Diabetes Handbook (Basic Basics)

Diabetes is now unfortunately a common health problem. About 1½ million people in the UK alone have been diagnosed as sufferers - that's about 3 in every 100 people. It is believed this figure may double in six years. There are estimates that as many as a further 1 million may have diabetes but have not been diagnosed. Of those diagnosed, about 95% are suffering from Type 2 diabetes, this is non-insulin dependent diabetes.

Those most at risk are the middle-aged and elderly but increasingly we are seeing diabetes affecting the young. One of the primary causes of Type 2 diabetes is being overweight but happily this form of diabetes is controlled simply by diet and exercise. So understanding nutrition and diet is essential to maintaining your health as a non-insulin dependent diabetes sufferer.

Fortunately these days there are no special foods recommended, you should quite simply follow the kind of healthy diet that everyone should be eating, namely at least five portions of food and vegetables everyday and cutting back on convenience foods which are high in fat, sugar and salt - all of which are particularly unsuitable for those with diabetes.

Jane Frank specializes in cooking.