The Glycemic Index Diet for Dummies (24 page)

If you have some symptoms of insulin resistance but come up negative for it when tested, you may still benefit from following a low-glycemic diet. Perhaps you simply experience food cravings and hunger. Getting your blood sugar under control and eating the right balance of foods at the appropriate times can help you control those cravings. There's also good support that a low-glycemic diet helps with hunger throughout the day (see Chapter 3 to find out what I mean). That's all good news for you, my friend!

How a low-glycemic lifest
yle can help

If you have insulin resistance, don't fret. Help is here! Simply start choosing low-glycemic foods. They have a smaller impact on your blood sugar levels, which means your body has to produce less insulin to process them. Aside from lower blood sugar levels and decreased insulin requirements, opting for low-glycemic foods can help you feel fuller after eating, reduce your food cravings, and lose weight. Put all that together, and it adds up to improved overall health.

Here are a few basic pointers for using a low-glycemic diet to counteract insulin resistance:

Select only low-glycemic foods.
These foods require much less insulin to process the sugar in the blood, allowing your pancreas (the organ that makes insulin) to catch its breath, so to speak.

Watch portion sizes.
Just because a food is low-glycemic doesn't mean you can eat it in large amounts. Doing that can lead to a high glycemic load, meaning that large amounts of insulin would be required to combat the rising blood sugars (not to mention the additional calories).

Balance your meals.
Lean protein sources and healthy fats help round out a meal and can slow your body's rate of digestion and absorption of food. (Chapter 9 has specific tips on creating balance.)

Many people battling insulin resistance are also dealing with other health conditions. It may be wise to seek out a local health professional for more personal advice based on your specific health profile.

Considering a Low-
Glycemic Diet if You Have Kids or Are Pregnant

You may want to begin a low-glycemic lifestyle, but is that lifestyle appropriate for other members of your family? The answer is a resounding yes. A low-glycemic lifestyle benefits everyone, including children and pregnant women, as you discover in the following sections.

Helping kids have a healthy
relationship with food

Childhood obesity is on the rise, and with that comes a risk of diabetes and heart disease at an incredibly young age. Children are more sedentary these days, and food choices and portion sizes have changed to big and bigger over the years, ultimately leading to weight gain. Diet programs for children are tricky, though, because you don't want them to be part of the statistics of those who lose and gain over and over again. You also have to consider kids' ages and their ability to deal with self-esteem issues regarding body image.

A low-glycemic diet can be a good solution for parents looking to help their children with weight loss. Here's why:

It promotes a healthy long-term relationship with food.

It doesn't restrict kids' calorie levels too much or limit their carbohydrate levels while they're growing and active.

Low-glycemic foods can be used in moderation so children can feel like they're living a normal life and not like they're being put on a "diet."

There's no need for kids to eat "diet" foods that may make them feel uncomfortable around others their age.

It can lower children's risk for diabetes and heart disease.