Know Your Carbohydrates – Dr. Rob America’s Fitness Doctor® – Diabetes Awareness Month

Here are just a few of the recent statistics on diabetes:

• Nearly 26 million children and adults in the United States have diabetes.

• Another 79 million Americans have pre-diabetes and are at risk for developing type 2 diabetes.

• The American Diabetes Association estimates that the total national cost of diagnosed diabetes in the United States is $174 billion.

• Recent estimates project that as many as 1 in 3 American adults will have diabetes in 2050 unless we take steps to Stop Diabetes.

• Two out of three people with diabetes die from heart disease or stroke. Diabetes is the leading cause of kidney failure.

• Diabetes is the leading cause of new cases of blindness among adults.

• The rate of amputation for people with diabetes is 10 times higher than for people without diabetes.

• About 60-70 percent of people with diabetes have mild to severe forms of nerve damage that could result in pain in the feet or hands, slowed digestion, sexual dysfunction and other nerve problems.

So What Can You Do to Protect Yourself?

1. Eat more healthful foods more often

• Only 26% of Americans eat the recommended 3 or more servings of vegetables
• Only 32% of Americans eat the recommended 2 or more servings of fruit

2. Drink plenty of water

• Drink at least 8-10 glasses of water daily

3. Exercise Daily

• weight training 20-25 minutes 6 days per week reduces your risk for type 2 diabetes by 34%
• moderately intense walking 20-25 minutes 6 days per week reduces your risk for type 2 diabetes by 52%
• combining weight training and moderately intense walking 20-25 minutes 6 days per week reduces your risk for type 2 diabetes by 59%

4. Eliminate Processed Food like Substances

• eat foods that come from the earth and not man made food like substances

5. Visit your Doctor Annually

• have your annual physical and laboratory screening 
• maintain a healthy weight

And Know Your Carbohydrates!

Man Made Processed Carbohydrates – ELIMINATE THESE!

• Cakes
• Cookies
• Candies
• Chips
• Crackers
• Bagels
• Pretzels
• Pizza
• White Bread
• Flour
• Sugar
• Syrup

After consuming refined carbohydrates, there is a large blood glucose surge. This leads to high levels of insulin, high levels of fat in the blood stream, and increased production of fat. Frequently eating refined carbohydrates decreases the body’s response to insulin and the body’s tissues become resistant to the positive effects of insulin. This results in the body requiring more and more insulin to control the consistently high blood sugar levels.  Exactly what we do not want for our health.

Starchy Carbohydrates – Premium Fuel  – LIMIT THESE!

• Pasta
• Potatoes  (red, white, sweet)
• Breads
• Rice  (white, brown, jasmine, basmati)

Benefits of Starchy Carbohydrates                                                                                                                                                             

These starchy carbs are a great source of energy if you’re going to exercise them off but all have a tendency to cause a higher and rapid rise in blood sugar and if you are trying to control your blood sugar limiting these to no more than one cup is a great idea.

A great alternative to these are Quinoa, Black beans, Kidney beans, Navy beans Aduzki Beans!

Fruit Carbohydrates – Nature’s Sugar – CHOOSE CAREFULLY!

In my opinion all fruit is healthful.  However, some fruit like the tropical fruits are much higher in sugar content, as are any fruit that has been juiced or dried.  Which means they will raise your blood sugar levels rapidly and to higher levels.

Low Sugar Fruits – Dr. Rob’s Winners!

• Apples
• Blueberries
• Strawberries
• Blackberries
• Raspberries
• Cherries
• Lemons
• Limes
• Plums

High Sugar Fruits – Healthful – Best Consumed Early in the Day

Tropical Fruits like:

• Bananas
• Oranges
• Pineapple
• Mango
• Kiwi
• Tangerines
• Peaches

All dried fruits a high in concentrated sugars!

Benefits of Fruit

There is numerous benefits to fruit and one is the fiber content of fruit may be helpful in limiting the effect that fruit sugar has on your blood sugar levels. Eating fiber with a food lowers its glycemic effect. A high glycemic index means a spike in blood sugar, while a low-glycemic index food results in a moderate rise over a prolonged period of time. Fiber slows the digestion of foods and also blocks the absorption of sugars all at once. These combined factors result in a moderate rise in blood sugar over a longer period of time.  Fruit also offers an abundance of vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients so I would recommend eating fruit as a part of the first couple of meals every day.  Fruit contains the sugar, Fructose,  and fructose loves to hang out in the blood stream for long periods of time if it is not used for energy.  Eating fruit at night of before you go to bed is not a great idea if you are trying to lose weight or control your blood sugar.

Vegetable Carbohydrates – Natures Cleanser – HAVE WHAT YOU LIKE!

Asparagus

Broccoli

Brussels Sprout

Cauliflower

Cabbage

Celery

Cucumber

Garlic

Kale

Leeks

Lettuce – All Varieties

Mushrooms

Peppers – All Varieties

Spinach

Shallots

Tomatoes

Zucchini

Vegetables that are higher in sugar but are still healthful!

Beets

Carrots

Peas

Potatoes

Squash

Benefits of Vegetables

• Most vegetables are naturally low in fat and calories.
• Vegetables are important sources of many nutrients, vitamins, minerals, and fiber
• Dietary fiber from vegetables helps to maintain a healthy blood pressure, reduce blood cholesterol levels, ensure proper bowel function, and lowers risk for heart disease.
• Diets with adequate amounts of vegetables encourage weight loss and help to maintain a healthy weight.
• Diets rich in fiber also help to reduce the risk of obesity, heart disease, strokes, and diabetes.

When you combine the healthy effects of a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, and water with regular meaningful exercise you help your body actively use the sugar in the blood stream and stored in your body.  This helps keep your body sensitive to the positive effects of insulin and gives you the best chance of preventing insulin resistant diabetes.

For the Alpha Males & Alpha Females:

As a physician that specializes in male hormone optimization, I have witnessed first hand the true power of healthful living and the intelligent optimization of male hormones and the profound effects on individual patients lives. And I am grateful for my mentors Dr. Jeffry Life and Dr. Jeffrey Leake who have through their passionate pursuit of empowering male health and fitness have inspired me to seek where our next  true potential lies.  This is truly an exciting time for men’s health and fitness.

Do you have Low Testosterone? Take our short Low-T Quiz to find out now.

“Fitness is the Footprint of Life.  Follow It!”

Dr. Rob Kominiarek,  America’s Fitness Doctor®