According to an article published in the New England Journal of Medicine, obesity and a lack of exercise are the two most common causes of Type 2 diabetes around the world. Since how we eat affects our energy level and our bodies' ability to process toxins and fight off infections, taking dietary measures is a vital first step for anyone diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes. Knowing what you can and cannot eat will help in this initial phase of discovery.
Places to Start
Seeing a doctor is one of the best things that you can do once you've been diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes. Because your body is susceptible to infection and complications related to the disease, having a regularly scheduled appointment is a good idea. Your doctor can help you with understanding how diabetes affects the body and what you can do about it, including what and what not to eat. Another excellent source for diabetic diet information is the American Diabetes Association. Its website is full of useful information and should be used as a tool in helping you cope with your diabetes.
Tools to Healthy Eating
There are some basic choices that we make everyday when it comes to eating. In general, we know if something is healthy or not. There are certain tools you can use to help you make smart eating choices and find a healthy balance for daily living. Counting carbs is essential to a healthy diet for diabetics since carbohydrates are directly related to blood glucose levels. Setting a standard of around 45 to 60 grams of carbohydrates a day is a good place to start. Once you figure out how a certain amount of carbs affects your diabetes, you can adjust according to need. What you put on your plate is another important factor in controlling Type 2 diabetes. In the beginning, you'll want to avoid high starches and opt for some vegetables instead. Controlling your diabetes is all about finding healthy alternatives and still being satisfied with what you eat. Understanding where a food falls on the glycemic index is another important piece of information to keep your diabetes in check. All foods have a GI that can be measured. You can then adjust your diet accordingly.
Carbohydrates
Carbohydrates elevate blood sugar levels. It is vitally important that you learn how to manage your carbohydrate consumption. Counting carbs and finding a workable daily amount is an excellent start. There are three types of carbohydrates that need to be considered; starches, sugars and fibers. Starches and sugars are responsible for elevating blood glucose levels. You need to make sure that you include all three types of carbohydrates in your daily diet. These include beans, fruits and vegetables, grains, certain dairy products and, believe it or not, sweets and snack foods.
Fats
Diabetics have a higher risk for heart disease. This alone makes how much and what kind of fat you consume paramount to living a long, healthy life with the disease. Fats can be both good and bad. Bad fats, either saturated fat or transfat, raise the amount of cholesterol in the blood stream, one of the leading factors in heart disease. Eating a diet that is loaded with red meat, high-fat dairy, butter and chocolate would be unhealthy for your heart. To decrease risk factors, the ADA recommends that you substitute foods high in saturated fat and transfat with foods that contain monounsaturated fat and polyunsaturated fat, or good fats. Corn oil, olive oil, avocados, nuts and sunflower seeds are all sources of good fat.
Omega-3
Omega-3 fatty acids are also very good for filling the plate and not clogging up the arteries. Fish, chicken and tofu are great dietary staples that can make for a filling meal without a lot of saturated fats and transfat.
Superfoods
No matter whether you have diabetes or not, there are certain foods that are just plain good for you. Several of these foods work very well with a Type 2 diabetic diet. Superfoods contain a laundry list of vitamins and minerals that are vitally important to the daily diet. Beans, leafy vegetables, citrus fruits, berries, tomatoes and sweet potatoes are great for rounding out the diet and filling the plate with good nutrition.
