About 23 million American have diabetes, according to the American Diabetes Association. Making healthy dietary choices to control blood sugar is important for managing this disease. Avoiding unhealthy foods that spike blood glucose levels can help prevent serious health problems, such as organ damage. A variety of meal-planning tools are available for diabetics. Consider utilizing available resources and discussing food choices with a dietitian specializing in diabetic meal planning.
American Diabetes Association
The American Diabetes Association website gives you information about the best foods and tools for menu planning for diabetics. Search for diabetes-friendly recipes by main ingredient or course. Learn about healthy food choices, strategies for eating nutritionally, appropriate desserts and available sugar substitutes. The site allows you to plan various menus, including for the holidays, for optimal carbohydrate levels or for vegetarian-only meals. Finally, track and plan meals using an interactive feature called MyFoodAdvisor that allows you to record your menu plans and retrieve them on command.
National Diabetes Information Clearinghouse
The National Diabetes Information Clearinghouse, sponsored by the National Institutes of Health, provides an online workbook that walks you through the decisions you face when creating a healthy diabetic diet plan. The site reviews optimal blood glucose levels, the diabetes food pyramid, schedules for meals and medications and printable worksheets you can use to plan daily menus.
American Dietetic Association
The diabetes and diet section of the American Dietetic Association website includes a top-level guide for eating right with diabetes. The site reviews the steps a dietitian would follow when creating a meal plan for you based on the disease's limitations. It reviews the exchange list for diabetics, an organizational tool similar to the food pyramid, for meal planning. Exchanging one serving of rice for one serving of pasta in a meal plan is an example. The site also reviews carbohydrate counting and provides a link for finding a dietitian in your area.
Joslin Diabetes Center
The Joslin Diabetes Center, affiliated with Harvard Medical School, provides informative resources on its website that help diabetics manage lifestyle choices regarding diet and living with the disease. The site offers articles, such as "Tips for Coping with Emotional Eating," and many more that help you navigate potential obstacles. The site also provides online message boards that let you communicate with the Joslin clinical staff, as well as other diabetics and their families.
References
- MayoClinic.com: Diabetes diet: Create Your Healthy-Eating Plan
- American Diabetes Association: Diabetes Statistics
- Harvard Medical School's Joslin Diabetes Center
- American Diabetes Association: Food and Fitness
- NDIC: What I need to know about Eating and Diabetes
- American Dietetic Association: Diabetes and Diet
