The Effects Of Diet On A Person With Diabetes

Diabetes can slowly rob you of your health. A constantly high level of glucose in the bloodstream can damage organs, the circulatory system and the immune system. Diabetes is closely associated with heart disease and can lead to other complications such as stroke, kidney failure, liver failure and nerve damage. An unhealthy diet can hasten the progress of diabetes. A healthy diet can reduce the risk of diabetic complications. In addition to a low-carb, low-fat diet, exercise can aid in diabetes management.

Negative Effects

An unhealthy diet high in carbohydrates can cause blood sugar to rise and remain higher than normal. Foods such as potatoes, white bread, pastries and white rice are very high on the glycemic index. These foods raise blood sugar more quickly than whole grains, vegetables and proteins.

Fried foods, fast food and processed and packaged foods contain many hidden fats that can put a person with diabetes at even higher risk for circulatory problems. An excess of carbohydrates and fat in the diet can lead to obesity, which itself decreases the length and quality of life for a person with diabetes.

Positive Effects

Diet can be a powerful diabetes management tool. Tracking what you eat, when you eat and your blood glucose levels throughout the day can assist you in keeping diabetes under control. Some people are able to keep their blood glucose levels within their target ranges with diet and exercise alone. Others need medications to either increase insulin or overcome insulin resistance, but diet can still play an important role in preventing unwanted glucose level swings.

Low-Carb Diet

A diet low in carbohydrates can help a person with diabetes regulate his blood sugar. The American Diabetes Association recommends eating between 45 and 60 grams of carbohydrates or less for each meal and two low-carb snacks each day. For some people, even 45 carbs may be too many, so frequent testing before and after a meal or a specific food can help a person with diabetes discover the foods that affect him most.

Low-Fat Diet

Since people with diabetes are also at greater risk for heart disease and stroke, keeping cholesterol levels in their target ranges is essential to good health. Eating a diet low in fat, especially saturated fats and trans fats, can lower LDL levels. Choosing foods with healthy fats---avocados, olive oil---helps keep arteries and veins free of dangerous plaque build-up.

Exercise

Physical activity is an important factor in how well people with diabetes metabolize the foods they eat. If your blood sugar remains high after a meal---even if that meal is low in carbohydrates---exercise can lower it so it is closer to the target range. Testing before and after exercise is essential until you figure out exactly how much exercise affects your post-meal blood sugar. If your blood sugar is too low before exercise, you may need to eat a snack---4 oz. of fruit juice or half a turkey sandwich, for example---before exercising. Otherwise, your blood sugar may dip too low and cause dizziness or fainting, according to diabetes expert Carol Guber.