Following a healthy diabetic diet is an important component of managing your diabetes, along with regular physical activity and sometimes the use of medications as prescribed by your doctor. A diabetic diet should help you control your carbohydrate intake, which is the main factor influencing your blood sugar levels. A good way to follow a diabetic diet over the long-term is to establish your meals according to the plate method. Half of your plate should be non-starchy vegetables, a quarter of your plate should be a lean source of protein, and the remaining quarter can be occupied by carbohydrate-containing foods, as recommended by the American Diabetes Association.
Controlled Blood Sugars
The main goal of following and maintaining a healthy diabetic diet is to keep your blood sugar levels under control and as close as possible to the blood sugar levels observed in people without diabetes. Controlled blood sugar levels are associated with less problems, whether in the short- or long-term. The recommended target for your blood sugar levels is between 70 and 130 mg/dL before a meal and below 180 mg/dL two hours after eating, according to the American Diabetes Association, although your doctor may have set a different target for you.
Short-Term Effects
Hyperglycemia, or high blood sugar levels, results from eating the right foods or eating too much of some foods. It can create some problems for you in the short-term. If your blood sugar levels are higher than the recommended range, you may experience some side effects, which include fatigue, increased thirst, increased urination, a blurry vision and wounds and infections that take longer to heal, although some diabetics do not experience any of these side effects. You can prevent these unpleasant side effects by following your diabetic diet.
Long-Term Effects
Having high blood sugar levels, due to a poor diet and inadequate diabetes management, can lead to some serious complications in the long-term. Elevated blood sugar levels damage your arteries, nerves, organs and tissues. Over time, uncontrolled diabetes can lead to heart disease, stroke, kidney failure, amputation and blindness. However, keeping your blood sugar levels within the recommended range can delay and even prevent these long-term complications associated with uncontrolled diabetes.
Health Costs
The expenses associated with the complications that can result from uncontrolled diabetes can add up quickly. Although many argue that a healthy diet is more expensive, staying on track with your diet can save you a lot of money in the long-term. Following and maintaining your diabetic diet also increases your likelihood of living a long life while enjoying a good quality of life.
