Glycemic Index

What is the Glycaemic Index?

The Glycaemic Index is the rate at which carbohydrate is broken down. Not all carbohydrate foods are created equal, in fact they behave quite differently in our bodies. Previously, Carbohydrates were classified as either simple or complex. Current research indicates that it is more complex, and a new classification system was needed. The Glycaemic Index (GI) is the new classification system for carbohydrates that ranks carbohydrates on a scale from 0 to 100 according to the extent to which they raise blood sugar levels after eating.

High and low GI

Foods with a high GI are easily digested and cause a rapid rise in blood sugar levels. This is followed by a compensatory fall in blood sugar levels.

Low-GI foods are broken down slowly and keep blood sugar levels more constant.

Carbohydrates with low GI

Generally the more highly processed a carbohydrate food is, the higher the GI value.  Therefore, foods which have not been processed to a great extent will typically have a low GI.  The following table shows those carbohydrate foods which have a low, moderate, and high GI. You should aim to include at least one low GI food at every meal.

What is the significance of the Glycaemic Index?

Low GI

· Stabilises blood sugar and insulin levels

· Improve diabetes control by improving both glucose and lipid levels

· Helps weight control: low GI foods make you feel fuller for longer giving you a sustained energy release. Low GI control appetite and hunger.

· Healthier: Low GI foods tend to be less processed and contain a higher fibre content

· Helps control blood pressure and cholesterol

High GI

· Important to help re-fuel carbohydrate stores after exercise and for a quick energy fix.

 

Eating Positive with GI

Losing weight is an extremely challenging task.  We all know the general principles – low fat foods, portion control and moderation.  But did you know how the “Glycaemic Index” can help with your quest for weight control?

When the goal of your eating plan is weight control or weight loss, low GI foods have been shown to have many benefits.  The advantage of choosing low GI foods over high GI foods is that they have a slower digestion time and provide a more gradual and sustained rise in blood glucose levels.  This translates into a reduced feeling of hunger and keeps you satisfied for longer.  This is particularly important because it assists you in reducing your volume of food intake and cravings for the foods that are higher in GI that we often turn to for a quick fix.

It may be surprising to note that a number of higher fat, less nutritious foods such as chocolate are classified as low GI.  So don’t be fooled – the Glycaemic Index is a fantastic tool to help guide your food choices but remember to always consider general healthy eating principles first.

Ideas for eating the low GI way:

For more information

Wesley Corporate Health

Level 2, 46 Edward Street

Brisbane QLD 4000

Phone: 07 3234 2600

Email: info@weshealth.com.au

Website: www.weshealth.com.au

Contact Diabetes Australia 1300 136 588
Website: www.glycemicindex.com

- “The GI Factor”, Dr J Miller, K Foster-Powell, Dr S Colagiuri, Dr A Leeds, Hodder & Stoughton, 1998

- “The Glucose Revolution– GI Plus”, Dr J Brand-Miller & K Foster-Powell, Hodder & Stoughton, 2000

Disclaimer

This Fact Sheet is provided for your information only and does not replace qualified medical advice. A medical practitioner should be consulted for all treatment and medication.

Healthy Shortcuts

Time Savers

· Use frozen and canned fruits and vegetables. They reduce preparation time and their nutritional value is similar to their fresh counterparts, with the exception of added salt and/or sugar. Prepared salad and vegetable mixes e.g. Stir Fry Mix are also readily available and only require the addition of sauce or dressing.

· Use fresh pasta or couscous as these require much less cooking time than dried pasta and rice.

· Make use of stir through pasta, chicken and curry sauces (choose low fat varieties).

· Use canned fish e.g. salmon and tuna. These can be added to pastas, bakes and salads. They don’t require any additional cooking and are high in healthy oils.

· Buy pre-trimmed and sliced meat and chicken. Healthy Choice and Lean Cuisine Meals are great for 1 or 2 people.

· Cook extra when you do cook, and freeze the left-over for another night.

· Invest in good cooking tools - sharp knives will help decrease preparation time and injury.

Quick Cooking

· Make the most out of your microwave. Microwave meals can be quick and appetising and there are many microwave recipe books available. Alternatively, partially cook food such as vegetables to shorten the baking time.

· Stir fry is a quick and low fat cooking method. Try using different sauces such as soy, fish or oyster for an Asian flare. Use herbs (fresh and dried) and spices such as garlic, ginger, coriander and lemongrass. Curry spices and low fat yoghurt are a great low calorie alternative to curry sauces/pastes. There are lots of different ideas on the internet.

· BBQ’s are a great way to cook a lot of food at once. Aside from the traditional steak and sausages, you can cook grilled vegetables, kebabs, foil wrapped fish, chicken and even desserts likes pancakes!

· Make your own pizzas using lavish breads, tomato paste and toppings of your choice, they take 5 - 10mins in the oven and are fun for the kids to help with preparation!

Keep it frozen

Make large meals on the weekend and freeze leftovers for lunch or dinner during the week. Some foods and meals that freeze well include:

· Lasagne

· Pasta sauces

· Boiled rice

· Soups

· Curries and meat loaves

· Breads, muffins, cakes

· Biscuit doughs

· Cooked fruits and vegetables e.g. (stewed apple, mashed potato).

For more information see the National Centre for Home Food Preservation website at: www.uga.edu/nchfp

Leftover Makeovers

If you don’t want to freeze your leftovers or the thought of the same meal the next day gets you down try these leftover makeovers:

· Add diced leftover meat and vegetables to a bottle of pasta sauce, heat through and serve with pasta.

· Use for great lunch time jaffles.

· Dice cooked meats and vegetables and spread on top of a pita bread with tomato paste, herbs and cheese for tasty mini pizzas.

· Leftover mashed potato can be mixed with a can of tuna/salmon and a little seasoning then cook in a Teflon pan or with a spray of oil to make quick fish cakes.

· Leftover meats are great for quick curries, stroganoff or casseroles.

N.B. Unfrozen leftovers more than 3 days old should be thrown away.

For more information

Wesley Corporate Health

Level 2 / 46 Edward Street

Brisbane  Qld  4000

Phone:  07 3234 2600

Email: info@weshealth.com.au

For more information on modifying recipes and other useful tips visit http://www.dietclub.com.au/

Disclaimer

This Fact Sheet is provided for your information only and does not replace qualified medical advice. The information provided may not apply to every person or all situations. A medical practitioner should be consulted for all treatment and medication.

Heart Conditions

What are heart conditions?

Diseases of the heart and blood vessels, including heart attack and stroke causes the most deaths in Australia claiming a life every 10 minutes. Heart attack is the single biggest killer of both men and women under the age of 70.  

Common heart conditions

Myocardial Infarction (Heart Attack)

Myocardial infarction (MI) is when a portion of cardiac muscle is necrosed (dead). This can be caused by an obstruction in the coronary artery from either arterioscleroses or embolus.

Atherosclerosis

A blockage in a vessel caused by the build-up of plaque (deposits of fat-like substance).

Arteriosclerosis

Hardening of the arteries caused by blockages in blood vessels caused by the plaque.

Embolus

This refers to a foreign object, a quantity of air or gas, a bit of tissue or tumor, or a piece of thrombus (blood clot) that circulates in the blood stream until it becomes lodged in a vessel as a clot.

Coronary Thrombosis (coronary occlusion)

This condition occurs when a clot causes a blockage in a coronary artery, often causing a myocardial infarction and/or death.

Cardiac Arrhythmia

This is an abnormal cardiac rate or rhythm. Arrhythmias include bradycardia (slow rhythm), tachycardia (fast rhythm) and heart block.

Ischemic Heart Disease

Ischemic heart disease includes heart attack and related heart problems caused by narrowing of the coronary arteries causing a decreased supply of blood and oxygen to the heart. It is also known as coronary artery disease and coronary heart disease. 

Congestive heart failure is a condition in which the heart can’t pump enough blood to meet the needs of the body’s other organs. This can result from:

-    narrowed arteries that supply blood to the heart muscle—coronary artery disease;

-   scar tissue from a past heart attack or MI, which interferes with the heart muscle’s normal  work;

-    high blood pressure or hypertension;

-    heart valve disease due to past rheumatic fever or other causes;

-    primary disease of the heart muscle itself, called cardiomyopathy;

-    congenital heart disease or defects in the heart  present at birth;

-    infection of the heart valves/heart muscle itself—endocarditis/myocarditis.

The "failing" heart keeps working but doesn’t work as efficiently as it should. People with heart failure can’t exert themselves because they become short of breath and tired.

As blood flow out of the heart slows, blood returning to the heart through the veins backs up, causing congestion in the tissues. Often swelling (oedema) results, often in the legs and ankles and occasionally in other parts of the body. Sometimes fluid collects in the lungs and interferes with breathing, causing shortness of breath, especially when a person is lying down.

Heart failure also affects the ability of the kidneys to dispose of sodium and water. The retained water increases the oedema.

Angina Pectoris

Angina pectoris is chest pain due to coronary heart disease. The heart muscle doesn’t receive enough blood, resulting in pain in the chest.

Angina is a symptom of a condition called myocardial ischemia. It occurs when the heart muscle (myocardium) doesn’t get as much blood (hence as much oxygen) as it needs for a given level of work. Insufficient blood supply is called ischemia.

Cerebral Vascular Accident (CVA, Stroke)

CVA is when a blood vessel supplying part of the brain is blocked or leaks. This results in an impaired blood supply to, and ischemia in, part of the brain.

Cerebral Embolism

This is a small mass of material circulating in the blood vessels.  It can consist of air, fat or other material.  Damage from cerebral embolism is often less extensive and recovery is more rapid than in strokes resulting from thrombosis and cerebral haemorrhage.

Cerebral Thrombosis

A thrombus, or clot, in a blood vessel of the brain is by far the most common cause of stroke.  The thrombosis produces ischemia, oedema and congestion of the brain tissues surrounding the area.  Symptoms appear more gradually in this type of stroke.

Cerebral Haemorrhage

Cerebral haemorrhage is a rupturing of a blood vessel, usually an artery, within the brain.  The haemorrhage is often associated with pre-existing hypertension.

Hypertension

Hypertension is persistently high blood pressure.  In adults this is when the systolic pressure is equal to or greater than 130 mm Hg and the diastolic is equal to or greater than 85 mm Hg. Systolic blood pressure is the pressure inside the blood vessels when the heart pumps blood out through the body. Diastolic blood pressure is the pressure inside the blood vessels in between heartbeats, when the heart is resting. Hypertension is not a single disease but rather a major indicator of the prognosis for future development of cardiovascular, cerebrovascular and renal disease.

References

American Heart Association :http://www.americanheart.org/ 

High Blood Pressure, Pharmaceutical Society of Australia, August 1997

Mosby’s Medical Nursing and Allied Health Dictionary, Mosby, 5^th Ed, 1998