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What is the Glycemic Index?
is explained completely in the following slideshow. It only takes a couple of minutes to zip through and you will have a better understanding how it all works!
The glycemic index or GI explains that not all carbohydrate foods are created equal, in fact they behave quite differently in our bodies. This difference ranks carbohydrates according to their effect on our blood glucose levels. Choosing low GI carbs- the ones that produce only small fluctuations in our blood glucose and insulin levels - is the secret to long-term health reducing your risk of heart disease and diabetes and is the key to sustainable weight loss. There are two major hormones, which are primarily involved in controlling blood sugars. Insulin lowers blood sugar and is essentially our "storage hormone" as it drives sugar into the cell to be utilized or stored as fat. Glucagon is the opposite hormone of insulin and essentially takes stored fat and changes it to sugar as a means of increasing blood sugar levels. Amazing findings are being revealed about what takes place in our bodies when we eat what is now referred to as a high glycemic meal. We now know why so many Americans and people who live in industrialized countries are becoming overweight, diabetic, and having heart attacks. Many researchers now propose the use of the glycemic index— the rate of how fast blood sugar levels are raised after a particular carbohydrate is consumed — as a system for classifying foods containing carbohydrates. The glycemic index concept was thoroughly reviewed in a major article, which appeared in the May 8, 2002 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association titled, "The Glycemic Index", written by David Ludwig, M. D. This article draws heavily on Ludwig’s findings. Following a high glycemic meal the blood glucose level quickly rises, which initially causes the beta cells of the pancreas to secrete insulin. Insulin drives the glucose into the cell to either be utilized or stored as glycogen or fat. The blood sugar will then usually drop precipitously and can actually get too low (drop below the fasting blood sugar level). This is called "functional hypoglycemia." The regulatory responses of the body will then kick into action, leading to the release of our stress hormones such as adrenaline and cortiso, in an attempt to counteract the actions of these high levels of insulin, that cause the blood sugars to rise again.
We have all experienced a time in our life when we have not followed the glycemic index of foods. A few hours after we have eaten a high glycemic meal or snack , we can get shaky and feel weak and sometimes hardly think. Our appetite increases, and even after our blood sugars are back to a normal range, we still feel like we must eat something. In fact, we tend to crave high-glycemic index foods and the cycle starts all over again. On the other hand, when a low-glycemic index meal is eaten, none of this happens. The blood sugar will rise slowly and there will be a nice balance of insulin and glucagon. The blood sugar stays in a normal range and we are able to focus more easily, as well as concentrate on the task at hand. Because no rebound of low blood sugars takes place, you do not stimulate the release of stress hormones and your appetite is normal.
For too long we’ve underestimated not only the power of food, but the delicate balance that must be kept in order to keep our hormone systems running smoothly. Researchers are finally realizing the health dangers of high-glycemic carbohydrates and the undeniable dangers of insulin resistance. It is time for us to put this knowledge into action. Contrary to popular American diets, fat is not the enemy but instead it is high glycemic carbohydrates. You need to combine low glycemic and medium glycemic carbohydrates with good fat and good proteins. You need to eat for hormonal control, not calorie control. You need to combine these good foods in each and every meal or snack with the focus on not spiking the blood sugar. By avoiding white bread, white flour, cereals, pasta, rice, and potatoes along with all other highly refined starches and processed foods and replacing them with whole grain breads (contains the entire grain), whole grain pasta, whole grain rice, red potatoes (these are lower glycemic), and whole fruits, vegetables, and legumes you will be making great strides toward balancing your blood sugar levels.
What about the need to lose weight? The goal is to eat for hormonal control (not spiking the sugar)—not calorie control. When you are hungry, simply eat another meal or snack that does not spike your blood sugar. Ideally you will eat 5 - 6 small meals a day. You will quickly get out of any carbohydrate addiction or cravings and be freed up to eat healthy, delicious food. When the healthy eating habits are combined with a modest exercise program and pharmaceutical grade nutritional supplements, you will experience weight loss.
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