Type 2 Diabetes

What is Type 2 Diabetes?
Type 2 Diabetes, also known as non-insulin dependent or adult-onset diabetes, is the most common form of diabetes and usually develops in overweight people after the age of 40 due to the body not responding to insulin properly, causing there to be too much glucose (a type of sugar) in the blood.
The risk of developing type 2 diabetes is increased by being overweight and inactive, having a family history of diabetes, and eating too much fat and refined carbohydrates.
Type 2 diabetes can be managed, and in some rare cases reversed, through healthy eating, weight control and physical activity.

How to prevent type 2 diabetes with diet.
As type 2 diabetes is predominately a lifestyle disease, following a healthy eating plan and regular exercise is the best way to stave of this disease. 30 minutes of moderate intensity exercise most days should be maintained.

How to control type 2 diabetes with diet.
Diet has a huge influence on not only controlling weight, but also blood glucose levels. When suffering from diabetes of any kind it is recommended that you follow a healthy eating plan based on high-fibre foods, as well as choosing foods low in saturated fats and sodium. Only eating a moderate amount of sugars is also recommended.

To assist diabetics in making the right food choices, Healthy Food For Life offers a wide range of diabetic-friendly recipes, as well as 3 diabetes cookbooks (Diabetes, Diabetes 2, and Diabetes Big Ideas) and a diabetes recipes DVD.

Win a Melinda’s Gluten-Free Goodies Cracker Pack!

For your chance to win a pack of six boxes of crackers from Melinda’s Gluten-Free Goodies, visit Healthy Food For Life and tell us in 25 words or less how Melinda’s crackers will help you entertain this Christmas.

The pack contains 2 boxes of each delicious flavour: Natural, Poppy Seed, and Pepper & Chives.

See Terms & Conditions.

ABOUT LOW GI

WHAT IS THE GLYCEMIC INDEX (GI)?

The glycemic index is a scale that rates carbohydrate foods on how quickly they raise blood glucose/sugar levels after eating.
Foods that are high GI are are digested and absorbed quickly which results in fluctuations in blood glucose/sugar levels.
Foods that are low GI are digested and absorbed at a slower rate and therefore result in a gradual rise in blood glucose/sugar levels.

WHY FOLLOW A LOW GI DIET?

Eating foods that are Low GI has been shown to improve the blood glucose/sugar levels of people suffering from type 1 and type 2 diabetes. It also assists in weight loss and weight control as low GI foods control appetite and delay feelings of hunger.
The slow releasing of energy provided by low GI foods also reduces the risk of heart disease and other chronic illnesses that are related the high blood glucose/sugar fluctuations.

FOODS THAT HAVE LOW GI

Examples of foods that have a low GI are:

• multi-grain bread
• low-fat milk and yoghurt
• sweet potato
• legumes
• most fruits
• pasta

Examples of foods that have a high GI are:

• white bread
• jelly lollies
• potato
• sugar

Remember, just because a food has a low GI does not mean you should gorge yourself on it. The same applies for restricting high GI foods. Everything in moderation.

For more advice on low GI foods, low GI recipes and products visit Healthy Food For Life.

Win one of 10 Go Natural Showbags!

For your chance to win a Go Natural showbag, tell us in 25 words or less what is your favourite Go Natural product and why?

Each showbag will contain 10 Go Natural bars: Almond & Apricot Bar, Fruit & Nut Delight Bar, Popcorn Apple Apricot & Banana Bar, Popcorn Apple Sultana & Cranberry Bar, Nut Delight Bar, Macadamia & Apricot Bar, Almond & Cashew Bar, Macadamia & Hazelnut Bar, Superfood Brazil Walnut & Date Bar, and Superfood Almond Hazelnut & Cranberry Bar. All bars are gluten free!

Entries close 30th November so enter today!

For terms & conditions, please visit Healthy Food For Life.

ABOUT GLUTEN FREE

WHAT IS GLUTEN?

Gluten is a type of protein, which is most commonly found in rye, wheat and barley. When considering flour, gluten is what gives it its elasticity and strength.

WHO NEEDS TO FOLLOW A GLUTEN FREE DIET?

People with coeliac disease are those who most commonly follow a strict gluten free diet. Coeliac disease is autoimmune deficiency where there is an intestinal intolerance to gluten. Those who develop coeliac disease are already born with a genetic predisposition and common symptoms include:

• Anaemia
• Diarrhoea or constipation
• Stomach cramps
• Bloating and flatulence
• Weight loss – although weight gain is possible
• Fatigue and weakness

Very often coeliac disease can be confused with Irritable Bowel Symdrome (IBS), a wheat allergy or just a general food intolerance. Many people with these conditions also find obstaining from gluten helpful.
Other people often choose to remove gluten from their diet completely or just from most meals because they find it can reduce feelings of being bloated after meals, relieves eczema, or even maintain normal, healthy bowel movements.

Healthy Food For Life proudly caters for those with coeliac disease and similar health concerns by providing a large range of gluten free products for sale and free gluten free recipes.

Wheat & Gluten Free Giveaway!

During October buy any product with a grey Wheat Free/Gluten Free dot and receive a free copy of the Healthy Food For Life Wheat & Gluten Free DVD, valued at $12.95.

Start shopping now.

WIN ONE OF 3 RECIPE BOOK PACKS!

For your chance to win one of three Fortiori Cookbook Packs go to Healthy Food For Life and tell us in 25 words or less what you would like to see on the Healthy Food For Life website.

Each pack contains the following cookbooks:

• Low Cholesterol
• Low Fat
• Low Fat for Kids
• Low GI, and
• Vegetarian

For competition Terms & Conditions see Healthy Food For Life.

HEALTHY EATING BASICS

WHY EAT HEALTHY?

Maintaining a healthy diet can be beneficial in many different areas of your life. Not only does eating healthy make you feel and look great, it is vital for reducing your risk of disease, preventing lifestyle diseases (e.g. type 2 diabetes and obesity), and maintaining a healthy weight range.

WHAT SHOULD I BE EATING?

The National Health and Medical Research Council have released a document outlining the Recommended Dietary Guidelines for Australians. It includes recommendations such as:

• Enjoy a wide variety of nutritious foods
• Choose foods low in salt
• Consume only moderate amounts of sugars and foods containing added sugars
• Eat plenty of Vegetables, Legumes and Fruit etc.
  

For more information about what foods you should be eating, the full recommendations document can be downloaded at The National Health and Medical Research Council website.

The Baker IDI Heart & Diabetes Institute recommends that every day you should aim to eat:

• 5 serves of vegetables
• 2 serves of fruit
• 5 serves of grains, breads and cereals
• 2-3 serves of low-fat dairy products, and
  
• 1 serve of lean meat, chicken or fish or a meat substitute, such as lentils, beans or tofu

For information on how much a serving is of each category you can visit their website.

Don't forget that you can find much more information about healthy food and related issues at the Healthy Food For Life Infohub: Articles Database.

WIN A FOOD FOR HEALTH PACK!

For your chance to win a Food For Health pack go to Healthy Food For Life and tell us in 25 words or less what you do to live a healthy life.

The Food For Health pack will contain their full range of products, which includes The Gluten Free Muesli, The Liver Cleansing Muesli, The Wheat Free Muesli, The Fibre Cleanse Muesli, The Gluten Free Muesli Bar with Fruit, and The Gluten Free Fruit Free Muesli Bar.

For competition Terms & Conditions please see Healthy Food For Life.