How Does Diabetes Affect Day-to-Day Life - Essay Example

The diagnosis of Type II Diabetes was not made official, and a middle-aged lady was placed under close monitoring. After repeated tests of random blood glucose levels and 1 Hour Post Prandial tests, she was diagnosed with Type II Diabetes. The primary cause was her lifestyle though the heredity factors also played a role in the condition. Her immediate family line has seen several people, her father included, suffer from Type II Diabetes too.

          At present, the symptoms that she has to deal with are polydipsia which often leads to polyuria. She reported that the number of times she visited the washrooms in a day was alarming. She is also prone to feeling hungrier than was the case during her earlier years. Additionally, she easily gets fatigued and so she is very cautious about engaging in activities that are laborious. To control the condition, she has changed her diet to include more fruits and vegetables that are high in fiber. She has also had to stop taking sugar in her beverages as well as soft drinks and alcohol. Simple carbohydrates have also been replaced with complex ones that have a low glycemic index. To cope with excess body weight, she has enrolled in a gym with a personal trainer to ensure that the activities are beneficial and not detrimental to her health.

          Living with Diabetes has affected her life in many ways. She is unable to indulge in fast food as she would with her friends in previous years. She has also become less adventurous because she is very cautious not to get any physical injuries as small bruises now take too long to heal. On the positive side, she has now had to become physically active and lead a healthier lifestyle.

                             PART B: NUTRITION DATA OF THE COMMON MEAL

          After enquiring about the most common meal in a local fast food outlet, the manager reported that it was French fries, a beef burger, and classic coca-cola. Below is an analysis of this meal that many people order in a day;

          The serving size for the French Fries is medium and weighs 111g while one serving size of Coca-Cola Classic is 12 fl oz. On the other hand, a serving of beef burger that is made of a bun, tomato zest, and lettuce weighs 220g. The calories that each of the items provides are340 from the French fries, 445 from the beef burger, and 140 from the Coca-Cola drink. In the meals, the total amount of fat is 36g. Based on an average daily intake of 2,000 calories, the maximum recommended fat intake for the day ought to be 580 calories. The meal alone provides 324 of the amount which is equivalent to 55.86% of the total fat to be taken in a day. The fat from the meal thus provides 0.162% of the total energy in a day. The saturated fats in the meal are 10.5g of which 8g come from the beef burger while the French fries provide 2.5g of saturated fats. The trans- fats supplied in the meal add up to 11.3g with 6.1g of the amount being from the fat used in preparing the French fries. The remaining amount of 5.2 comes from the beef burger. Concerning cholesterol, the total amount provided in this meal that is loved by many is 110mg.

                                                      PART C: PROTEIN BARS

          After visiting the local grocery store, I identified different types of protein bars. These were NuGo Slim Double dark chocolate protein bar, Simple Truth double chocolate protein bar, and Special K double chocolate protein bar. Below is a chart that details the nutritional information about each type of protein bar;

The two Special K chocolate protein bars provide 190 calories for each bar consumed whereas the Simple Truth bar provides 170 calories. One bar of the NuGo chocolate protein bar makes one serving that weighs 50g. The same applies to the Special K bar. On the other hand, a serving of the Simple Truth bar weighs 45g. The values for Vitamin A (IU) for NuGo, Simple Truth, and Special K chocolate protein bars are 625, 1000, and 750 respectively. 40mg, 100mg, and 200g are the amounts of Calcium that are provided by each of the bars in the same order.

From the information above, I think that the NuGo chocolate protein bar is the least nutritious while the Simple Truth chocolate protein bar is the most nutritious. My choice is based on the fact that the Simple Truth contains the highest amount of protein and also has other important macro and micro-nutrients like sugars, iron, and calcium. The NuGo bar is the least nutritious because it lacks some nutrients among them Vitamin C. The average cost of the chocolate-flavored chocolate bars is $2.04. For the amount, an individual gets an estimated 10g of protein though some brands have more of it, for example, the Simple Truth bar gives 21g of protein. Compared to the cost of other locally available protein sources among them yogurt and crackers, protein bars are more pricey. Upon asking around, I found out that this was the case because many people attributed the protein bars as superior and more nutritious though the reality may prove otherwise. A majority of people also believe that protein bars promote weight loss. I feel that people should be enlightened about the truth of the matter. It is possible for an individual to meet their recommended daily amounts of protein without necessarily having to buy protein bars.