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My practice motto has been "we help you live a longer, healthier life..." I’ve been in private practice 35 years, and in the last 25 years have placed great, and ever increasing, emphasis on prevention. I practice preventive care by first identifying health risk factors (the factors which predispose you to disease) and then developing the best strategy to minimize or eliminate these risks. Special diagnosis and treatment tracks in my office include asthma, COPD, high cholesterol and obesity, and diabetes.I now place special emphasis on the provision of truly affordable health care to all, including patients with HSA's, high co-pays, and high deductibles.

Tuesday, November 12, 2013

Low Glycemic Index Foods – Why Bother?


After a meal blood sugar levels usually rise. To keep the blood sugar in check, insulin levels rise, and then return to normal, in order to bring blood sugar levels back to normal.. There are many reasons to keep both blood sugar and insulin levels within acceptable limits, but most important are the control of diabetes, cholesterol, and weight.

Keeping you sugar under control helps curb appetite- that’s how it helps you lose weight.
The foods that raise your blood sugar the most, the culprits, are “simple carbohydrates” (or simple carb’s): Sugar, high fructose corn syrup, and highly processed wheat products (mainly white flour).

The “good carbohydrates” are complex carbohydrates such as whole wheat products and a host of vegetables, legumes and some fruits (don’t forget the grapefruit, the season is approaching…).

The Glycemic Index (GI)is a measure of the blood sugar rise after a test amount of a given food is ingested. The Glycemic Load (GL) is a measure of the sugar level rise after a regular portion size amount of the same food is ingested.  The lower the numbers, the better the food.

You can find many GI and GL tables on the internet. A reliable source is the one by Berkeley Labs. Use it.


Any question? You know where I am.


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