berries are SO much more natural and simple than processed foods packed with the relatively new culinary inventions of refined sugar and white flour - no??
Instead of explaining to people about glycemic index and blood sugar levels, I'll just say I switch fast carbs for slow carbs and eat food that is as natural and un-processed as possible. Dark bread instead of white bread, fruit instead of fruit juice.
In Sweden, where I'm from, the diet has become enormously popular, largely thanks to the "simplified" approach I described above. Looking for webpages in English, I'll find a lot of clinical stuff and hard words, making GI seem like a complicated, almost medicinal diet for people with diabetes. That goes for this webpage, as well (although I see your trying! :)).
Perhaps the long explanations about glycemic index and insulin should be saved for a step two, and we first of all should be talking about slow carbs and unprocessed food, stuff that people can understand? GI-eating is, after all, for everyone!
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