According to statistics, mortality linked to diabetes constitutes 75 percent of the deaths among UAE nationals and 31 percent among non-nationals. The change to a Western style diet of highly processed packaged junk food over the last 15 years has affected the health of many countries, not only the Middle East, and it is now affecting people in India and China. The health problems are caused by the diet changing so quickly from a healthy local diet of fish, rice, local lamb, goat, salad, yoghurt and dates to a highly processed Western style diet high in sugar, fat and salt.

Diet-related diseases now kill more people in the Western world than infectious diseases. The Gulf is not alone in dealing with this problem. In the UK, rates of diabetes have soared as the population does less physical work and relies on fast convenience food. The UK is now the second fattest country in the Western world behind the US. Almost 70 percent of deaths in UK and the US are diet and lifestyle related. If we do not take care now, we will see a difference to the health of our children and grandchildren in the next 20 years caused by poor diet choices now!
 

Doctors agree that the key to prevention of type II diabetes, even in those with predisposing genes, is to maintain a normal body weight and to exercise regularly. The organization Diabetes UK claims that soaring rates of type II diabetes are strongly linked to the country’s expanding waistline. The International Diabetes Federation (IDF) has stated that, up to 80 percent of type II diabetes is preventable by adopting a healthy diet and increasing physical activity.

Doctors at the Food Hospital UK have found that people who have type II diabetes caused by obesity can in some cases cause the diabetes to go into remission by losing weight.

The good news is that we can turn back the clock and we can decide to make a difference now to our health by eating simpler, healthy homemade food and by making time for exercise.

The food industry has conditioned us to buy what they want us to eat, but we have the power to change that. If we do not buy salty snacks, sweets and highly packaged ready-made food, the food industry will have to change and sell the simple healthy food that we want.
 

• Heart disease

• Poor circulation/amputation of toes

• Stroke/dementia

• Tingling and numbness in feet and sometimes in hands

• Poor healing of cuts in hands and toes

• Incontinence of urine, impotence

• Eye disease, a key cause of blindness

• Kidney disease

• Increased risk for infections
 

• Decide that you want to eat simple food containing fresh, good quality ingredients.

• Make time to cook simple healthy meals and include traditional and cultural meals.

• Make time for exercise in your daily routine: it is not a luxury; it is a necessity like brushing your teeth.

• Don’t go on strict diets that shock the body: go for gradual change that the body accepts.

• Make sure your main drink of the day is water: anything else is a treat.

• Try and buy local food and remember your cultural food.

• For a free copy of my healthy eating plan, email me at: [email protected].

• If you are overweight, see your doctor for a diabetes test.
 
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Pre-diabetes means your blood glucose is higher than normal but lower than the diabetes range. It also means you are at risk of getting type II diabetes and heart disease. There is good news though: You can reduce the risk of getting diabetes and even return to normal blood glucose levels with modest weight loss and moderate physical activity. If you are told you have pre-diabetes, have your blood glucose checked again in one to two years. For a daily healthy tip follow me on Twitter “@AlvaCarpenter.”