We are a non-profit shopper’s guide existing only to help you make a wise choice when deciding how to treat erectile dysfunction. There are many treatment options available and more join the medical scene daily, making it difficult to decide on the best treatment option. Each person responds in their own way to different treatments, so there is no guaranteed medication. This shopper’s guide exists independently of any pharmacy, drug company, medical website, or doctor. We have nothing to gain other than helping you find the best treatment option and getting your life back to normal. Erectile dysfunction is not a medical condition that has to be endured in silence and suffered with endlessly. It is possible to restore normalcy to all areas of life with the proper treatment and we want to help.

Unfortunately, insurance companies do not always assist in the cost of medical treatments and medications for erectile dysfunction. Erectile dysfunction has far reaching effects and can affect all areas of life and it is unfortunate that insurance companies take this stance and do not come to the aid of those who need it. Treatments can bear an out-of-pocket cost of nearly ten dollars or more per pill.
There are other options to name brand treatments, such as choosing to buy discount Generic Cialis or buy discount Generic Viagra. An explosion in the availability of generic medications and their availability has allowed for more people to afford treatments for ED. Our site will explore name brand therapies but will also examine generic medications and compare their positives and negatives. Please continue on and let us help you find the right ED treatment for you!

Burt Reynolds revealed his vulnerable side when he realized he was being steered into marriage. One day while browsing the furniture department with his would-be bride, he suddenly collapsed onto a bed and doubled into the protective fetal form. Moments later, he was sucking oxygen through a brown paper bag, his eyes wide and darting.

His panic attack was interpreted in a humorous way for the sake of the movie, but real panic and anxiety attack survivors know there’s nothing funny about it.

Impending divorce triggered my first major panic episode. It stirred almost daily, waiting for any event that would bring it to the surface in a full blown attack. Sure enough such an event did arise, but not from any outside force.
While I contemplated taking a shower one day, anxiety swept over me, along with an unexplained dread that something terrible was going to happen.

Suddenly, I was afraid to eat, afraid to go out, afraid to stay home alone.
As I drove down the highway, uprooted trees and black garbage bags along the route took on indistinguishable grotesque shapes. Passing through overpasses was particularly alarming as I dreaded losing control and smashing into the abutment. Elevators and stairwells triggered a new symptom claustrophobia.

Particularly alarming was the day I was afraid I’d lose control and toss myself off the 6th floor balcony. That’s when I knew it was time to get help.
Two years of psychiatric treatment eventually brought an end to those terrifying events. Until 10 years later when I decided to switch careers and return to college. I was 37.

Then, it happened again. I was in the huge school cafeteria walking along the self serve line. It began as I became intensely aware of the drone of voices echoing throughout the quadrant. Quite unexpectedly, anxiety swept over me. I thought I’d lose my mind as my heart and thoughts raced and that old familiar dread took hold.

Struggling with the attack, I made it to a seat and tried to eat my lunch but it soon became apparent it wasn’t possible. The initial fear was verging on panic. I rushed from the cafeteria to the nursing station at the top of the stairs, but at that point, I felt it might pass.

I continued aimlessly down the busy hallway. All I could think of was getting away from the noise, the bustling students and the insecure openness. Moments later, sitting in the peaceful, dimly lit student lounge, I curled up in an armchair and fell asleep. When I awoke, the attack had passed.

Years ago, my doctor had explained that my attacks were a result of a chemical imbalance. He also pointed out that a lack of confidence and a sense of impending loss of control were related to my anxiety.

During my therapy, I persistently plied him with questions and bombarded him with every sensation I had over the previous week. He was a man of few words, always turning my questions back on me to interpret. Through his few choice words, worries of things going wrong in my life were soon mere flashes, rather than mounting thoughts to stoke my simmering anxiety.

His advice echoed when I emerged from that major panic attack at the college 10 years later. I was in a strange environment undertaking a new career. The attack clearly was brought on by my fear of failing, along with numerous other fears.

It all made sense. I was moving into a new frontier with new faces, new challenges. In all likelihood, I would emerge a new person, but as happened with my divorce, it was a time when I feared I would lose control of my body, my mind and my life.

What saved me was something my psychiatrist said years before when he responded quite simply to one of my ‘what if’ questions. His reply has become my ‘mantra’, if you will.

In an effort to make me focus directly on the issue and think rationally about the outcome, he merely asked, ‘So what?’ Who could have known that those two small words would become my rock? The moment a terrifying thought entered my head, all I had to do was ask, “So what? What’s the worst that could happen?” and it was never as bad as I’d imagined. And today, it always brings me back to earth. There is help for you, too.

Recently, I came across a product that I wish I had when my panic attacks were raging. This e-book provides an equally simple and highly effective solution for people who have panic attacks. In fact, the methods prescribed are exactly the ones I developed to avert my own panic.

Understanding how the body reacts is the first step to knowing that panic and anxiety attacks can be cured without medication. Joe Barry has taught thousands of people to be panic free. To learn more about his successful formula go to
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These days, when we walk into any mall, there are not one, but multiple options for every single product. At times we are lost wondering which to choose, or which would be the best of the lot. The same happens when we go to buy massage chair. There are so many lined up, and each one looks better than the other. We tend to sit in each of them, try them out and then decide. But most of the massage chairs offer similar features, and comfort. The only difference being the manufacturer and the expense. At times, people have a fixed budget when they go shopping, especially for products such as these.

When we buy a house, we look forward to picking up furniture and other cabinets, etc that go with the dcor. And if there are elderly people at home, we look towards picking up a massage recliner. These comfortable sofa like chairs, come with a massager that will help relieve all tension and worry from the body. For elders, just walking from one room to the other could be tiring. So, if there were a massage lounger at home, they can relax in it and help stay fit.

The massage chair provides massage on specific points by giving rotary motion on that area. There are nodes placed in most places where people require massaging, and the chair works its miracles on those spots. The chair needs to be comfortable, before being a good massage lounger. So, it is important for the people who are going to be using it to sit and try it out, only then will they enjoy the massaging effect. For their old tired bones, these chairs are the best option. If they have been out shopping for a couple of hours and are ready to relax, if they spend a few minutes over a massage, their bones will come alive and they will have more energy as before.

Picking up the best massage chair is essential, and while making the purchase, check on how many massage rollers there are in the chair. If you go towards the higher end chairs, they might have up to 18 in them. However, just because there are so many, it doesnt make the massage chair more effective. The quality of the material used, and the leather used on the upholstery will also add to the effectiveness and performance. Make sure the fabric used is leather or high quality resin; else you will have to worry about replacing them, since they could get dirty and wear out.

The main purpose of these massage recliners is to reduce your worries, so whenever you feel like a nerve is going to burst, spend a few minutes in this massage lounger and put your worries away. The newer models come with seat adjustment facility as well, which means you can recline the back rest to an almost lying down position or keep it erect. Same applies to the legs rest.

Eyeglasses with thick lenses and a line across them were the only option for people with both nearsightedness and farsightedness. Eyeglass frames were heavy and not only that they were to say the least unattractive. Bifocal Contact lenses were difficult to get used to wearing. Going down stairs especially, you need to look either up or down. While getting adjusted to wearing bifocals some people get dizzy.

People had only one choice if they wore bifocals, eyeglasses. When contacts hit the market bifocals still had to be in eyeglasses. That was then and this is now. Contacts offer as many choices if not more than the choices available for eyeglass wearers. Many people are joyous because bifocals now come in contact lenses. Contact bifocals are available in rigid, soft, and gas permeable materials.

What people need to use bifocal lenses? Those who when focusing on near objects, have trouble. What they have is called Presbyopia. It is unusual for this to develop before the age of 40. Bifocals glasses are similar to Alternating Design because half the lens has distance power and the other half has powers for near objects.

Blended prescriptions for both near and distant vision are Simultaneous Design; they fill in the area of the pupil. Whether you are looking near or far your eye will adjust and learn to interpret the circle power choice. Concentric Design lenses are the radials of contact lenses. The inner lens works on the nearness vision while the outer part works on distant vision correction or vice versa.

Translating Design- these are also very similar to bifocal eyeglasses, the distance correction is above the near correction. The lenses are divided by a line. The lens has a flat bottom so that when you blink it won’t move around in your eye. The center of the Asferic Design lenses is where both the near and distant vision is located.

The center of the lens is where the near vision correction is and it’s surrounded by distant vision correction. In some situations they can be reversed. You can decide this with your doctor. You wear one power lens in one eye and the other in the other eye with Mono-vision Design lenses.

The distant vision is placed in the dominant eye usually. Here again your doctor’s exam will be able to determine this. Simultaneous vision contacts are also available. Focusing on both near and far objects at the same time is possible with these lenses.

Concentric rings form the near and distant correction. Light from both near and far objects can be focused on at the same time since the near and far parts of the lens are in sight all the time.

Simultaneous vision contact lenses have a problem. When the eye is looking through the lens some of the light from the distant objects will enter the distant part and vice versa. The eye, at the same time takes in out of focus and focus.

The brain has to figure out which image is correct. Your doctor must provide you with a subscription for contact lenses not matter if they are bifocal or not. Your eye doctor will do a very thorough exam to decide if you are a candidate for bifocal contacts and what type might be right for you.

Lenses that fit and are comfortable may take time to find, as with any contact lens there is an adjustment. Bifocal lenses may not be for you, at least not in the contact lenses currently available. Don’t give up the search for the right lenses.

Do your research and keep up to date on the types of lenses available to you if you want contacts and need bifocals. By offering a free trial wear period of up to a week, some companies allow you to try their lenses and see if you like them.

Check out discount contact lens stores online and some manufacturers will give you a coupon to put toward the purchase of their lens if you try them. Your decision about bifocal lenses will without a doubt be affected by your budget.

Ask about the experience friends or family have had with contact lenses. You and your doctor can, with this information make a decision but not everyone has the same experience. The option of bifocal contact lenses is now available for people with astigmatism.

Toric contact lenses come in both color and disposable lenses. Some professionals do not like fitting Toric lenses so it is best to check with your eye care professional.

You often hearread about Hollywood stars and celebrities losing weight, taking clenbuterol, a new weight-loss drug that literally melts away fat, and often you people follow your favorite stars and celebrities. However, take a moment to learn about the drug that you are going to put into your body.

Often mistaken for a steroid because of its illicit use in athletics, clenbuterol is actually the drug that is meant more for veterinary than human use. It is the drug for horses. In human use, clenbuterol is often prescribed to the people suffering from breathing disorders as, such as decongestant and bronchodilator. Often used as a bronchodilator, clenbuterol helps to make breathing easier for the people suffering from chronic breathing disorders like asthma. Clenbuterol is most commonly available in salt form as Clenbuterol hydrochloride.

Clenbuterol is often promoted for its lean-muscle-mass benefits among bodybuilders. It is often used as weight loss drug and often advertised as safe drug in various countries, but the United States Food and Drug Administration documents dont support clenbuterol as weight loss drug. The agency also does not endorse the use of clenbuterol among bodybuilders, and other jocks.

Clenbuterol was banned by the US FDA in 1991, as it was found to help add extra weight and muscle in show animals, and many cases of adverse reactions were reported in people who had consumed the clenbuterol-tainted meat; the people showed impaired heart and lung function. The US FDA however approved clenbuterol for the treatment of horses suffering with lung in 1998. But, the horse that received the drug could not later be slaughtered for food.

Yet, the Centers for Disease Control, in 2005, reported some 26 cases of people, who were hospitalized for cardiovascular side effects, such as a racing heart beat and palpitations, nausea and chest pain, reportedly taking heroin. However, these reactions were untypical, as heroin depresses the nervous system. So, when patients were tested, clenbuterol was found in their urine. The findings suggested that the heroin might have been laced with the stuff.

In September 2006, over 330 people in Shanghai were reported to have been poisoned by eating pork contaminated by clenbuterol that had been fed to the animals to keep their meat lean.

In fact, the FDA considers clenbuterol as a poison, and has banned clenbuterol for all off-label use. As of fall, 2006, clenbuterol is not an ingredient of any therapeutic drug approved by the U.S. FDA. The product labeling for clenbuterol very clearly states For use in horses not intended for food. The U.S. Department of Agriculture and the FDA monitor the illegal use of the substances in animals.

Clenbuterol has also been banned by the International Olympic Committee. Thus, unless youre a horse with bum lungs, clenbuterol is illegal. Former Major League baseball pitcher, Jason Grimsley admitted that he was using clenbuterol. The tennis player Mariano Puerta was once penalized for use of clenbuterol. Australian wrestler Mitchil Mann was also suspended for testing positive for the clenbuterol.

The majority of women suffering from Sjgren’s syndrome report that symptoms interfere with daily activities, including work, household and leisure, according to a recent survey. Sjgren’s syndrome, one of the most common autoimmune diseases, attacks the moisture-producing glands and primarily causes severe dry eyes and dry mouth. It affects up to 4 million people in the United States, 90 percent of whom are women.

When asked which symptoms originally motivated sufferers to see a doctor for treatment, more than 70 percent of respondents indicated dry eyes 75 percent and dry mouth 72 percent. The survey polled 3,190 members 94 percent women of the Sjgren’s Syndrome Foundation.

In addition, the survey uncovered that the average time between the onset of first symptoms and diagnosis is 6.5 years. The symptoms of Sjgren’s can mimic other conditions, making diagnosis difficult.

Unfortunately, there is no one test to diagnose Sjgren’s syndrome. When Sjgren’s syndrome is suspected, a series of tests is administered, which aims to determine the degree of mouth and eye dryness and measure antibody markers in the blood.

Like all autoimmune diseases, there is no cure for Sjgren’s syndrome. However, there are different treatment options available to manage symptoms. Artificial tears can be used to alleviate dry eyes, while chewing sugar-free gum and drinking water can provide temporary relief from dry mouth symptoms. In addition, an FDA-approved product called EVOXAC cevimeline HCl has also been proven effective in treating the dry mouth symptoms of Sjgren’s syndrome.

Safety Considerations

The most common side effects are excessive sweating, headache, nausea, sinusitis, upper respiratory infections, rhinitis and diarrhea.

You should not take EVOXAC if you have uncontrolled asthma, eye inflammation, narrow angle angle closure glaucoma or allergies to EVOXAC.

Before taking EVOXAC, tell your doctor if you have a heart condition, controlled asthma, chronic bronchitis, emphysema, a history of kidney disease or gallstones or if you are taking any heart medications, especially “beta-blockers.” If you have any of these conditions, your doctor will monitor you under close medical supervision while you are taking EVOXAC.

Tell your doctor and pharmacist if you are taking prescription or over-the-counter medications to avoid any possible drug interactions.

The safety and effectiveness of EVOXAC in patients under 18 years of age have not been established.

Special care should be taken if you are elderly.

You should be careful when driving at night or performing hazardous activities in reduced lighting while taking EVOXAC.

If you sweat excessively while taking EVOXAC, you may become dehydrated. To prevent this, drink extra water and talk to your doctor.

Please see the Patient Information sheet and talk to your doctor.

Sjgren’s syndrome, one of the most common autoimmune diseases, attacks the moisture-producing glands.

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Smoking is emerging to be one of the major causes of death in the modern world. This is attributed to the growing consumers of tobacco. Tobacco is responsible for the death of 1 in 10 adults all over the world, which translates to around 5 million deaths every year. It is because of this fact that cigarette smoking is now a public health priority.

Smoking poses dangers directly and indirectly to the public. An indirect public health concern that cigarettes may pose is accidental fire. As for the health risks in smoking tobacco, the disease mainly strikes the cardiovascular system, resulting to heart attack, respiratory tract diseases, and even cancer.

In spite of these risks, the number of cigarette smokers all other the world has not dropped considerably. Though several smokers claim to have been meaning to quit this habit, they just find it so difficult. The fact is that after smoking for quite sometime, quitting smoking will prove to be very hard, but not impossible.

Why is it hard to quit smoking?

Foremost, this is because the majority of smokers become addicted to the nicotine contained in tobacco products. Nicotine has a deadly addictive power. How? When a person puffs a cigarette, nicotine particles find their way to the lungs through inhalation. From there, nicotine is absorbed into the bloodstream just like the oxygen people breathe. It travels with the blood to the brain where it locks onto certain receptor areas. Dopamine is then released into the brain. This is the chemical that makes the smoker feel a euphoric sensation. Smokers find it difficult to quit because they come to be dependent on this good feeling. And in wanting to experience this repeatedly, this leads to dependence a sign of addiction.

A person who attempts to quit may experience withdrawal symptoms. Topping the bill of withdrawal symptoms is depression. With the absence of the chemical that produces the relaxing feeling, the brain becomes distressed without it. Other withdrawal symptoms from smoking include

- Headaches, dizziness, and nausea
- Shakes, chills
- Cough, dry throat nasal drip
- Hunger, fatigue
- Constipation, gas or stomach pain
- Insomnia, troubled sleep

Not knowing what to do with their hands is another common complaint among ex-smokers while quitting. Once people get hooked, smoking becomes a big part of their lives. They seem to enjoy holding on a stick of cigarette and puffing on them. And after a long period of lighting up, it becomes a routine. As a fact, humans are creatures of habit. By some force of habit, smokers find themselves reaching for a cigarette and lighting it up automatically without thinking about it.

Certain triggers in the environment may also hamper a smokers desire to quit. Things may turn on a smokers need for a cigarette. These may be feelings, places, and moods. Even the things done routinely may trigger this craving for a smoke.

For those who have been smoking for quite a while already, they may not realize it but they form some emotional attachment to cigarettes. They find the cigarette calming and comforting during those stressful times. Cigarette smoking somehow becomes an extension of their social life, particularly when they are emotionally at the highest or lowest. Giving the smoker a feeling that giving up smoking would seem like giving up a trusted friend.

These are only some of the major reasons why it is hard to quit smoking. But there are also several strategies and quitting techniques that may aid smokers to finally give up on this tenacious habit. Quitting smoking all begins with ones intention to stop. They must have the will power to overcome the craving for smoke. There are also a lot of quit smoking products in the market. These may also be worth trying. Support groups are proved to be very helpful, too.

Smokers must understand that to quit smoking may take more than one attempt. They must also try several methods before they can finally succeed. Smoking is a stubborn habit because it is closely tied to the acts in the course of peoples everyday lives.
Just pay a serious concern to a few issues.
1. The first thing you must consider is your body; you must take care and keep it healthy.
2. Secondly, decision to kill your enemy who is killing you.
3. Thirdly, cost that smoking has caused for you. You have spent a lot on this poison.
4. Lastly forget the past that will help you in quit smoking. Just remember that nicotine is my enemy and is killing me slowly.

With determination, will power and a strategy, quit smoking is not out of the question.

Cancer cases have been on the rise over the last few years, no doubt, due to the high stress, environmental toxins, and unhealthy lifestyle and eating behavior of people living in the 21st century. Cancer is an illness that is medically defined as a state of abnormality where uncontrolled production of one or more cell populations interferes with the normal functions of the body. This ailment is one of the major causes of deaths around the world. Other than the fear of death, another difficulty faced by cancer patients is the side effects of pain medication.
Also known as the Big C, many medical experts believe that the said disease is brought about by factors like the environment, age, lifestyle, and genes of the patient. Generally, cancer affects the elderly more than the other age groups due to its multistage process that may take 15 to 45 years for symptoms to be evident. Some events, activities, or diets may trigger the development of cancer cells over a period of time. Several studies suggest that people can be genetically prone to cancer when enzymes that aid in the prevention of cancer growth are not efficient enough to stop cancer cell development.
While not all cancer patients experience cancer pain, statistics claim that one out of three people undergoing cancer treatment does. And in cases where cancer is in the advanced stage, meaning cancer has spread or recurred, the chance of experiencing cancer pain is even higher.
Cancer pain relief is a common need among cancer patients. In many cases, the pain is caused by a tumor, but there are also times when the source can be anything other than the cancer itself. Cancer pain may vary in intensity. It can be dull, aching, or sharp. It can also be constant, intermittent, mild or even severe. But no matter how painful the condition may become, cancer pain relief is possible.
There are many several ways to get cancer pain relief. Removing the source of the pain through surgery, chemotherapy, radiation or some other form of treatment is still the best way to rid of cancer. If these are not applicable, there are pain medications that can help patients to control the pain.

Some medications that are used to alleviate cancer pain may include the follwing

- Analgesics like aspirin or acetaminophen;
- Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs NSAIDs like ibuprofen;
- Weak opioids like codeine; and
- Strong opioids like morphine, oxycodone, hydromorphone, fentanyl, or methadone.

These drugs are easy to use and can be taken orally. However some medications may be taken intravenously, rectally, or through the patches of the skin. Just like other drugs for pain relief, these medications may bring side effects. Common side effects of pain relievers may include confusion, lethargy, and sleepiness. The severity of these effects varies from person to person and may disappear after stopping medication. Before taking medicines for cancer pain relief, patients are advised to seek the approval doctors and other health specialists to clarify side effects and drug interactions that may occur while using certain drugs. In addition to this, persistent pain that affects performance and lifestyle should be reported to one’s doctor to prevent it from creating more harm to the body. Early diagnosis is important in the detection, diagnosis, and treatment of cancer.

Kimaya is an introspection of good life, wellness and an inspirational endeavor for assimilating the best of the world under a single platform – KimayaShoppe.Com. An online endeavor from Kimaya Shoppe Ltd., the website is a stunning interface for some of the most endearing products catering to a niche clientele where there is a reveling urge for the best in fashion, glamour and lifestyle.KimayaShoppe is fast evolving into India’s most coveted lifestyle brand of the most exclusive and unique products from the world over. Patrons can avail the best of both worlds through safe and secure through KimayaShoppe.Com. KimayaShoppe is a breakthrough concept in Indian online shopping scenario where product exclusivity and unique branding paves the way for a sophisticated market of highly informed niche customers. KimayaShoppe.Com is a name synonymous to the most haute style statement in men’s fashion accessories, women’s fashion accessories; as well as kids fashion from size zero to fifteen. Besides, being the best online platform for fitness and products, including food supplements & bodybuilding; KimayaShoppe.Com is also evolving as one of the leading brand in health and wellness products. The exclusive and relatively inaccessible products made available from KimayaShoppe.Com are original products procured directly from the manufacturers to cater to a niche market, which considers quality, uniqueness and innovation as a value for money. From rare art & artifacts, novelties, exclusive spirits & cigars, to the most inspiring object of desire, souvenirs & mementos, KimayaShoppe.Com range of products are at par excellence to international standards.KimayaShoppe.Com also serves to offer some of the best novelty products for the mind, body & spirit to the unique and latest trend in home utilities. Besides that, of flowers was never better before, as KimayaShoppe.Com indulges its coveted clientele to say it with flowers in tune with the trendiest floral bouquets and arrangements. Besides dealing with some of the most value-added giftable articles and pet corner stuff, KimayaShoppe.Com the brand that celebrates wellness and good health brings for its exclusive clientele some of the most innovative healthcare & personal care products.  These are inclusive of not only sports, systems and therapy; but also include a breathtaking range of healthy vitamins micronutrients and diet-conscious sweets & chocolates for overall customer satisfaction.
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Healthy eating is difficult to achieve because we have so many health factors to consider and food choices to make. We know antioxidants are good for us so we want to eat lots of colorful fruits and vegetables because they contain phytochemicals like carotenoids and flavonoids which neutralize the free radicals that cause the age-related degenerative diseases. We know that we may not get all the antioxidants that we need in our food so we take supplements to ensure an adequate supply of antioxidants. But what about the actual food we eat. One of the major problems with our modern diet is that the food we eat is a tasty combination of saturated fats and highly processed and quickly digested carbohydrates. However in the last several years, people have become so concerned about fats in their diet that they have substituted carbohydrates and avoided even the good unsaturated fats in lean meat, olive oil and other plant oils. Now everybody seems to be eating a medium- to high-carbohydrate diet without giving proper attention to the type of carbs that they eat.

Not all carbohydrates behave the same in our bodies. We have been told for years to avoid simple carbs like honey and white bread and eat complex carbohydrates that our body doesnt digest and turn to glucose as quickly. However determining whether a food containing carbohydrates is absorbed and raises our blood sugar quickly or slowly is not at all intuitive. Scientists have done a lot of rigorous testing over the past several years and have found that white bread and baked potatoes raise our blood sugar level much faster than honey, jams and chocolate bars. These scientists developed a numerical index called the Glycemic Index or GI to compare the ability of different carbohydrate containing foods to raise the bodys blood sugar levels or in other words the speed of conversion to glucose. GI values are determined by feeding human subjects who have fasted overnight a fixed amount of the food and then measuring their blood glucose levels at fixed intervals of time. Pure glucose is set at 100 and then other foods are compared to this profile. Testing is time consuming and the tests have to be averaged for a number of individuals. However these studies have yielded some surprising results such as the fact that the starches in rice, bread, potatoes and many types of cereals were absorbed and raised blood sugars very quickly but the sugars in fruit, candy, chocolate and ice cream did not result in prolonged rises in blood sugars. In other words many of the starchy foods had a much higher Glycemic Index than many of the sugary foods. Needless to say these results seem counter intuitive and have caused a lot of controversy in the food industry. The rate of absorption is very dependant on how the carbs are bound up with the food fiber and the particle size. For example less gelatinized products like al dente spaghetti and oatmeal have lower GI values and stone ground flours have lower GI values than finely ground flours. The fibrous coat surrounding beans and seeds stop enzymes from getting at the starchy carbs inside and will slow the digestion of grainy breads, legumes and barley. The acidity of foods also slows down digestion and vinegar, lemon juice, pickles and sourdough bread will result in lower GI meal values.

The Glycemic Index is important not only to diabetics but also to non-diabetics because we need to know what foods will keep our blood sugars on an even keel and not raise them too high and then have them plummet down again causing hunger. The slow digestion of low GI foods and the gradual rise and fall in blood-glucose response helps people with diabetes control their blood sugar levels and increase their sensitivity to insulin. Low GI foods will help healthy people delay hunger pangs and promote weight loss in overweight individuals. In addition low GI carbohydrates can reduce blood cholesterol levels and also reduce our risk of heart disease. High blood glucose spikes can result in oxidative stress leading to the formation of plaque that can cause atherosclerosis and even blood clots. So keeping our blood sugar levels fairly level and low seems like what we should be trying to achieve through healthy eating. How do we go about achieving this?

The first step is to look at what carbohydrates we are consuming and the GI levels of the meals that we are eating. Then we should try and ensure we have at least one low GI food in each meal to keep the overall meal GI close to 50. Most fats and proteins have no effect on the GI level of our meal because they dont contain carbs. However watch out for saturated fats and too many calories. Lets look at some meals and see what substitutions we could make. The GI values are shown in brackets.

Breakfast

Cut back on Corn Flakes 92, Rice Krispies 82 and substitute All-Bran 32 or switch to a cereal based on oats, barley or bran. Stop eating white bagels 72, white bread 70 or whole-wheat bread 77 and switch to pumpernickel 50 or sourdough 55. Fruits are mostly low GI foods and surprisingly orange juice 46 is very good.

Lunch and Dinner

Eat your colored vegetables and make your salad dressings with olive oil and vinegar. Avoid parsnips 97 and substitute pastas like al dente white spaghetti 38, linguini 46 or macaroni 47 for Instant white rice 87 and potatoes baked 85, red-skin peeled and boiled 88. Except for parsnips and potatoes most vegetables have a low GI value.

Additional information on GI values can be found at the University of Sydney website