If you're diabetic, your body has trouble producing or regulating its insulin, which can lead to high blood sugar levels and related complications. However, you can reduce your chances of having complications if you follow a sound nutrition program. No single nutrition plan is best for all people with diabetes, but all diabetes nutrition programs contain similar elements.
Risky Foods
Because diabetes increases your chances of developing heart disease by speeding up the development of plaque in the arteries, you will benefit from cutting back on foods that can also contribute to an unhealthy heart. Reduce your heart risk by cutting back on saturated fats, which are found in animal proteins and high-fat dairy; trans fats, which are commonly found in processed snacks, margarines, shortening, donuts and French fries; cholesterol, which is found in egg yolks, shellfish, high-fat dairy, red meat and organ meats such as liver; and sodium. Saturated fat should be less than seven percent of your calories per day and trans fat should be no more than one percent. Moreover, eat no more than 200mg of cholesterol and eat less than 2,000mg of sodium per day.
Focus Foods
Your diabetes diet should emphasize high-quality sources of carbohydrates, protein and fats. For example, a diet should focus on fiber-rich plant foods such as vegetables, nuts, beans, whole grains and fruits because fiber can help you control your blood sugar levels. These fiber-rich foods also happen to offer a high level of nutrition in a small caloric package. You should also eat heart-healthy fish, such as halibut and salmon, two or more times each week and include healthy fats from foods such as avocados, walnuts and olive oils.
Dealing with Carbohydrates
Because carbohydrates increase your blood sugar levels, managing your intake of carbohydrates helps you keep your blood sugar under control. Foods that contain carbohydrates include fruit, fruit juice, dairy, dried beans, sweets and starches, such as cereal and bread. If you're counting your carbohydrate intake, your doctor or dietitian may recommend that you start with a limit of about 45 to 60g to see how well you tolerate it. You would find about 15g of carbohydrates in one small piece of fruit, ½ cup of oatmeal, or ½ cup of ice cream. If you don't want to count all carbohydrates on every nutrition label, you might use an alternative carbohydrate monitoring system. The exchange system, for example, involves categorizing foods based on type, such as starches and fats. You are allowed to trade or exchange foods in each group since they contain a similar amount of nutrients and affect your blood sugar similarly. For example, you might trade one apple for ½ cup of cooked pasta for a carbohydrate serving exchange.
Hypoglycemia
Having diabetes also increases your risk of having dangerously low blood sugar, or hypoglycemia, which can cause you to experience hunger, fatigue, shakiness, weakness and confusion. If you feel these symptoms and you notice that your blood glucose level is under 70, grab some emergency sugar stores. Three to four glucose tablets, 4 oz. of fruit juice or soda, 1 cup of milk or 1 tbsp. of honey should help. Have one more serving if your blood glucose remains under 70.
Member Comments