Diabetes is essentially a genetic disease; however its expression depends on environment. Simply put, you cannot prevent the onset of diabetes if you have its genes in you, but you can manage it very well if you follow a proper life style and observe certain dietary rules.
As a matter of fact these dietary rules are nothing more than general guidelines for a balanced nutritious diet. However, most people today have so unhealthy dietary habits that they need to be instructed and supervised in it, until it becomes part of their lifestyle
The Bare Basics
If you are a diabetic, the first rule you must observe is to have regular meals and eat in small portions, a strategy known as portion control. Apart from that you only need to observe general nutrition guidelines, particularly regarding carbohydrate intake.
Starches
You can take starchy foods in small portions provided the overall daily intake is not too large. Such foods are bread, cereals and some vegetables, particularly potato.
Fruits and Vegetables
Eat as much fruits and vegetables as you can. In the least, you should eat five servings of fruits and vegetables everyday. You can easily do it by taking a few pieces of your favorite fruits for at snacks times, or by having vegetables in dinner. Soups, stir fries and chili help in consumption of more vegetables, so include these in lunch/or dinner.
Sugar
Surprising though it may seem, you can have sugars and sweets in type II diabetes, but strictly in moderation, that is no more than once, or at the most twice a week. A smart way to eat less sweet while satisfying your craving for sweets at the same time, is to reduce your desert to half.
Soluble and Insoluble Fibers
Soluble fibers are especially beneficial in diabetes as they slow down and reduce the absorption of glucose from the intestines. So, eat soluble fiber rich food as much as you can. Soluble fibers are present in a variety of foods such as fruits, vegetables, seeds and legumes, particularly kidney beans. Insoluble fibers are also an important constituent of a balanced diet. They scrub out and clean the lower intestinal tract. Insoluble fibers are found in bran, whole grains and nuts.
All said, it would still be the best to take the services of a dietician to formulate a diet plan keeping in view your lifestyle, weight, ongoing medication and other medical and health issues, together with your favorite foods to ensure that you remain healthy even while satisfying your cravings for particular tastes.
Weight and Lifestyle Issues
In type II diabetes, extra body fat makes it even more difficult for your body to produce and use insulin. So, it is very important to maintain a healthy weight. Shedding as little as 10 or 20 pounds can improve your blood sugar level significantly.
Fats and Carbohydrates
To maintain a healthy weight you will have to reduce your intake of fats and carbohydrates. One way to do it is carbohydrate counting. In it, you determine how many grams of carbohydrate you need in your particular meals and snacks depending on your physical activity level and medication. Carbohydrate counting books are available to help you for the purpose.
Diabetics are at a higher risk as regards heart problems. So they are advised to keep their consumption of fat below 30% of their total calorie intake. Therefore if you are a diabetic, you should consume less fat and particularly stay away from saturated fats. We would also advise you to eat less amount of meat, and stick to lean meats like poultry and fish.
Smoking and Drinking
Smoking can worsen the severity of diabetes and make it more difficult to cope with it. Diabetes often causes problems in blood circulation in the legs and feet, and smoking decreases blood flow even more. Further it raises the level of LDL cholesterol and increases the risk of heart attack Therefore, if you do smoke, we would strongly advise you to quit smoking immediately.
You can take alcohol in moderate amounts if the blood sugar level is under control. But don't drink on an empty stomach, it can result in low blood sugar level. Take the advice of your doctor as to how much alcohol you can safely take.
If you have been following an unhealthy lifestyle and diet, it will be a little difficult to adjust to the new regime. However, not much time will pass before you get adjusted to it and begin to enjoy a healthy life in spite of your diabetes.
As a matter of fact these dietary rules are nothing more than general guidelines for a balanced nutritious diet. However, most people today have so unhealthy dietary habits that they need to be instructed and supervised in it, until it becomes part of their lifestyle
The Bare Basics
If you are a diabetic, the first rule you must observe is to have regular meals and eat in small portions, a strategy known as portion control. Apart from that you only need to observe general nutrition guidelines, particularly regarding carbohydrate intake.
Starches
You can take starchy foods in small portions provided the overall daily intake is not too large. Such foods are bread, cereals and some vegetables, particularly potato.
Fruits and Vegetables
Eat as much fruits and vegetables as you can. In the least, you should eat five servings of fruits and vegetables everyday. You can easily do it by taking a few pieces of your favorite fruits for at snacks times, or by having vegetables in dinner. Soups, stir fries and chili help in consumption of more vegetables, so include these in lunch/or dinner.
Sugar
Surprising though it may seem, you can have sugars and sweets in type II diabetes, but strictly in moderation, that is no more than once, or at the most twice a week. A smart way to eat less sweet while satisfying your craving for sweets at the same time, is to reduce your desert to half.
Soluble and Insoluble Fibers
Soluble fibers are especially beneficial in diabetes as they slow down and reduce the absorption of glucose from the intestines. So, eat soluble fiber rich food as much as you can. Soluble fibers are present in a variety of foods such as fruits, vegetables, seeds and legumes, particularly kidney beans. Insoluble fibers are also an important constituent of a balanced diet. They scrub out and clean the lower intestinal tract. Insoluble fibers are found in bran, whole grains and nuts.
All said, it would still be the best to take the services of a dietician to formulate a diet plan keeping in view your lifestyle, weight, ongoing medication and other medical and health issues, together with your favorite foods to ensure that you remain healthy even while satisfying your cravings for particular tastes.
Weight and Lifestyle Issues
In type II diabetes, extra body fat makes it even more difficult for your body to produce and use insulin. So, it is very important to maintain a healthy weight. Shedding as little as 10 or 20 pounds can improve your blood sugar level significantly.
Fats and Carbohydrates
To maintain a healthy weight you will have to reduce your intake of fats and carbohydrates. One way to do it is carbohydrate counting. In it, you determine how many grams of carbohydrate you need in your particular meals and snacks depending on your physical activity level and medication. Carbohydrate counting books are available to help you for the purpose.
Diabetics are at a higher risk as regards heart problems. So they are advised to keep their consumption of fat below 30% of their total calorie intake. Therefore if you are a diabetic, you should consume less fat and particularly stay away from saturated fats. We would also advise you to eat less amount of meat, and stick to lean meats like poultry and fish.
Smoking and Drinking
Smoking can worsen the severity of diabetes and make it more difficult to cope with it. Diabetes often causes problems in blood circulation in the legs and feet, and smoking decreases blood flow even more. Further it raises the level of LDL cholesterol and increases the risk of heart attack Therefore, if you do smoke, we would strongly advise you to quit smoking immediately.
You can take alcohol in moderate amounts if the blood sugar level is under control. But don't drink on an empty stomach, it can result in low blood sugar level. Take the advice of your doctor as to how much alcohol you can safely take.
If you have been following an unhealthy lifestyle and diet, it will be a little difficult to adjust to the new regime. However, not much time will pass before you get adjusted to it and begin to enjoy a healthy life in spite of your diabetes.
0 comments:
Post a Comment