Type 2 diabetes is a chronic condition characterised by unstable blood sugar levels. Blood sugar – the main type of sugar you get from eating food – supplies the body with energy but having too much blood sugar can have devastating consequences. People with type 2 diabetes are more prone to high blood sugar levels because their insulin production is impaired. The result is often a slew of peculiar bodily changes.
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If high blood sugar levels are inflicting damage on your body, it is vital that you bring them down to a healthy range.
There are two key components to blood sugar control – diet and exercise.
There’s technically nothing you cannot eat if you have type 2 diabetes, but you’ll have to limit certain foods.
The worst culprits are particular types of carbohydrates because certain carbs are broken down into glucose (blood sugar) faster than other food groups.
High GI foods include:
- Sugar and sugary foods
- Sugary soft drinks
- White bread
- Potatoes
- White rice.
Low or medium GI foods are broken down more slowly and cause a gradual rise in blood sugar levels over time.
They include:
- Some fruit and vegetables
- Pulses
- Wholegrain foods, such as porridge oats.
The optimal amount of exercise
According to the NHS, you should aim for 2.5 hours of activity a week to keep blood sugar levels stable.
“You can be active anywhere as long as what you’re doing gets you out of breath,” it says.