34 VOLUME 19 NUMBER 2 • November 2022 Learning to live with diabetes SA JOURNAL OF DIABETES & VASCULAR DISEASE ‘A glucometer measures blood glucose levels in a tiny drop of blood, which the person extracts from their finger by pricking it with a clean lancet. Nowadays technology is providing helpful tools for diabetics. Some glucometers automatically digitally record blood sugar readings. There are also insulin pumps, which continuously monitor blood glucose levels and administer the correct amount of insulin as needed, without the person having to check their blood sugar and inject themselves.’ Glucometers, glucose testing strips, lancets and insulin pumps are useful in tracking and controlling blood sugar. To help make it as easy as possible to adhere to prescribed treatment and manage diabetes, Medipost Pharmacy offers these devices as well as free delivery of chronic medications – safely and confidentially ¬– to any address in South Africa. Pharmacy support ‘To be effective, chronic medicine must be taken at the right dosage continuously, even when you’re on holiday or out of your usual routine. Medipost Pharmacy offers telephonic assistance from the pharmacy team in all official languages, as well as free delivery of chronic medicines to any address in South Africa. If you have any questions or concerns about your treatment, reach out to your pharmacist who can give you advice, such as how to overcome potential side effects,’ Steenkamp says. As well as dispensing medicines to individuals privately, the service also includes assistance with registering prescribed medical benefit (PMB) conditions, including diabetes, to help conserve medical scheme members’ day-to-day benefits. ‘I used to feel alone in my life as a diabetic, and I hope that sharing my personal experience can help someone else out there to persevere if they are struggling with a diabetes diagnosis. It can feel overwhelming, but take each day as it comes and do everything you can to remain healthy.’ ‘It is estimated that one in 10 South Africans are diabetic, although many remain undiagnosed and therefore untreated. This Pharmacy Month, we would like to encourage everyone to test for diabetes regularly and discuss their risks with their doctor,’ Steenkamp concludes. For more information, please visit www.medipost.co.za Blackcurrants are favourable for glucose metabolism Blackcurrants have a beneficial effect on post-meal glucose response, and the required portion size is much smaller than previously thought, a new study from the University of Eastern Finland shows. Blackcurrants have a beneficial effect on the blood glucose response after a meal. They balance the glucose response of ingested sugar by attenuating its rise and delaying its fall. The effect is likely associated with berry-derived polyphenolic compounds, anthocyanins, in which blackcurrants are rich. The beneficial health effect of blackcurrants was supported by a recent study conducted at the University of Eastern Finland. In the clinical meal study (Maqua) the beneficial effect on postprandial glucose response was achieved by 75 g (1.5 dl) of blackcurrants, a remarkably smaller portion size than in earlier studies. Blackcurrants are often consumed with added sugar because of their natural sourness, which may be a cause of concern for health-conscious consumers. However, it seems that sugar consumed with blackcurrants is not as unhealthy as sugar consumed without berries. The study was conducted in collaboration between the Institute of Public Health and Clinical Nutrition at the University of Eastern Finland and Savonia University of Applied Sciences by utilising the regional Food Valley ecosystem. Berries are an important component of a healthy diet, being rich in vitamins, minerals, dietary fibre and polyphenols. So far, however, the EU has not authorised health claims for berries. In recent years, there have been many studies monitoring the effects of berries on glucose metabolism, with the dark berries, such as blackcurrant and bilberry, having the most convincing results. Black-coloured berries, rich in anthocyanins, seem to attenuate the blood glucose response to added sugar, compared to a control product having the same amount of sugar. The same effect is demonstrated by anthocyanins extracted from blackcurrants. Polyphenolic compounds may slow down the absorption of glucose from the small intestine by interacting with carbohydrate-digesting enzymes and glucose transport proteins. In addition, polyphenolic compounds may reduce oxidative stress and inflammation. In the Maqua study, 26 healthy participants (22 female, 4 male) consumed three different test products and sugar water as a control product at four separate study visits. The test products were a blackcurrant purée with added sugar, a blackcurrant product containing fermented quinoa, and a blackcurrant product base without blackcurrants. Each of them and the control product contained 31 g of available carbohydrates and had a similar composition of sugar components. Blood samples were taken before the meals in fasting state and postprandially in 15, 30, 45, 60, 90, 120 and 180 minutes after consuming the meal, and analysed for glucose, insulin, and free fatty acids. Compared to sugar water, both blackcurrant products had attenuated postprandial glycaemic response, which was seen in reduced maximum glucose and insulin levels, delayed fall in glucose level, and delayed rise in free fatty acid levels because of hypoglycaemia. The effect was enhanced for the blackcurrant product because of the innovative product base. The results support earlier findings on the beneficial effects of blackcurrant on blood glucose response after a meal, showing the effect with a smaller portion size. Over a longer period of time, smaller variations in the blood glucose and insulin levels, and improved insulin sensitivity, may decrease the risk of type 2 diabetes. Blackcurrants are an interesting raw material for the food industry because of their high content of anthocyanins and easy availability. Blackcurrants have potential for being developed into new healthy and tasty products. Source: Medical Brief 2020
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