I am a 33-years-old female and 6 months ago I was diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes. I follow my diet and exercise instructions as given by my diabetologist. My blood sugar levels are within range and as per my test results done last week my HbA1c was 6 per cent.However, sometimes I have sweet cravings. One of my friends suggested having a small piece of dark chocolate to satisfy my craving. Can I have dark chocolate; will it affect my sugar control?Dark chocolate contains more of cocoa (70-80 per cent) and less of sugar. Researchers in Nutrition say that it has many health benefits such as:e It contains phenylethylamine (PEA) which increases release of endorphins, so eating dark chocolate will make you feel happier.e It contains flavonoids, which help reduce insulin resistance. Dark chocolate also has a low glycaemic index, implying that it not only prevents huge spikes in blood sugar levels but also aids in controlling blood sugar levels.e It is rich in antioxidants and helps free your body of free radicals, which are responsible for oxidative damage to cells. Moreover, dark chocolate can protect you from cancer and slow the signs of ageing.e It contains theobromine, which is shown to harden tooth enamel. The polyphenols and theobromine in dark chocolate help lower LDL (bad) cholesterol levels in the blood and increase HDL (good) cholesterol levels in the body.e It is high in vitamins and minerals - The copper and potassium in it help prevent against stroke and cardiovascular ailments. The presence of iron in the chocolate protects against iron deficiency, anaemia, and magnesium helps prevent Type 2 Diabetes, high blood pressure and heart disease. Though it is not sweet, it is high in saturated fat and hence high in calories. You can have it to satisfy your sweet tooth, but its portion size will matter. One or two small cubes are allowed at any one time.Dr Vedavati PurandareConsultant PhysicianI'm a mother of an 8-year-old girl with Type 1 Diabetes. She has been prescribed to take insulin twice a day. I would just like to know what the normal medication regime is for patients like her.In Type 1 Diabetes mellitus, there is absolute deficiency of insulin in body hence for a person with Type 1 Diabetes the treatment plan involves subcutaneous administration of insulin.The normal physiology of the pancreas is to produce insulin in two phases:e Basal insulin productione Meal-related (also called prandial) insulin productionBasal insulin is secreted by the pancreas for 24 hours continuously, whereas prandial insulin is secreted in response to nutrients to cover the sudden rise in blood glucose levels after meals. Hence the best regime for Type 1 Diabetes is basal-prandial (also called basal-bolus) insulin regime. Basal insulin includes long acting insulin like glargine/degludec or intermediate acting insulin like neutral protamine Hagedorn (NPH) at bedtime.Bolus insulin will be short acting regular insulin or short acting insulin analogue which has to be injected before each meal. The advantage of an insulin analogue over regular insulin is that it can be injected just before a meal or even just after a meal. Also the dose of such insulin can be adjusted depending on the quantity of the meal. As a parent you need to watch out for symptoms of hypoglycaemia (low sugar feeling) as most kids do not finish their meal.Insulin pump is also a good option, especially for people with Type 1 Diabetes, as it eliminates five times per day of insulin injection pricks. It is a pager- like device that injects insulin 24 hours a day. A small motor pushes the piston which delivers insulin through a tube to an area under the skin. This tube has to be changed every three days. Advanced models also have the facility of wireless connection with glucose monitoring device, which predicts the hypoglycaemia trends in people.In your case as your daughter is taking insulin twice daily, it is likely to be pre-mixed insulin. However, a basal bolus regime would be more appropriate for your daughter. In any case it is best advised that you consult your doctor to help take the final decision.Dr Manish BothaleConsultant Diabetologist
I am a 33-years-old female and 6 months ago I was diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes. I follow my diet and exercise instructions as given by my diabetologist. My blood sugar levels are within range and as per my test results done last week my HbA1c was 6 per cent.However, sometimes I have sweet cravings. One of my friends suggested having a small piece of dark chocolate to satisfy my craving. Can I have dark chocolate; will it affect my sugar control?Dark chocolate contains more of cocoa (70-80 per cent) and less of sugar. Researchers in Nutrition say that it has many health benefits such as:e It contains phenylethylamine (PEA) which increases release of endorphins, so eating dark chocolate will make you feel happier.e It contains flavonoids, which help reduce insulin resistance. Dark chocolate also has a low glycaemic index, implying that it not only prevents huge spikes in blood sugar levels but also aids in controlling blood sugar levels.e It is rich in antioxidants and helps free your body of free radicals, which are responsible for oxidative damage to cells. Moreover, dark chocolate can protect you from cancer and slow the signs of ageing.e It contains theobromine, which is shown to harden tooth enamel. The polyphenols and theobromine in dark chocolate help lower LDL (bad) cholesterol levels in the blood and increase HDL (good) cholesterol levels in the body.e It is high in vitamins and minerals - The copper and potassium in it help prevent against stroke and cardiovascular ailments. The presence of iron in the chocolate protects against iron deficiency, anaemia, and magnesium helps prevent Type 2 Diabetes, high blood pressure and heart disease. Though it is not sweet, it is high in saturated fat and hence high in calories. You can have it to satisfy your sweet tooth, but its portion size will matter. One or two small cubes are allowed at any one time.Dr Vedavati PurandareConsultant PhysicianI'm a mother of an 8-year-old girl with Type 1 Diabetes. She has been prescribed to take insulin twice a day. I would just like to know what the normal medication regime is for patients like her.In Type 1 Diabetes mellitus, there is absolute deficiency of insulin in body hence for a person with Type 1 Diabetes the treatment plan involves subcutaneous administration of insulin.The normal physiology of the pancreas is to produce insulin in two phases:e Basal insulin productione Meal-related (also called prandial) insulin productionBasal insulin is secreted by the pancreas for 24 hours continuously, whereas prandial insulin is secreted in response to nutrients to cover the sudden rise in blood glucose levels after meals. Hence the best regime for Type 1 Diabetes is basal-prandial (also called basal-bolus) insulin regime. Basal insulin includes long acting insulin like glargine/degludec or intermediate acting insulin like neutral protamine Hagedorn (NPH) at bedtime.Bolus insulin will be short acting regular insulin or short acting insulin analogue which has to be injected before each meal. The advantage of an insulin analogue over regular insulin is that it can be injected just before a meal or even just after a meal. Also the dose of such insulin can be adjusted depending on the quantity of the meal. As a parent you need to watch out for symptoms of hypoglycaemia (low sugar feeling) as most kids do not finish their meal.Insulin pump is also a good option, especially for people with Type 1 Diabetes, as it eliminates five times per day of insulin injection pricks. It is a pager- like device that injects insulin 24 hours a day. A small motor pushes the piston which delivers insulin through a tube to an area under the skin. This tube has to be changed every three days. Advanced models also have the facility of wireless connection with glucose monitoring device, which predicts the hypoglycaemia trends in people.In your case as your daughter is taking insulin twice daily, it is likely to be pre-mixed insulin. However, a basal bolus regime would be more appropriate for your daughter. In any case it is best advised that you consult your doctor to help take the final decision.Dr Manish BothaleConsultant Diabetologist
