According to 2011 information from the American Diabetes Association, 79 million Americans have been diagnosed with pre-diabetes. If your pre-diabetes develops into type 2 diabetes, your risk for developing a whole host of chronic diseases, including heart disease, greatly increases. Controlling your blood glucose by monitoring what you eat can help keep type 2 diabetes at bay.
Blood Glucose Norms
Normal blood glucose levels should fall into a certain range and vary depending on the time of day. A normal and healthy glucose before you eat a meal should range from 70 to 130 mg/dL. After you eat, your blood glucose should remain somewhere under 180 mg/dL. The standards for those with diabetes differ from adults without diabetes. If you have pre-diabetes, your doctor may recommend stricter blood glucose guidelines for you.
Carbohydrates
The type, as well as the number, of carbohydrates that you consume matters when you have pre-diabetes. Healthy carbohydrates come from natural sources instead of refined and processed sources. Eating an apple is far healthier than taking in carbohydrates from a cookie, even when they contain the same number of carbohydrates. Natural sources like those from fruits, vegetables and legumes are accompanied by various vitamins and minerals and are usually lower in calories. Fiber is also a healthy type of carbohydrate. Although fiber is considered a carbohydrate, your body does not digest or absorb it. In addition, it can actually work to slow the effect that your meal has on your blood glucose.
Carbs and Blood Glucose Control
There are two ways you can consider controlling your intake of carbohydrates and the effect they have on your blood glucose: Carbohydrate counting is one common method. This involves limiting the total number of carbohydrates you consume during meal and snack times. The American Diabetes Association recommends limiting carbs to 45 to 60 g per meal. Another way to is to eat according to the glycemic index. The glycemic index (GI) is a rating of food based on its effects on your glucose. Foods are categorized as low, medium or high. A high rating results in a rapid and high rise in glucose. Therefore, if you consume low GI foods or a combination of low GI foods, your blood glucose will not become overly elevated as a result. When starting out, the carbohydrate counting system may be easier for you to understand and navigate.
Foods to Limit
Eating to prevent diabetes also means making the right food choices when it comes to fats, sodium and proteins as well. Since diabetes increases your risk for heart disease, these foods also matter. Try to limit your saturated fat intake to 7 percent or less of your total calories. Your cholesterol consumption should not exceed 200 mg and sodium intake is best under 2,000 mg. The easiest way to limit these foods is to cook more for yourself, limiting the amount of processed foods you eat. You should also choose whole foods like fruits, vegetables and lean sources of protein like legumes or poultry.
Special Considerations
Preventing diabetes takes more than just changing your diet. Exercise is also a necessary part of prevention. According to the American Diabetes Association, 30 minutes of daily exercise combined with a 5 to 10 percent reduction in your weight can reduce diabetes by 58 percent. Exercise helps move glucose from your bloodstream and into the cells that need it. It aids in control over blood glucose and a reduction in hyperglycemia. Before starting any new exercise program, check with your doctor.
References
- American Diabetes Association: Prediabetes
- "Cecil Essentials of Medicine"; Thomas Andreoli, Charles Carpenter, Robert Griggs, Joseph Loscalzo, eds.; 2004
- American Diabetes Association: Checking Your Blood Glucose
- MayoClinic.com: Diabetes Diet; Create Your Healthy Eating Plan; September 17, 2010
- "Dietary Guidelines for Americans: 2010"; United States Department of Agriculture; February 2010
- American Diabetes Association: Carbohydrate Counting
