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What is the Glycemic Index?

If you have diabetes or you are watching your weight, it may be wise to pay some attention to the Glycemic Index. The Glycemic Index ranks how much a particular food raises your blood sugar level after you eat it. It is really all about carbohydrates and how they raise blood sugar, since foods high in protein and fat have little effect on blood glucose. The carbohydrates that break down quickly in the digestive process have a higher glycemic index than those that slowly release glucose into the blood stream.

Illustration of a glycemic reading.

The Glycemic Index is starting to get some attention in the health care arena based on the fact that more than 17 million Americans suffer from diabetes, with millions more in the making. Several of the popular diet books are also based on the Glycemic Index approach to losing weight, including Sugar Busters (Ballantine), Eat Yourself Slim (Erica House) and the South Beach Diet (Rodale).

According to the Glycemic Index, mashed potatoes, ice cream, and cornflakes raise blood sugar levels higher than pure table sugar! While fruits, vegetables (other than potatoes) and grainy breads have a low glycemic index.

What are some of the benefits of eating foods with a low glycemic index?
  • Weight loss
  • Feeling of "fullness" for a longer period of time after eating
  • Lower rise in blood glucose levels
  • Lower risk of diabetes

For a listing of more than 750 international foods, along with their glycemic index and glycemic load (how much of a carbohydrate is in the particular food), go to www.mendosa.com/gilists.htm.

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Dr. Lerma Asks some important questions of interest to Cave Creek residents - Chiropractor Cave Creek Dr. Lerma Asks...

Would you rather feel good or be healthy?
Ask most people in Cave Creek and they want to feel good. Careful! Would you take medicine that makes you feel good, rather than vomit to expel improperly prepared food? Every chiropractic patient knows that you can't measure your health by how you feel. True health is when your body works as it should.
What causes subluxations?
Chiropractors acknowledge three types of stress: physical, chemical and emotional. When the adaptive capacity of your body is compromised, weakened areas along the spine can become involved. Muscles tighten, spinal joints lock up and nearby nerves are affected. The purpose of chiropractic care is to find these areas and restore balance, alignment and motion.