2019-06-01_Healthy_Food_Guide_UK_(2)

20 HEALTHY FOOD GUIDE JUNE 2019

THISISTHEMOSTCOMMONTYPE.It’s

caused by the body either not producing

enough insulin to control blood glucose

levels or the insulin produced no longer

being effective. According to latest

figures, 809,119 people were diagnosed

with diabetes last year in the UK – more

than 90% of them type 2. Another one

million are thought to be unaware they

have the condition.

WHO’S AT RISK? ‘Being overweight

or obese is the most potent risk factor

for type 2 diabetes, although not

everyone who develops it is

overweight,’ says Libby Dowling,

clinical adviser at the charity Diabetes

UK. ‘Other risk factors include your

increasing age, family history and

ethnicity – read more on p98. Central

obesity (the measurement of the widest

circumference of your abdomen, not

necessarily your waist) is another risk

factor (see Wake-up Call 1).

SYMPTOMS ‘These can include

feeling thirsty or excessively tired,

havingblurredvision tsand

grazestakinga lon al,

andpassingurine

saysLibby.

‘Unfortunatel

symptomsare

andeasytoe

especiallyif

busyatwo

type2 di

isn’tpic

untilso

hasa

chec

OEATAMEDITERRANEAN-STYLE

DIET low in saturated fats, salt and

sugar, with lots of fruit and vegetables,

nuts, wholegrains and seeds. Include

lean protein such as fish, and plant

proteins such as pulses.

OADD MORE FIBRE-RICH FOODS,

such as oats/porridge, as these can

help lower your cholesterol. Include

regular 30g servings of nuts as well

as cholesterol-lowering spreads and

yogurts if your levels are high.

OCUT BACK ON SALT – the

maximum recommended intake is 6g,

but most of us eat far more than this.

OGet more info from the British

Heart Foundation at bhf.org.

operationis needed.Nitratesprayscan

alsodilatebloodvesselsif yousuffer

fromanginaonexertion.Oftenthere

arenowarningsigns,however,anda

heartattackis thefirstevent.

HOWTOPROTECTYOURSELF

‘Ifyou’reover40,bookanNHSHealth

Checktoassessyourriskofheart

disease,dementiaandkidneydisease,’

advisesJuneDavison,seniorcardiac

nursewiththeBritishHeartFoundation.

‘Yourbloodpressure,cholesterol,

weightandotherriskfactorswill

becheckedandyou’llbegivena

percentageriskfactorforhavinga heart

attackorstrokeinthenext 10 years.

‘If theriskfactoris morethan10%,

you’llbegivendietandlifestyleadvice

toreduceyourrisk.Thisincludeslosing

weightif necessary,eatinga dietlowin

saturatedfat,taking 150 minutesof

exercisea week,givingupsmoking,

moderatingalcoholintakeandmanaging

stresslevels.‘Insomecases,you’llalso

needstatinstoloweryourcholesterol

levels,orbloodpressurepills.’

^AnNHSHealthCheckwill

assessyourriskofheartdisease

_

’

GET CHECKED

FOR TYPE 2

DIABETES

Wake-up

QOÍ

2

EATING FOR

A HEALTHY

HEART