Diabetes Mellitus; A Chronic Metabolic Disease

The Jamaican population has a high prevalence of people living with Diabetes. This is due to genetics, our general diets, low activity levels, and lack of knowledge. We refer to Diabetes as 'sugar', and the majority of the population knows of or is related to at least one person who has or was affected by the disease. 

Diabetes is a metabolic disease that causes high blood sugar. This means there is too much sugar in the blood. You may not have enough insulin being produced by the body. Insulin is the hormone that ‘unlocks’ your body’s cells to let blood sugar in and give you energy. If your insulin is not working properly, your blood sugar will get too high. There are two types of diabetes that can affect the body, Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes. 

• Type 1 diabetes is usually diagnosed before age 20. If you have Type 1 Diabetes, your body can no longer make insulin.

• Type 2 diabetes usually starts after age 40, but younger people can get it too. It is often linked to being overweight. Your body may still make insulin, but your cells resist its effects or you cannot make enough insulin.

Food Insecurity, The Grim Reality of Not Having Enough Food

Food Security is your ability to get food and clean water on a regular basis. The recent recession has seen a sharp rise in the cost of food, which puts vulnerable groups at increased risk of falling into this group. 

I frequently write about the excesses of food consumption and how to carefully manage yourself in order to not do so. I also write about the nutritional value and the importance of food to the growth and development of an individual at every stage of the life cycle.  In writing these posts I am making a huge assumption about my reader, one that we tend to take for granted, that we all have access to the basic foods we need to live. However, there exist groups of people in every society that are food insecure. Unfortunately, in recent years this group has been growing at an alarming rate. 

Food Security is your ability to get food and clean water on a regular basis. The recent recession has seen a sharp rise in the cost of food, which puts vulnerable groups at increased risk of falling into this group. 

Jamaica Restaurant Week - Royal Palace Restaurant

Jamaica Restaurant Week-Raffaele's Gourmet Pizzeria

November 11 - 19 is  Restaurant Week here in Jamaica. A couple of friends and I decided to join in and see what it was all about. 

According to the official website: 

Restaurant Week spans three cities, Kingston, Montego Bay, and Ocho Rios, and this will give diners more opportunities to share in one of the island's most celebrated culinary experiences.

Being Food Savvy

When you read content on the Jamaican Food Savvy blog, I want you all to be able to feel more confident in choosing good foods and planning healthy meals, and maintaining a balanced diet. 
Now, if you want to do a short checklist, here are the things you should be able to do and if you can't, the blog posts that will help you to get there.