Glossary

Right, so I promised a bit of terminology explaining. And just so we are all on the same page, I’m going to avoid the more complex terminology that goes with this lifestyle; mainly because I find it can get confusing and the last thing we need with something potentially life changing is for you to be put off by gobblygook.

Carbohydrates – in a nutshell, complex and simple sugars the body uses as a primary fuel source.

GI (Glycemic Index) – an index that charts the blood-sugar impact that food has on the system. A food that has a limited impact will have a low number, and conversely something that will up the blood-sugar more sharply will have a high number. Please note: Low GI doesn’t always equal Low Carb though they often go hand in hand.

Insulin – a hormone that is vital in the distribution of fuel/sugar throughout the body.

Insulin Index – basically does the same thing as GI except that rather than measuring blood-sugar levels as they vary, it measures the impact food/drink has on insulin levels in the body. Remember that depending on what you’re eating, your body will release an appropriate amount of insulin to transport the energy you’re getting from it throughout the body.

Insulin Resistance – sometimes a body won’t respond to the usual amount of insulin needed for a certain amount of food, in which case the pancreas has to release more insulin. The more insulin needed, the higher the resistance; remembering that people suffering from diabetes often require external insulin to aid in the maintenance of blood-sugar and that too much insulin in your system can kill you. It’s a fine line.

Ketones – fuel the body harvests from stored or ingested fats.

Ketosis – when the body starts burning ketones instead of sugars to fuel itself.

Net Carbs – ‘Total Carbohydrates’ minus ‘Fibre’. These are the carbs your body digests for fuel, they are also the carbs we count when we’re dealing with amount we allow ourselves in a low carb lifestyle.