High blood sugar is a condition that predicts diabetes in many people, according to the Ohio State University Medical Center. If not controlled, high blood sugar can lead to short-term symptoms such as feeling extremely thirsty or hungry, skin itching or numbness, mood swings, infections, and loss of consciousness. Long-term conditions include kidney disease as well as diabetes. High blood sugar can often be controlled through diet. You can create your own diet plan, or follow an already-existing diet shown to help high blood sugar. Always consult a physician before changing your diet.
Doctor-Prepared Diets
A diet to control high blood sugar that is prepared by your physician is your best first choice. Many health clinics and hospitals also provide information on dietary changes that can help control high blood sugar. For example, MayoClinic.com recommends counting carbohydrates as a way to keep your blood sugar steady. It recommends eating carbohydrates like fresh vegetables and fruits, whole-grain products, and nuts or legumes. Your physician may be able to give you more detailed advice or recommend a nutritionist who can help you follow this sort of diet.
South Beach Diet
The South Beach Diet is "ideal for people who are prediabetic or diabetic," according to the diet's website, because it is designed to help keep blood sugar steady. Created by cardiologist Dr. Arthur Agatston, the South Beach Diet focuses on nutrient-rich foods and avoids foods that are high in simple carbohydrates, like sugary processed foods and foods containing white flour. By eating slow-burning, filling foods like lean meats, vegetables, and healthy fats, people on the South Beach Diet control food cravings by controlling blood sugar, which allows them to lose weight without feeling deprived or suffering from the symptoms of high blood sugar.
Sugar Busters Diet
The Sugar Busters diet allows you to eat many of the same foods allowed on the South Beach Diet, but the Sugar Busters diet specifically focuses on eliminating sugar. Created in 1995 by physicians Dr. Luis Balart, Dr. Morris Bethea, and Dr. Sam Andrews, along with CEO Leighton Steward, the Sugar Busters diet controls high blood sugar by eliminating most processed and refined carbohydrates from the diet and replacing them with whole grains, lean proteins, vegetables, fruits, and dairy. According to its creators, the diet helps control the body's output of insulin, a key factor in high blood sugar, and also helps the body burn excess fat instead of storing it.
