Action:

• Increase uptake of glucose from the blood (taken with meal or after meal)
• Reducing glucose production by liver
• Mild appetite suppressant

Side effects:

• Nausea
• Diarrhoea
• Upset stomach
• Metallic taste in mouth

Action:

• Stimulate pancreas to release insulin and lower blood glucose levels

Side effects:

• Weight gain
• Skin rashes
• Gastric upsets
• Jaundice

Action:

• Slow down digestion of carbohydrates (taken just before meal)

Side effects:

• Flatulence
• Bloating
• Diarrhoea

Action:

• Increase effect of insulin (taken any time; slow onset, may take 1 to 2 months)

Side effects:

• Weight gain
• Fluid retention

Action:

• Stimulate pancreas to release insulin (taken before meal)

Side effects:

• Blurred vision
• Gastrointestinal upset
• Constipation
• Diarrhoea
• Nausea

Action:

• Slows stomach emptying (injectable 1 hour before morning or evening meals; may be used with metformin, sulfonylurea, TZDs)
• Slow down release of glucose from the liver
• Increase insulin release

Side effects:

• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Diarrhoea
• Dizziness
• Headache
• Feeling jittery
• Acid stomach

Action:

• Slows down release of glucose from liver (taken orally any time; may be prescribed with sulfohylureas)
• Increase insulin released

Side effects:

• Respiratory tract infection
• Stuffy or runny nose
• Sore throat
• Headache

Always use your medications as directed.  If you miss a dose or accidentally take two doses, monitor your blood sugar level closely.  These medications are rarely prescribed for pregnant women with gestational diabetes.  Insulin treatment is recommended when these medications cease to be effective.

If you have any 2 of the following risk factors, you are at risk of developing metabolic syndrome:
1. central obesity (waist > 94cm for white males, > 80cm for white females)
2. high blood pressure
3. high cholesterol / lipids
4. high blood sugar
5. non-alcoholic fatty liver disease

High blood sugar levels in our body are correlated with insulin levels. When one factor rises sharply, the other spikes to help normalise blood sugar levels. These insulin spikes are associated with insulin resistance. One very effective way of preventing insulin spikes is to choose a low glycaemic index diet.

You may ask what is glycaemic index?  It is a way of grading carbohydrate foods depending on how fast they get digested. A number is assigned to each individual food item based on their ‘sugar potency’.
1. Low GI foods have GI <55
2. Intermediate GI foods have GI between 55 and 70
3. High GI foods have GI > 70

Research on glycaemic index has shown that by choosing fibre-rich low GI foods at every meal, we can reduce our blood glucose levels quite effectively and enhance insulin sensitivity.  This helps stall the progress of metabolic syndrome and enhance weight loss. Please note that not all low GI foods are suitable for regular consumption as many high fat, high sugar foods like chocolates, ice-cream and toasted muesli are inappropriate for weight loss and reducing insulin resistance.

I have compiled a list of common low GI foods below for your reference. Try to include at least two items at each main meal:

Please note that low GI does not mean license to over-dose.  It is best to aim for 45-50g of carbohydrate at each main meal and not more.  Too much carbohydrates and kilojoules will increase body weight and sabotage your weight loss endeavours.

Do you have any questions or comments?  If you do, I would love to hear from you.

Australians are among the fattest people in the world. This has caused a host of chronic diseases to develop. A cluster of some of the above-mentioned conditions is commonly called metabolic syndrome. It is often said that obesity is harder to cure than cancer! For over 10 years, it has been known that obesity is directly associated with inflammation.

More and more experts are seeing body weight or fat as potential ‘markers’ of other health problems, like cancer, heart disease and diabetes. Low grade form of inflammation commonly called metaflammation seems to result from certain lifestyle behaviours. Some of these behaviours are responsible for making us fat.

Certain food choices and lack of activity are now known to contribute notoriously to ‘metaflammation’. According to studies, merely changing or reducing weight without adopting all aspects of lifestyle changes aimed at reducing inflammation are doomed to fail in the long run. To achieve better overall health outcomes, all aspects of lifestyle that contribute to reducing inflammation should be adopted.
Sleep is a factor that is largely neglected in our modern society. We now know that less than 7 hours sleep a day has been shown to raise inflammatory makers. This is related to psychological stress which has been known to cause pro-inflammatory responses. Chronic stress causes a chronic rise in stress-related hormones like cortisol and the concurrent reduction in the ‘feel-good’ hormones – endorphins. Chronic stress and depression are directly associated with metaflammation. Metaflammation leads to numerous disease states as a result of insulin resistance! In other words, science has shown that you can sleep yourself and relax yourself slim! Wow, how awesome is that? If you did nothing else but get good quality sleep and adopt deep relaxation, you could be a few kilograms lighter than you are now! How is that for good news?

Hence the winning formula for keeping trim involves a complete lifestyle overhaul combining:
1. Good sleep
2. Stress management (so you have little or no stress in your life)
3. Plenty of exercise – take every opportunity to move!
4. Good solid ‘anti-inflammatory’ diet filled with back-to-basics ‘earth foods’
5. No smoking

All of these health-enhancing factors have not changed since the time of Hippocrates. How remarkable is that? These 5 simple factors make up the entire prevention armoury. They say the more things change the more they stay the same, this must be one of those things!