8. Protein, Fat and Carbohydrates.

Continued from my 7. Learning about Diabetes post .......

The most surprising thing I discovered was that I didn't have a clue what protein or carbohydrates really were. I also thought I knew what fat was but I soon discovered that my knowledge of it was as faulty as most other peoples.

I had to read the explanations about them (in my two books) several times over so that I could see how they worked, what their relationships were with each other and how they could affect my body and quality of life into the future.

Much of the public literature from both the American and British governments seems to be quite different from what the research and facts suggest is the reality of the situation.

By the beginning of February 2005, the following information had lodged itself in my mind and I was starting to get a feel for the whole diabetes subject.    Much of it, unfortunately, contradicted what I had been told by my NHS Diabetes support people or what was in the popular press.

PROTEIN.

Contains Essential Amino Acids.

• Protein is made up of some 20 different amino acids.
• Our body then uses these amino acids to produce or maintain our muscles, nerves, vital organs, hormones, enzymes and neurochemicals, all crucial components of our bodies.

FAT. (see # below)

Contains Essential Fatty Acids.

• Dietary fat provides the energy to keep the body functioning.
• Dietary fat alone does NOT make you fat!
• Without essential fatty acids, our bodies would cease to function!
• Much of our brain consists of fatty acids.
• Any excess fat is burned off naturally - it does NOT automatically turn into fat.

CARBOHYDRATES.

Contains nothing essential.

• You could survive without ANY carbohydrates in your food ever.
• If you eat too many carbohydrates along with dietary fat then this combination can make you fat!
• Carbohydrates are the culprit here - not the fat.
• Carbohydrate can make excessive glucose/sugar.
• If your insulin is not working correctly, this excess can be turned into fat!

VITAMINS / MINERALS.

Contains lots of really necessary things for our general wellbeing.   In addition, new ones are being discovered all the time.

SALT.

I haven't been able to decide where salt fits into the general scheme of things so have been quite careful in how I use it.

Having digested all of this information from the two books, I felt I had a much better understanding of my Diabetes Type 2 and how I should begin to control it rather than letting it control me.

# These two articles 1 and 2, from the 'Second-Opinions' website, are really interesting as they give totally opposite 'fat' viewpoints to that of the so-called norm - they are also far more credible!

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