SexyDiabetic.com

When I first became diabetic I was scared to eat anything.  I went to the local grocery market and felt like I was walking in a store of death. Everything I that I thought was healthy contained large amount of sugar and carbohydrates.  I was scared to eat anything because I didn’t know if I was going to feel sluggish afterwards. I dreaded this feeling.  It didn’t allow me to move fast.  I had to realize that I had to learn how to eat healthy and get my glucose levels under control.

As a diabetic we must relearn and create a new relationship with food.  Ultimately, this will help us to keep our bodies in good working order and it will make us feel better.  Without a healthy relationship with food and glucose maintenance - we are only damaging our bodies more.

The main goal behind meal planning for type 2 diabetes is to prevent sugar level from spiking or dropping throughout the day. Eating frequent, small meals and watching your portion size will win the battle if you are consistent. Commit to keeping a journal for two weeks, and test your sugar levels rigorously in the morning and 2 hours after each main meal. Log the results as well as the time and contents of each meal, and any exercise you do.

The Diabetic Diet

There isn’t any particular diet that will work for all diabetics. Even the traditional low carbohydrate or low sugar diets are scrutinized by plenty of diabetics.  There will be a learning curve in trying to find out what food patterns will work with you.  There are some basic guidelines that can be offered to help in the development of a personal meal plan.  There are plenty of websites that will have examples of a “diabetic diet” plan.  or many diabetics, what you eat is not so much the issue as how much you eat and when you eat it, but there are always choices and picking healthier ones will make controlling diabetes that much easier. There are several different methods you can use to keep track of your dietary intake. A diet log is one of the easiest, and some helpful hints follow along with a sample page to help you begin your own. As you go along, you can look back and see your progress as you bring your disease under control. It is important to note here that diet is only part of a true diabetes control plan, so the log suggested here provides a place to record all aspects of your method.

If you test your blood sugar regularly, you will need to note the reading and time. If you have a bad reading, write down how you feel physically; this can help you notice early warning signs your body may give. Likewise if you are insulin dependent, note the time and dosage of each injection. Make sure you accurately record the time of each meal as well as precisely what you eat, and any exercise you take through the day. Exercise does not have to be hard or gym-based; any activity such as brisk walking (shopping or taking the kids for a walk) or even vigorous housecleaning can apply.  As you progress through the day, you can adjust your food choices and add medication or exercise to help keep your sugar levels stableTake your log to each of your doctor appointments to if there are patterns.

Size Matters

Portion control is the most valuable weapon in your arsenal to combat blood sugar highs. In today’s super-sized world, many people have no idea what a proper serving of food should look like.  A small kitchen scale can be an invaluable tool as you learn how to portion your food; these often come with a listing of recommended serving sizes.  Make sure you get adequate nutrition by including enough servings from each food group per day. Your dietician can pinpoint exactly what your ideal number of servings is for each category.

The key to a basic diabetic diet is eating in moderation, sticking to regular mealtimes, and eating a variety of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains.

Eating right for diabetes comes down to three things:

• What you eat. Your diet makes a huge difference!! You should eat mostly plant foods, cut back on refined carbs and sugary drinks, and choose healthy fats over unhealthy fats.
• When you eat. Diet is part of it, but keeping regular meal and snack times also affects your blood sugar levels and will help to keep them more constant.
• How much you eat. Portion sizes matter. Even if you eat very healthy meals, if you eat too much you will gain weight, which is a factor in diabetes.

You do not need to eat special foods, but instead simply emphasize vegetables, fruits, and whole grains. A diabetes diet is simply a healthy eating plan that is high in nutrients, low in fat, and moderate in calories. It is a healthy diet for anyone!

There are many ways to reduce your sugar consumption.

Here are a few suggestions:

• Make healthy substitutions. Substitute sparkling water for soda, a bowl of frozen fruit instead of ice cream, one slice of your favorite cheese instead of cake, a piece of fruit instead of pie.
• Clear your kitchen of sweets and don’t purchase them. Instead, you can enjoy a dessert when you are away from home.
• Split dessert with a friend when out and enjoying a treat.
• Slowly savor each bite when you do eat a treat.
• When eating out, automatically put half of the meal in a “to go” box and bring it home.
• Don’t worry about “cleaning your plate.”  Save the left over portions for later or discard it.
• Reduce or eliminate the amount of sugar called for in recipes.

Supplements

Food supplements and herbs can help to prevent or delay the onset of the long term diabetic complication.  Inform your physician about any herbs, supplements, or natural treatments you are using, because some may interact with the medications you are taking.  Following are some food that will help slow the progress of many long-term complication associated with diabetes like blindness, heart disease, kidney failure and gangrene leading to amputation.

Vitamin D

Vitamin D is the only vitamin that is also a hormone.  New research has suggested that type-two diabetes (T2) is due in part to vitamin D deficiency. Insulin sensitivity (necessary to prevent T2) is profoundly improved by vitamin D[3] supplementation.

Fiber

Soluble fiber helps prevent drastic shifts in blood sugar levels, making it a good weapon against diabetes. On top of this, soluble fiber can also lower the cholesterol level. Soluble fiber targets the “bad” LDL faction and leaves the “good” HDL alone. It blind cholesterol in the intestine and prevent it from being reabsorbed. Foods high in soluble fiber include fruits, vegetables, oats and dried bean.

Eicosapentaenoic Acid (EPA)

EPA is a particular group of essential fatty acids that has shown to have a beneficial effect on the vascular system. Among vascular system problems related to diabetic include:

• Higher levels of blood lipids such as triglycerides and cholesterol
• Platelet aggregation, which is responsible for beginning a blood clot thus interfering the blood flow
• Red blood cells are inflexible making it hard for these cells to enter very small capillaries. This reduces   the oxygen supply to the tissues
• Small blood vessels become constricted
• Higher blood pressure

EPA is found in cold-water fish such as mackerel, haddock, sardines, anchovies, salmon and tuna.

Gamma Linolenic Acid

The process of conversion of dietary linolenic acid (the main saturated fat from vegetables) to GLA is inadequate in people with diabetes. Lack of GLA may cause problem with the sheath covering the nerves and reduces blood flow. GLA have positive effect in the approach to prevention and treatment of of diabetic neuropathy. The main source of GLA is evening primrose oil and borage oil seed.

Vitamin E
Benefits of vitamin E which concern the diabetic include:

• help to dissolve fresh clots in veins
• reduces the oxygen requirements of tissues and cells
• helps form new skin in healing burns and ulcers
• increase the blood supply to tissues and thus reduces diabetic gangrene and amputations
• reduce the need for insulin
• prevents the platelets from clumping together to form dangerous pre-clots

Vitamin E has no negative side effect, but only one caution. Vitamin E interact with vitamin K. If you are deficient in vitamin K or are on medication to prevent clotting, you should take high levels of vitamin E only under medical guidance.

Vitamin C

Vitamin C is extremely important for us because it is involved in so many areas of health. Vitamin C stimulates our immune system to be more aggressive which is very important to diabetics because of their risk of infection. Vitamin C is essential in healing of wounds. This remarkable vitamin can also protects and preserves vitamin E.

B complex

B complex is another important vitamin set for diabetic, it intimately involved in sugar metabolism and energy release.

• in neuropathy about 80% diabetic patients have some improvement with B complex
• some members of the B complex have been reported to increase glucose utilization in diabetics
• B6 supplementation may reverse some forms of diabetes associated with pregnancy

Zinc

Zinc is the most valuable mineral to diabetics. Insulin contain an amazing amount of zinc. Diabetics tend to have higher zinc requirements because:

• replacement for zinc lost in urine
• a diabetic pancreas contains only about 50% the amount of stored zinc of a normal person
• zinc aid in the process of healing wounds
• zinc can stimulate immune system

Magnesium

Magnesium has a fundamental role in carbohydrate metabolism, and specific role in the efficient action of insulin. Lack of magnesium can contribute to poor control of the diabetic condition. Low levels of magnesium are also associated with heart disease which is more serious for diabetics due to their propensity for heart disease.

Alpha Lipoic Acid

Alpha lipoic acid helps to increase utilization of glucose and improves blood sugar control in both Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes. Alpha lipoic acid blocks Glycation (the process by which glucose combines with proteins causing major tissue destruction resulting in neuropathy, kidney damage and retinal injury). Diabetics generally have low levels of alpha lipoic acid and it is important for them to receive it as a supplement.

Omega-3s

Omega-3 fatty acids come from fish and some plant foods and have in recent years been revealed to be powerful disease preventers.

CoQ10
Coenzyme Q10 is a vitamin-like substance that helps cells make energy and acts as an antioxidant.

Garlic
Garlic is a potent herb, both in cooking and in its health giving properties.

Chromium

Chromium is an essential trace mineral that plays an important role in carbohydrate and fat metabolism and helps body cells properly respond to insulin.

Cinnamon