Private Diabetes Dietitian/North West England/Diet and Diabetes

Did you know that, at this moment, around 415 million people worldwide have Diabetes?

This number is predicted to rise to 640 million by 2040. In fact, around 700 people develop Diabetes every day just in the United Kingdom alone!

Diabetes is big, it is growing and it’s serious; and in some types, it is preventable.

Dietary management is one of the cornerstones of treatment and prevention of Diabetes.

I am an expert in the dietary prevention and management of Diabetes, with twenty five years’ experience.

My goal is to help you to reach your treatment goals in all types of Diabetes.

I don’t rely on outdated dietary treatments, which often include carbohydrate stacking. My approach is based on the most recent and international evidence which utilises modification of carbohydrate amounts tailored to suit the individual. There is no “one size fits all”.

Each person’s diabetes management plan is considered unique.

Dietary management will depend on which type of Diabetes you might have.

What is Diabetes ?

Diabetes is a condition in which blood glucose levels are higher than normal. This can be because a person is producing no insulin or very little insulin or can be because the body just isn’t responding to insulin the way it should. Insulin is needed by the body to transport glucose from the bloodstream into our muscles and cells so that it can be used as energy.

There are a few types of Diabetes, including:

Type 1 Diabetes

Type 1 Diabetes accounts for about 10-15% of cases of Diabetes. This type of Diabetes is most likely to occur in people under 40 years of age, but can occur at any age. It is an autoimmune disease. At this stage, the cause of Type 1 Diabetes is not yet known, but we do know it has a strong family link and cannot be prevented. We do know that the cause has nothing to do with lifestyle.

In Type 1 Diabetes, there is very little or no insulin being produced. The management is lifelong treatment with insulin. . Maintaining a healthy diet and lifestyle is important for people with Type 1 Diabetes.

Do you have Type 1 Diabetes? I can help you with:

Regulating your blood sugars
Carbohydrate counting (DAFNE trained, co-creator of the 4 step Program)
Optimizing your diet to prevent the complications associated with Type 1 Diabetes (e.g. cardiovascular disease)
Changes associated with your lifestyle- pre conception planning, pregnancy, sport, life events

Type 2 Diabetes

In Type 2 Diabetes, there may be not enough insulin being produced or the body just isn’t able to respond to insulin in the usual way. This type accounts for 85-90% of all cases of Diabetes.

There are a number of risk factors for developing Type 2 Diabetes. It is, to a large extent, a lifestyle disease and many in cases could be prevented or delayed through simple lifestyle changes. The risk factors for developing Type 2 diabetes include obesity, poor diet and inactivity.

Diet is a major player in the development of type 2 Diabetes. High fat, high refined carbohydrate and high energy diets are all linked to obesity and the risk of developing Type 2 Diabetes.

Management of Type 2 Diabetes is by dietary management and can include medications and insulin treatment. There is evidence to show that dietary management can make a huge impact on Type 2 Diabetes and preventing the complications that may come with it.

Do you have Type 2 Diabetes? I can help you with:

Regulating your blood sugars
Carbohydrate management
Optimizing your diet to prevent the complications associated with Type 2 Diabetes (e.g. cardiovascular disease)
Controlling your weight

Gestational Diabetes

This type affects females during pregnancy. Some women have very high levels of glucose in their blood, and their bodies are unable to produce enough insulin to transport all of the glucose into their cells, resulting in progressively rising levels of glucose.

Diagnosis of gestational diabetes is made during pregnancy.

The majority of gestational diabetes patients can control their diabetes with exercise and diet and some will need to take some kind of blood-glucose-controlling medications. Undiagnosed or uncontrolled gestational diabetes can raise the risk of complications during childbirth and can cause problems for your baby.

Women who have had gestational Diabetes have an increased chance of developing Type 2 Diabetes at a later stage.

Do you have Gestational Diabetes? I can help you with:

Regulating blood sugars during pregnancy
Carbohydrate management
Healthy eating in pregnancy

Preventing Type 2 Diabetes

Do you have a family history of Diabetes? Have you just found out that you have Pre-Diabetes of are concerned that you don’t want to be another Type 2 Diabetes statistic?

Changes to our lifestyles can go a long way to preventing the onset of Diabetes.

So what can you do to reduce your risk? Three simple steps.

1. Manage your weight.

Keeping to a healthy weight can reduce your risk of developing diabetes considerably. A growing waistline, particularly, can indicate you are at risk. Keep regular checks and try to keep your weight in the healthy weight range for your height. If you are overweight, even losing 5-7% of your body weight has been shown to reduce the risk of developing Type Diabetes by 50%.

2. Re-haul the diet

It’s not just all about weight, it’s also about the “nitty gritty” of what we are eating every day that is important for Diabetes prevention.

Whether you have weight to lose, or just want to keep on track, a dietary make-over may go a long way towards reducing your risk. Write down what you are eating and when and have a good look at the quality of your diet. Are you eating too many refined carbohydrate foods? Are your meal patterns irregular? Do processed foods figure a lot in your week? Changing the way we eat can seem very difficult, especially if it feels like we suddenly have to give up foods or treats we really enjoy, or change the way we cook and shop. In fact, achieving a healthy diet isn’t as difficult as you might think. It can sometimes only take a few changes to make a big difference to your diet.

3. Be more active

Even 30 minutes a day could help towards reducing your risk of developing diabetes. Regardless of your shape or size, physical activity has been shown to add years to your life, and life to your years. But you don’t have to run out and join a gym, even simple increases to activity will make a difference. I’m sure there are lots of ways to increase the activity you do each day…see what you can come up with.

I can help you achieve these three simple steps. Contact me for further information or to book.