Health & Medical Diseases & Conditions

Part 1 - Diabetic Diet Sample Simplified

Diabetes Mellitus (DM) is a silent killer.
If you have family history of diabetes, or you are overweight or diagnosed with other conditions such as hypertension and heart problems.
Then you are lucky enough to read this article.
Your risk of acquiring diabetes mellitus is higher compared to others, but your chances of fighting this condition are greater if you instill Discipline and Motivation into your lives.
If you are already diagnosed with diabetes mellitus, this is not the end of your life.
Though, they say that there is no cure for diabetes mellitus, but this condition can be greatly controlled if you are seriously thinking of it also.
Read the following tips that will help you manage this dreaded condition.
1.
Educate yourself To reduce blood glucose we must first understand how it gets increased.
Discipline and Motivation is not possible if you do not understand the condition.
The more educated you are about diabetes; the more likely you are able to manage it.
Information in the internet is indeed useful-though sometimes they offer "generic' advices, it is more sensible to seek advices from the health care team.
Do not rely on suggestions from your diabetic friends.
The treatment of diabetes mellitus is highly individualized.
Nutrition therapy, exercise and pharmacological therapy are the medical approaches in diabetes.
Consult the expert for better understanding of your symptoms.
Find a nutritionist to help you assist with your diet.
2.
Keep your weight Nutrition, meal planning and weight control are the foundations of diabetes management.
The most important objective in blood sugar control is achieving your ideal body weight based on your height.
Being in shape reduces complications.
Dietitians will compute your body mass index.
(BMI).
BMI or Quetelet index is a statistical measure which compares a person's weight and height.
As I have mentioned earlier, management of diabetes mellitus is highly individualized.
The meal plan will consider the patient's food preferences; lifestyle, eating preferences, usual eating times and cultural background to achieve realistic goals.
3.
Right amount and right quality of food Generally, almost all the food that we eat will be converted as glucose as a source of energy.
However in Diabetes mellitus, production of insulin is lacking that causes elevation of blood sugar.
Diabetic diet can be complicated, however easy to manage if you want to help your self.
Carbohydrates are known as major culprit in elevation of blood sugar.
The plate method in controlling diabetes is simply dividing your plate into three parts; ½ of your plate are for vegetables; ¼ for your protein rich foods (meat, chicken and fish) and ¼ for the carbohydrate rich foods ( rice, bread and cereals).
There are also researches that claim that those who consume large amounts of dairy products are 70 percent less likely to develop insulin resistance.
It has been noted that proteins and enzymes found in dairy products help to control blood sugar by slowing the conversion of foods to glucose.
It is advisable to consume low fat dairy products than full fat dairy products because of the high amount of saturated fats.
Saturated fats are fats known to increase the bad cholesterol level in the blood which can complicate things further.
3.
Small frequent feedings than large meals Small frequent feedings reduces food cravings than 3 large meals.
To control effects of hypoglycemia and hyperglycemia, it is best to eat every 3 or 4 hours to avoid decreasing sugar level which can result to overeating, which in turn results to spikes in blood sugar.
4.
Don't skip breakfast Breakfast is the most neglected meal of the day.
Only few realizes the importance of taking in breakfast which perks us up throughout the day.
Diabetics often experience elevated blood sugar upon arising, either from insufficient levels of insulin.
However, eating breakfast helps in controlling weight which is essential in management of diabetes.
5.
Beverage Drinks It is best to consume less of drinks that causes spike in sugar levels.
A 100 ml of cola drinks contains 5 teaspoons of sugar.
Be merciless on beverages that contain sugar.
Colas and coffee makes you feel thirstier.
Nothing can replace water.
Drink at least 8-10 glasses of water.
6.
It pays to check the labels Glycemic index are also used by the dietitian in panning menu for diabetics.
Foods low in glycemic index means carbohydrates which has lesser impacts on elevation of blood sugar.
Foods that are naturally low in glycemic index are fruits and vegetables, whole grains, oats and legumes.
Refrain from foods made up of refined sugars such as donut, pretzels and potatoes.
7.
Green tea helps.
Green tea speeds up our metabolism.
Polyphenols, a naturally occurring substance in green tea triggers the release of norepinephrine which makes us burn calorie faster.
It also suppresses our appetite that helps reduce our food cravings.
See related topic: " Diabetic Diet Plans " - a combination and balancing of nutritious foods that will help to use these foods for energy needs more efficiently.

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