Type 2 diabetes and meats

5 October

Some time ago I had to go for a psychological assessment during which I was assured that I would be contacted again two weeks later; I’m still waiting. That’s twice I’ve been there and both time I was promised to be contacted later, and it hasn’t happened. If this is an example of how the mental health service is throughout the UK, then I’m not surprised it’s in crisis. As it is, I’m feeling fine, but what of those who really do need help, and quickly? Not good my friends, not good at all.

The one hour Panorama I recorded on Monday really went to town on Type 2 diabetes, its causes and its treatment options, especially on cost. Yesterday I mention a news item about kids being diagnosed with it, normally it’s a just adult condition. However, the 15 year old boy they were speaking of was from Indian decent and the area where he family comes from, there is a clear genetic link for it. Anyway, apart from that one boy, a very large boy too, in height as well as weight, the main trust was on adults.

One man, a mental health nurse actually, accepted for bariatric surgery, but he had to go on a crash diet for weeks before the operation would go ahead. So why would a nurse of any kind really, be so large to need the surgery in the first place? I’ve just mentioned part of it above, the state that NHS mental health services are in. As bad as it is for the patients, there must be some sort of effect on the staff too. In this man’s case he was so stressed out that he has turned to chocolate to help him coop, and has now caused Type 2 to develop.

Another man has had to have his leg amputated below the knee because after gangrene set in after his foot was up against a radiator. He had already lost feeling in his foot so he didn’t know his foot was actually burning, he needed another op to make his stump more comfortable for a prosthetic leg to be fitted. A woman who had already lost one foot, had to have the removed because of Type 2. And on it goes … … …

Take a walk down any high street and see just how many takeaway outlets there are, including bakers like Greggs who sell cakes and hot savoury items. Even our supermarkets are at it, selling foods that can be eaten on the go. Stratford Street in Dorktown town centre is around 100 yards long, but still has a pub, a chippy, a café and a pizza outlet. It’s market day today, so in addition to the usual fixed outlets, there are two burger vans in town, along with at least one, usually two ice cream vans in town. It’s no wonder so many people are getting fatter.

Another program I watched was The Truth About Meat, and that was interesting too. There are countess warnings about how red meat causes all sorts of health problems, warning that frighten some people into giving up on it altogether. From what I saw last night, there’s no reason to stop eating red meat. Two words were missing from that programme and in all such programmes, balance and moderation. I enjoy a decent steak, but I wouldn’t have one every day, couldn’t afford it anyway. But there’s no reason why I can’t have one every so often, no matter what the science says.

Cooking methods make a big difference too, with barbequed meats coming out worst, mainly because of the smoke that is produced. Here’s a little secret to cut down the amount of smoke, I tend to cook the food first before it goes on the grill. It won’t get rid of all of it, but it helps. There is a downside of course, you have to be very careful with some twice-cooked meats. But common sense goes a long way here too.     

I also like to eat veggie meals too, a plate of pasta and sauce goes down a treat these days. I like rice and cook it similarly to a risotto, with lots of different veg in it. One time I did a dinner in which I filled a large Yorkshire pudding with a section of various coloured vegs in it. That one went down well. And don’t forget the all-time standby of beans on toast. A salad without any cold meats but with cheese or egg goes down well too, however, I wouldn’t want to live on these all the time.

Of course, that is my choice at the time. And yet there are people who are all veggies or all meaties. Again, their choice. But where is the balance, where is the moderation? If a person goes along one route only, then there is no balance at all. Which brings me back to Type 2 diabetes. There is a move within some circles to cut down, if not eliminate carbohydrates from the diets of Type 2 suffers. There is evidence that doing so actually reverse the condition, but of course, it won’t revers any damage already done.

And yet we are all individuals aren’t we? What works for me certainly wouldn’t work for everyone, and t’ther way about too. Our bodies work in exactly the same way, but different things have an effect on parts of them for each of us, egg allergy is one such condition, shell fish and nuts are two more. But I say again, most of us can and should eat and enjoy a much wider choice of foods, we all know has an ill effect on us. I made a huge mistake on Monday, it won’t happen again though!

Today’s photo …

Well, it had to be really.

Today’s funny …

What does a dog get when it graduates from dog school?
A pedigree.