There are many different monitors on the market today that make monitoring blood glucose levels easy and painless. There are several reasons as to why certain people are prone to acquiring diabetes. Although there is a genetic link to the disease, weight also plays a significant role in diabetes. People who are considered obese have an increased chance of acquiring diabetes and poor weight management makes it difficult for them to control the disease. It is a common misconception that someone suffering from hypoglycemia should be given something sweet to alleviate the condition. The truth of the matter is that those suffering from hypoglycemia are usually lacking protein and a food high in protein can alleviate their symptoms. Peanut butter is an excellent choice in helping someone suffering from hypoglycemia. Good Gylcemic Foods The Glycemic Index was discovered in 1981 and is the basis for many recently popular diets, including the South Beach Diet as well as others. The Glycemic Index determines how long certain carbohydrates take to break down and digest in the system. Those with a high rating, take the longest time to break down and do the most damage to the system of someone with diabetes. Carbohydrates that break down and cause rapid digestion tend to leave the most glucose in the blood stream and cause the most damage to a person who is a diabetic. These carbohydrates are given a high rating on the Glycemic Index. The carbohydrates that are given a high rating on the Glycemic Index include those made with white sugar, white flour, baked potato, French fried pototoes, white break, pastas made with white flour. A person who has been diagnosed with diabetes should familiarize him or her self with the Glycemic Index as soon as possible. Diabetes can be controlled by a healthy diet. By learning about the Glycemic Index, one can empower themselves to learn which foods should be avoided and which foods can be beneficial to their health. This includes white bread, pasta made with white flour and even cakes or sweets made with refined white sugar or white flour. High glycemic foods tend to take a long time to digest in the system of a diabetic. The glucose, or sugar, stays in the blood because the system of a diabetic is unable to process the refine sugars and flours.