Maintaining Healthy Blood Sugar Levels
By Dr. Brian McDonough, Medical Editor
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - We have dozens, actually hundreds of complex medical terms and sometimes they can get in the way of patients getting better. Here is an example: the glycemic index.
It is not as complex as it sounds. The index is a scale which measures the effect of carbohydrates on blood glucose levels. Studies have been done to look at this and they're finding what we've always suspected. Too many carbohydrates in the diet can increase the risk of people developing type 2, or adult onset, diabetes.
White bread, noodles, and white rice are three examples of food with a high glycemic index. A diet high in cereal fiber can help, as can substituting whole wheat bread for white bread.
It's becoming increasingly clear that it's important to reduce those high sugar options.
It doesn't have to be that complicated. In fact it makes all of the sense in the world.