The prevalence of diabetes has been raising steadily over the past decades and has now reached 25.8 million Americans, as of 2011 according to the National Diabetes Information Clearinghouse. Over 90 percent of people diagnosed with diabetes have type 2 diabetes, the type of diabetes associated with insulin resistance, or an inability of your cells to respond appropriately to insulin, which results in high blood sugar levels. Managing type 2 diabetes can prevent you from suffering, or at least delay the development, of the long-term complications resulting from uncontrolled diabetes.
Diabetes Management
Diabetes management is centered on controlling your blood sugar levels so they stay within the recommended range. Elevated blood sugar levels can damage your arteries, nerves and organs and result in the development of complications such as blindness, stroke, cardiovascular diseases, renal problems and amputations. To delay and prevent these problems, your blood sugar levels should stay between 70 and 130 mg/dL before your meals and below 180 mg/dL two hours after eating, according to the American Diabetes Association.
Carbohydrates and Diabetes
The best way to manage your diabetes is through proper nutrition. Following a healthy diet with the right amount of carbohydrates will help you maintain your blood sugar levels within the suggested parameters to stay healthy and maximize your quality of life. Carbohydrate is found in grains, starchy vegetables, sugar, fruits and some dairy products and during the digestion process, it is converted to sugar and then enter your bloodstream. This is why a high carbohydrate intake can lead to high blood sugar levels, while a carbohydrate-control diet can help you keep optimal blood sugar levels. Start looking at the carbohydrate content of the foods you buy to get a better idea of the carbohydrates you consume in your daily meal plan.
Carbohydrate Recommendations
Controlling your carbohydrate intake is the key strategy to manage your blood sugar levels and diabetes. A good starting point is to limit your carbs to 45 to 60 g per meal, as suggested by the American Diabetes Association. However, according to an article in the July 2005 issue of "Nutrition & Metabolism," low-carb diets, with 10 to 25 g of carbohydrates per meal, may be more suitable for some diabetics to not only bring their blood sugar levels within target, but also lose weight and improve their lipid profile.
Finding Your Carbohydrate Target
To determine what is your personal tolerance to carbohydrate is by monitoring your blood sugar levels before and after a meal. Keep a journal and record your results, along your with carbohydrate intake, to identify pattern between what you eat and how it influences your blood sugar levels. Tweak your carbohydrate intake until you get your blood sugar levels within the desirable range. If you take diabetes medications or insulin, consult your doctor before making any significant dietary changes to make sure the transition is safe and healthy for you.
References
- National Diabetes Information Clearinghouse; National Diabetes Statistics; 2011
- American Diabetes Association: Thigh Diabetes Control
- American Diabetes Association: Carbohydrate Counting
- "Nutrition & Metabolism"; The Case For Low Carbohydrate Diets in Diabetes Management; Surender K Arora and Samy I McFarlane; July 2005
- " Nutrition & Metabolism"; Low-Carbohydrate Diet in Type 2 Diabetes: Stable Improvement of Bodyweight and Glycemic Control During 44 Months Follow-Up; Jörgen V Nielsen and Eva A Joensson; May 2008
