During Singapore National Rally 2017, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Long mentioned 1 in 9 Singaporeans has diabetes and it is very serious.
According to the forecast number, 1 in 2 Singaporean have a chance of developing Type II diabetes in their lifetime by 2050. This is a very concerning number.
What is Diabetes?
What is diabetes and how does it develop? As food enters the body, it is broken down into glucose, the basic fuel of the body. The pancreas, an organ situated close to the stomach, secretes the hormone insulin. Insulin enhances cell absorption of glucose in the blood for the body to obtain energy. Thus, insulin plays an important role to ensure the normal functioning of the body. As the insulin-producing pancreatic cells are destroyed in diabetics, insufficient insulin production leads to ineffective absorption of glucose by the cells.
Diabetes is a killer disease
Diabetes is a killer disease that can have debilitating effects on many organs in the body. It is often associated with other life-threatening ailments such as heart disease, stroke, hypertension, blindness, kidney malfunction, nervous system disorders, dental problems, amputations and pregnancy complications.
There are 3 types of diabetes
1)Type I diabetes - A type of autoimmune disease. To survive, people with type 1 diabetes must have insulin delivered by injection or a pump. In most cases, type I diabetes has a genetic component and is usually prevalent among children and young adults.
2)Type II diabetes - The most common form of diabetes accounting to 90-95 per cent of all diagnosed cases of diabetes. Type II diabetes is associated with obesity, family history of diabetes, prior history of gestational diabetes, physical inactivity and diet.
3)Gestational diabetes
Food Glycemic Index
The sweetness of food is not a good indication of its sugar content. All types of food break down into sugars once they are digested. The lower the glycemic index (GI), the more ideal the food is as a source of nutrition for diabetics. Diabetics must remember that they should not only be concerned about the sugar content in foods, but also more importantly their glycemic index.
See Part 2/2 How to manage diabetes through NI food
Yours truely
Pei Lin LEE
Excellent Lifestyle Coach
+65 8332 3173
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