Diabetes: Are You At Risk?

With cases of diabetes at a record high not only in the Middle East, but around the world – nutritional therapist Kerry Torrens takes a look at the condition, so you can spot the signs and reduce your risk

- 

Over the past decade, an increasing number of my clients, when discussing their medical history, have told me that they have diabetes. As a nutritional therapist, I can’t diagnose or treat diabetes – however, if someone is under the care of a registered dietitian or specialist nurse practitioner, they may come to me for advice about a digestive complaint, or for motivational support if they’re trying to lose weight.

Talking to the right health professional to manage diabetes, which includes making changes to your diet, is essential so that blood glucose levels are stabilised. If the condition is not identified and managed properly, it can lead to serious problems, including stroke and blindness. There are steps you can take to reduce your likelihood of getting type 2 diabetes, and managing your diet is certainly one of them.

Understanding the condition This lifelong condition occurs when your body can’t produce enough of the hormone insulin, or the insulin it does produce is not used properly. Insulin is needed for cells to take in glucose from the blood and convert it into energy.