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November is Diabetes Awareness month

Our show for Novenber 6,2007 focuses on the Glycemic index and it's importance for diabetics. The Glycemic index or GI of a food is an indicator of how fast a food will raise blood glucose. This is an important idea for a diabetic to understand.

Our Guests for this show are:

Dr. Alexandra Jenkins, Director of Reasearch, Glycemic Index Labratories. Toronto, ON

Dr Jenkins' major research focus has been the nutritional treatment of diabetes. She has volunteered extensively for the Canadian Diabetes Association; she chaired the National Nutrition Committee from 1989-1991 and the Grants for Applied Research in Diabetes Education, Management and Care Committee from 1996-2000. Presently she is an Associate Editor of the Canadian Journal of Diabetes. In recognition of her contributions, Dr. Jenkins received the Eli Lilly Graduate Scholarship Award in 2000, and in 2001 a Special Education Award from the CDA. She completed her PhD at the University of Surrey in the United Kingdom and is a registered dietitian. She has been an author or co-author on over 50 original publications and more than 48 chapters and reviews.

David MacPhail is an expert patient who has successfully used nutrition and alternative therapies to overcome chronic illness.

He says, "Canadians face skyrocketing diagnoses of obesity, type 2 diabetes, hypertension, and other serious health conditions that are a direct outcome of poor diet. Yet, despite the myriad of health benefits associated with a low GI diet, few health care professionals in Canada seem to be knowledgeable on the subject. Worse, at the present time, the Canadian government will not permit the food industry to provide consumers with glycemic index information on nutrition labelling. Because of this regulation"

Dr. David Hite, Nutrition Educator

A lifelong educator with over 30 years experience, David has taught in California and around the world. A twenty-year veteran in public schools, his presentation skills were honed teaching biology, chemistry, and health education at the junior high, high school and community college levels. Additionally, David spent two years teaching science at Cairo American College in Egypt, and two years at Shanghai American School in China. He was twice honored by the state of California as a Mentor Teacher.

David earned a doctorate degree in health education for his research into women and their risks in the early HIV/AIDS epidemic and then supervised street outreach prevention programs for the public health department. David spent a year in South East Asia developing HIV/AIDS prevention programs in refugee camps on the western border in Thailand.

A professional member of the American Diabetes Association and the American Association of Diabetes Educators, he keeps abreast of the latest research and treatment strategies working daily with diabetes patients in his current position as a Clinical Health Educator in the Chronic Conditions Management Department for a major healthcare provider in Sacramento, California.