Nutrition
If you have diabetes, everything you eat affects your blood glucose. Eating too much will increase your blood glucose level and over long periods could cause heart, eye, foot, kidney and other problems. On the other hand, you could also experience similar problems if your blood glucose gets too slow.
It's important to eat foods that help to keep your blood glucose at a healthy level as this will slow down diabetes problems.
We've included a few eating guidelines for those with diabetes. Please consult your doctor first about changes in your diet.
Keeping your blood glucose at a healthy level requires a consistent and balanced eating routine. Your meal times should be regulated so that you eat at more or less the same time each day. You should also eat the same amount at each meal. Try not to miss meals as this will throw your blood glucose level into flux. Don't forget to take your medicine at the same time as well.
Foods contain combinations of nutrients and other healthful substances. No single food can supply all nutrients in the amounts you need. To ensure you get all of the nutrients and other substances needed for health, choose the recommended number of daily servings from each of the major food groups. The major food groups are starch, vegetables, fruits, milk, meat/meat substitutes and fats. Once you have established your eating plan, closely monitor your blood glucose in order to tell how effective your plan is.
Many people believe that it's not good to eat starches. This is not correct and you should eat some starches at each meal. Whole grains and cereals are better forms of starch.
Vegetables give you vitamins, minerals, and fibre, with very few calories. Try and eat your vegetables raw or steamed. If you boil them you will lose much of the nutrients in the water. When eating salads use a fat free dressing. Dark green vegetables usually have more nutrients than lighter ones.
Fruits are rich in fibre and will give you energy. They also fill you up so that you eat less of other foods which may not be as good. Try and drink fruit juice instead of fizzy drinks. Eat the skin of the fruit if it's clean.
Milk and yoghurt give you energy, protein, fat, calcium, vitamin A, and other vitamins and minerals. Try and drink fat-free milk. Eat deserts that don't need cream to taste good.
The meat and meat substitutes group includes meat, chicken, eggs, cheese, fish, and tofu. It's not good to eat too much meat in a day, try and limit it to small amounts. Make sure you cut off any fat on steak. Don't eat the skin on chicken as it's high in fat. Try not to fry your meat, roast or grill it. Boil or coddle your eggs instead of frying them.
Fats and sweets have calories, but not much nutrition. Some contain saturated fats and cholesterol that increase your risk of heart disease. If you limit these foods it will help you lose weight as well as help keep your blood glucose levels in check. If you have a sweet tooth try and save your favourite desserts or candy for special occasions. It's not a bad idea to have a cheat day once in a while, but just remember moderation is the key.
Fitness
A healthy eating plan as well as exercise is what you need to control your diabetes and to lead a healthier life. Before doing any exercise, please consult with your doctor.
Any exercise that stimulates your breathing, heart rate, and circulation will be good for your heart, and any exercise that activates muscles will help you to burn calories. If you have problems with your feet swimming is a great option. It's gentle on all the joints, but will still provide you with a decent workout. If you prefer weight bearing exercise make sure you take care of your feet. Wear the correct shoes and always check your feet for redness or sores. If you feel any discomfort consult with your doctor.
Always warm up thoroughly before you exercise and then stretch immediately after.
Drinking water is a must for anyone doing exercise. Don't drink too much before as this could cause cramps. While exercising drink once every twenty minutes and then again when you've finished.
Just like with eating, closely monitor your blood glucose levels before and after exercise.
Related Resources
More resources and information regarding diabetes:
Centres for Disease Control (CDC) Diabetes Information
Ask the Dietician
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Minnesota
- BluePrint for Health provides information on health and wellness, along with daily health news, full-text journal and magazine articles, personalized newsletters and e-mail reminders, and more.
- http://blueprint.bluecrossmn.com
Children with Diabetes
Joslin Diabetes Centre
