The Glycemic Index Diet for Dummies - Meri Raffetto [96]
Approaching the Web with caution
The Internet is a great tool for finding articles and getting support. However, it's also filled with an abundance of not-so-good information. You really need to pay attention to the source of a Web site to ensure the information on it is accurate. If you aren't sure whether information you find online is true, ask a professional.
If you have a health condition such as diabetes or high cholesterol and are taking medications for it, the wrong dietary information can be harmful. I've seen people end up in the hospital from bad information. I even saw a woman in her 30s fight for her life in a diabetic coma due to inaccurate advice. So even though most of the time nutrition information you find online doesn't necessarily cause any major problems, it can cause you serious issues in some circumstances.
Sites that sell information products or provide information from individuals who've lost weight following a low-glycemic diet can be good for support, but unless the site operators have the proper education or know how to interpret research studies, the information they provide should be taken with a ton of salt.
People aren't out to give you bad advice; they just may not know enough to give good advice. When in doubt about the accuracy of information in a pticular article, check the author's credentials. Is this person in the healthcare field? Has she been trained in this topic? What type of education program did she go through? These questions will help assure you that the information you're getting is accurate. You can also look for sites with professional articles that have been peer-reviewed by other doctors and registered dieticians. WebMD is one such site, which is why it's one of the best places to find quality health articles online.
Attending Glycemic Index Programs
Programs related to the glycemic index, such as classes and conferences, are win-win scenarios: You receive information you can trust, and you build a new support group with fellow participants. Finding glycemic index classes and conferences isn't always easy, so I offer some suggestions for doing so in the following sections.
Group classes
Group classes occur either as series or one-time affairs. Either way, you can often find these classes at your local hospital. Start by checking out the hospital's Web site to see what types of health classes it offers. If you don't find any, you can call the nutrition department and ask whether it ever offers any classes on the low-glycemic diet or weight management in general.
Another option for finding group classes is to look for registered dieticians who work in private practice in your local area. Do a Web search or pull out the phonebook and flip through the Yellow Pages to see whether any local dieticians offer classes.
If you can't track down a class, find a local registered dietitian and ask her whether she'd ever be interested in starting one up. If you can persuade the dietician that several people in the community would benefit from the class, she may just be willing to give it a go. It never hurts to ask!
Professional conferences
Going to a professional conference on low-glycemic diets may sound a little "outside the box," but it has been done. Healthcare professionals must take continuing education classes on many different topics in order to keep up on the latest research. If you don't mind listening to a lot of medical jargon, professional conferences can be a great place to obtain the latest scoop on the glycemic index.
Note: Not only are professional conferences costly, but in many cases you must be a healthcare professional in order to attend, so this strategy isn't always a realistic one. However, I've seen many people attend these conferences for their own information. They can be a great way to network and meet professionals who're working in this area of expertise.
Part IV
Cooking and Eating the Low-Glycemic Way
In this part . . .
Whether you're a long-time cook or a cooking novice, I promise that