Control Your Diabetes With the Right Foods

One of the big ways a diabetic can help control their blood glucose (sugar) is through a good diet. In this article we will explain more about how you can change your diet to help you.

We are all advised to eat a healthy, balanced diet which is low in fat and sugar and high in fibre. Plenty of fruit and vegetables are also a corner stone of a good diet. The same advice applies to people with diabetes. This does not necessarily mean that you have to radically change your diet. In most cases it will mean you eat your usual means but you may need to tweak them to make them more healthy. You can buy all the foods that you need from normal shops and supermarkets and you don't need to buy special "diabetic foods".

How should I change my eating pattern?

We have divided the foods up into 6 categories:

Carbohydrates

* Base meals on carbohydrate foods such as bread, pasta, rice, chapatis and potatoes. These foods are filling and not fattening (provided you don't add extra fat). Where possible choose high fibre varieties of these foods, like wholemeal bread.
* Eat regular meals.
* Eat more fruit and vegetables, aim for 4 or 5 portions a day. This will give you fibre and vitamins.

Fat

* Cut down on fried food, fatty foods and fatty red meat, choose lean meat, skinless chicken/poultry instead.
* Choose lower fat milk. Skimmed milk is virtually fat free and lower in calories but still contains all the protein and calcium found in full fat milk. Semi-skimmed milk is half-fat and also lower in calories than full cream.
* Use low-fat cooking methods such as grilling, microwaving and barbecuing. Trim excess fat and skin off meat before cooking.
* Choose low fat versions of margarine and cheese.
* If you need to use an oil in cooking, use an unsaturated one such as olive, sunflower or corn oil. Try using less oil too.

Sugar

* You don't need to avoid sugar all together. However, food and drinks that contain a lot of sugar can make your blood sugar go up very quickly, especially if eaten on their own.
* Change to low sugar and sugar-free foods such as low calorie fizzy drinks, diet squash, low sugar jams and diet yogurts.
* Artificial sweeteners can be used to sweeten drinks and foods instead of sugar. They are virtually carbohydrate and fat free and do not affect blood sugar levels. Its recommended that you use a variety of sweeteners and not to consume too much of any type.

Salt

* Reduce your salt intake gradually so that you can get used to the taste change. Adding herbs and spices may help.
* Use as little salt as possible in meals and cut down on salt added at the table.
* Eat less processed foods such as tinned and packet foods, salty meats, crisps and salted nuts.

Alcohol

* Drink alcohol in moderation only. For men that's 3 units a day and for women it's 2 units a day. If you're trying to lose weight then this should be less.
* Never drink on empty stomach as it can increase the likelihood of hypoglycaemia

Diabetic food

* Do not buy "special diabetic foods". They are very expensive and contain no less fat or calories than other foods. They will not help if you are trying to lose weight.
* Often such foods can cause diarrhea

If you follow the advice provided in each category you should be able to reduce the amount of "bad" foods you are eating and increasing the "good" foods. This will help with the control of your diabetes, with your blood pressure, cholesterol and heart disease risk but most of all it will help you be healthier.

 

How To Improve Your Blood Glucose Control

Dietary and exercise changes are very effective ways of reducing blood glucose levels. Doctors also recommend regular exercise for at least 30 minutes per day Monday to Friday. This is also extremely beneficial to patients that might also have high blood pressure. Your doctor can assist in selecting types of exercise to do. This can include walking, swimming and riding a stationary bicycle. It is very good practice to check your blood glucose at least two times per day. In most cases high blood glucose numbers are as a result of an imbalance between insulin and how much food you eat.

Correctly checking your blood glucose is also dependent on the blood glucose meter you use. Meters are generally accurate but improper use or faulty materials can cause incorrect readings. These meters are computerized gadgets that are designed to read your blood glucose. You will need to receive some quick yet brief training from your doctor or nurse to correctly use your meter. Meter checking is now better than visual checking because of the rapid expansion in technology. The availability of meters has becomes as common as blood pressure monitors.

Doctors report a general problem amongst patients when it comes to taking their medications. taking your prescribed medicines without skipping is an important way of controlling your glucose levels. This problem also exists with high blood pressure patients. Patients in some cases abandon their medications mid-way resulting in the development of resistant hypertension. Avoiding taking medications may be caused by the fear of side effects of the medicines. Speaking to your doctor is the best way to resolve the problem than skipping or quitting taking medicines altogether. Knowing how to take your glucose medications is also as important as taking them. You can approach your doctor of health care provide to ensure they give you adequate help and training on taking your medications.

Carbohydrates can work against your blood glucose control efforts. Carbohydrates turn into glucose when eaten. They are often recommended in dietary advices because they are the best source of energy for the body. Carbohydrates literary power the human body engine. This happens when carbs are converted to glucose and enter the bloodstream. our body is able to regulate their presence in the body using hunger and insulin. Hunger is an indication to take in more carbohydrates. However when consumed in excess without regulation carbohydrates may work against your diabetes health. These should be balanced by exercise and taking your diabetes medicines accurately. You learn how much carbohydrates from your doctor or dietitian.

Type 2 Diabetes - Does Fructose Frustrate Your Efforts at Blood Sugar and Weight Control?

Fructose is the familiar sugar found in fruit. High-fructose corn syrup is not 100 per cent fructose, but it's also a kind of sugar I suggest you never eat... it is a highly controversial product which is made from genetically modified corn. This high-processed chemically altered sweetener was created by a Japanese scientist in 1971... it has been used in almost all processed and pre-packaged foods since.

Where Do You Find High-Fructose Corn Syrup? High-fructose corn syrup is used in many processed foods including sodas or soft drinks, from yogurt to cookies. It is used in more than 40 per cent of the sweeteners added to many foods and beverages.

If you are going to consume fructose, I recommend that you get it from fruit, preferably fresh fruit.

What is Fructose? Fructose is an unusual sugar. A chemically rearranged form of glucose, fructose is much sweeter than other commonly consumed sugars. It takes a lot less fructose to impart sweetness to a recipe than cane sugar. Because you can eat less fructose and still taste more sweetness, some experts recommend fructose for Type 2 diabetics... in fact, before the advent of high-fructose corn syrup or aspartame, diabetics were told to use fructose as their sweetener.

The problem with fructose, however, is that it whets your appetite for more. When you eat fructose, one of the problems is it doesn't set into motion the chemical reaction or hormones that tells your brain when you are full. It makes you eat more... so it's bad news for your waistline and your health. You need less fructose than sucrose or glucose to have a sense of satisfaction with a serving of food, but the fructose raises production of a hormone called ghrelin, which makes your central nervous system more sensitive to pain until you eat more food.

Fructose raises insulin levels less than glucose, and lower insulin levels lead to less insulin resistance. When the liver processes fructose, however, it generates uric acid, a chemical that's associated with kidney stones, heart disease, and gout.

What Type of Sugar is Found in Fruit? Fructose is not the only sugar found in fruit. Fruits contain fructose, glucose, and sucrose, the latter two sugars being more predictably processed by insulin.

apples, pears, mangos, and papayas contain more fructose and less glucose and sucrose while bananas, cherries, figs, plums, fresh apricots, dried apricots, and dried plumes contain more glucose and sucrose and less fructose

When you see a food with high fructose corn syrup on the label, you will be doing yourself... (your weight and Type 2 diabetes), a good turn by putting it back on the shelf.

Exercise and Control Diabetes

Diabetes is a disease that can strike anyone. It basically is a disease related to the pancreas. Its onset means that the pancreas are not working at full capacity and the result is an excess sugar in the blood stream. This brings its own problems and at an advanced stage the only solution is to take a dose of insulin every day. This can be a tedious process.

However in case one follows a diet and exercise regimen right from younger days, the chance that you will be stricken by the disease becomes pretty remote. The clue to preventing diabetes is eating the right foods and more important doing exercise regularly. The exercise part is in my view the most important and just cannot be obviated.

Modern life style is fast paced and a lot many people just go to office, slog there and then hit the bar and eat up anything and then tired,they just plop on the bed. This life style has its repercussions and one of these is obesity. A combination of obesity and lack of exercise is a warning that you can be a prey to diabetes.

Obesity in particular is quite harmful as the extra weight on you body means that your body organs have that much extra work to do. In addition this fact of obesity is also directly related to lack of exercise and the food you eat. Out of these, exercise is the most important.

Exercise involves a vigorous work out. The effect is that the body is toned, the excess calories burned up and all the organs of the body work at optimum levels. The body metabolism responds favorably to exercise and a good work out will do wonders.The clue is to be fairly regular in your exercise regime. The question is how much exercise is required. This is really a personal equation, but it is a good idea to have a work out for at least 30 minutes, 3 to 4 times a week. You will have to find time for this activity.

In case you are fond of swimming or cycling or running on the treadmill,so much the better. Any of these exercises will keep you body fit and fine. As far as foods are concerned concentrate on cereals and fruits. Lean meats and fish will do you good. Avoid fried foods and in case feasible use pure desi ghee as a cooking medium or better still olive oil.

A combination of these activities from a young age will ensure that you remain fit and healthy for a long time into your golden years when you age. But even if you have not exercised from your young age, you can start exercise at any age. But build up momentum slowly so that the body gets accustomed to the new rigors.

Control Diabetes With Diet Plans and Food Strategies

Controlling your diabetes with diet plans and food strategies is an integral part of managing your diabetes effectively and achieving the ultimate goal of optimal health.

Your health and vitality depends on the types of food that you feed your body. Along with carbohydrate, proteins and fats, your body needs vitamins to help your body convert the food into fuel, the minerals help to carry oxygen in your blood, and the antioxidants will boost your defence system and the phytochemicals to help prevent disease.

Following are 10 recommendations to consider for diet plans and food strategies:

Ensure that you choose nutritious carbohydrate foods that are low in GI as your main ingredientsEnsure that you get plenty of fibre in your dietTake note of the amount of carbohydrate you eat - too much is dangerousEat plenty of fruit and vegetables each dayLimit your alcohol intakeLimit your salt intakeLimit foods that are high in saturated fatUse monounsaturated fats like olive oilMake sure you eat fish once or twice a weekEat lean protein foods that suit your appetite

Controlling diabetes with diet plans and food strategies is very important; following are some nutritional guidelines about protein, carbohydrates, fats and low GI diets.

Protein

Protein is found in plenty of plant and animal foods. The foods that contain the most protein include meat (beef, lamb, pork, chicken) as well as fish and shellfish. Other foods that are rich sources include dairy products like cheese, milk, and yoghurt. When your blood glucose levels are high there is an increase in your protein turnover, so this increases your body's protein needs slightly.

People eat more protein that is needed by the body, so eating more protein is not recommended. If you have diabetes you should stay with your regular protein intake, which would provide you about 15 to 20 percent of your total energy intake. What this means is that eating enough protein to provide about 1 gram of protein per kilogram of your healthy body weight.

Carbohydrates

Carbohydrate is the body's main source of energy and is an essential source of fuel for the brain. The recommended amount of carbohydrate is to aim to meet 45 to 65 percent of your energy requirements with carbohydrate foods. Keep in mind that a person's total energy will depend on their gender, body size, and age and activity level.

Fats

The minimum recommendation for men is to get at least 15 percent of their energy (kilojoules) from fat and women of a reproductive age group should look to get at least 20 percent.

The maximum recommendation for adults is 35 percent, which translates to around 50 to 60g of fat per day.

Low GI Diets

Low GI diets have many benefits one of which is that it can help you feel fuller for longer while at the same time help you to eat a healthy well-balanced meal. Other benefits include improving your insulin sensitivity, reduce blood glucose spikes, and help you to prevent weight gain over a long-term period.

Controlling diabetes with diet plans and food strategies is a vital component of managing your diabetes so that you can achieve optimum health.

Sue Kennedy is the author of the physician-endorsed e-book "Defeat Diabetes Now," and operates a membership channel devoted to health & wellness. Readers of her book also receive instant access to expert interviews, articles, diet plans and other resources designed to maintain optimum health and prevent disease. Discover how you can defeat diabetes now.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=S_Kennedy

Diabetic Foods - Foods That Control Diabetes

I love reading, gardening, spending time with my dogs and family. I love everything about natural healing remedies and techniques and I have just written ...

Diabetic foods that control diabetes are important if you want to effectively manage your disease. Diet is the key component of controlling diabetes. It is very important to know which foods are best to control diabetes.

The types of foods that control diabetes are essentially made up of a low GI diet. Diabetes is a disease that is caused by your body not being able to produce enough insulin or no insulin at all. The amount of glucose consumed is dependant upon this; it is vital that you maintain proper glucose levels because if you don't it could actually become life threatening.

Some vegetables are high in GI but are good for diabetics as they are low in carbohydrates; these include pumpkin, turnips, swedes, and parsnips. The glycemic load on these are low, some of the other vegetables and diabetic foods that control diabetes are carrots, onions, salad greens, broccoli, and tomatoes, these are packed with micronutrients that is beneficial for everyone.

Alpha-linoleic acid (ALA) is a source of omega-3 that is found in plants. Some of the good sources of ALA are:

Canola oil and mustard seed oil - both of these are high in monounsaturated fat but they do contain a significant amount of ALA. Mustard seed oil has the lowest content of saturated fat compared to other oils in Australia.Green leafy vegetables - The main ones include cabbage, spinach, parsley, broccoli, kale and silver beetLinseed and/or flaxseed oil - This contains the richest source of ALA. Only purchase these in small quantities as they can go off from the heat and the age of the product. Linseeds can be used freshly ground sprinkled over cereal or muffinsWalnuts and pecansSoybeans and soy beverages that contain omega-3 - soybean oil is a source of omega-3, however, it contains an omega-6 content that makes it not a very good source of ALAOther diabetic foods that control diabetes are: Artichokes - this vegetable contains a large amount of insulin, which is why it is considered beneficial for diabetics. This vegetable also contains large amounts of iron, calcium, potassium and sulphurBitter Gourd - or bitter melon juice contains plant insulin which has been used effectively for diabetesEuropean blueberry (Vaccinium myrtillus) - this is a traditional herbal medicine that uses the leaves of this plant to naturally lower sugar, this plant is also known as bilberry. Recent studies has shown that the berries from this plant are even more beneficialGround fenugreek seeds - These are known to lower blood sugar significantly in people with type 2 diabetesBy adding these diabetic foods that control diabetes into your diet you can significantly and effectively manage your diabetes and achieve optimum health.

Sue Kennedy is the author of the physician-endorsed e-book "Defeat Diabetes Now," and operates a membership channel devoted to health & wellness. Readers of her book also receive instant access to expert interviews, articles, diet plans and other resources designed to maintain optimum health and prevent disease. Learn how you can defeat diabetes now

Naturally Control Diabetes - How To Nourish Your Body With All The Right Nutrients

If you are suffering from diabetes, you are not alone. The disease over the past ten years has increased ten times in adults. That is a 1000% increase. Diabetes is expected to affect one in three children growing up in the United States today. Left untreated diabetes leads to heart disease, kidney disease, blindness and problems with joints. In extreme cases, as you lose circulation to the peripheral areas, amputations may become necessary. It is oblivious that we are ignorant as to the basis of what may be affecting our health. Diabetes is not the only disease that is growing. Even though, Richard Nixon declared war on cancer in 1975 this year, cancer will be the number one killer. The story does not end there; virtually every disease known to man is increasing in the United States despite modern medicine.

Foods that are highly processed, sugars and other environmental concerns, have made a dramatic effect on our bodies for the worse. Modern medicine continues to find nearly every answer to every health problem by prescribing another drug. Drugs may improve the condition, but the long-term health risk associated with the drug are another problem altogether. It is astounding as you listed to the TV commercials the long list of side effects that most drugs have.

You must educate yourself; the doctors are not going to do it for you, though they will prescribe you another drug. I'm not against doctors, but with all the statistics, you have to wonder about treatment options. Diabetes is serious; your health is vital. Health issues are not an easy problem to fix as the problem is staring us back in the face as we look at our dinner plate. Our food is causing some real problems. Diabetes is proof. Today one in three children will develop diabetes. Just look at what kids are eating today; but what will be done to solve the problem is to get them on insulin. Very little information will be to inform us of the danger we are in, and the TV will continue to encourage us to eat the foods that have gotten us where we are.

An all natural extremely powerful solution to diabetes, along with educating yourself to unhealthy food, is to nourish your body with optimal nutrition. This has worked for thousands of people with diabetes. Many people with diabetes have been able to quit their medications altogether using this exact method. Diet is a start, but to nourish your body with a scientific blend of all vital nutrients at optimal levels allows the body to heal. When our bodies are given the right nutrients the healing and repair systems that go to work are incredible. This method will not only target diabetes; it protects your heart, lowers inflammation, improves digestion and supplies added energy. Now that is a great list of side effects for diabetes treatment. An optimal amount of all essential nutrients scientifically blended would include vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. In particular, Xanthones are the most powerful antioxidants in the world and facilitate the healing and repair systems within the body in an astounding way. Countless people are off their medications entirely.

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Suggested Diet in Order to Control Diabetes

Diabetes is a situation where in the blood sugar becomes unusually high. To efficiently control this condition, a proper diet must be considered. A diabetes control diet is the key to deal with variation in blood sugar levels. Patients will have a hard time managing their diabetes if certain foods are eaten. Well, our main objective here is to have a diabetes diet menu to manage our blood glucose, in order to allow the patient to live a healthy and normal life.

You must reduce your sugar intake to decrease high blood sugar levels. According to studies, this is the best way because this can be easily achieved through a diet to control diabetes. There is no uncertainty that a diabetic diet is one of the greatest ways to control high blood sugar levels. You can also avoid further health complications in diabetes, such as kidney problems, when you are conscious of your diet. A well-managed diabetes diet has the capability to decelerate the increase of sugar levels in the blood, allowing the patient to be worry-free about blood sugar levels.

A diabetic patient can extremely benefit from high fiber foods.If you have an awareness of any lists of High fiber foods, the question of how to control diabetes will not arise. Water soluble fiber could aid in diabetes because it slows down the absorption of carbohydrates. Among these sources are beans, nuts, seeds, oat bran, and fruits such as apples and pears. In addition foods that are rich in fiber like leafy vegetables and whole can assist to manage high blood sugar levels. Broccoli, cauliflower, spinach and cabbage are among the vegetables that have a high amount of fiber.

It's an impossible thing for you to control diabetes without limiting your sugar intake. Awareness must be created regarding foods containing high amount of sweets to people who suffer from diabetes. Consumption less sugar is a must. Among the foods that are high sugar content are oranges, mangoes, bananas, concentrated fruit juices and tinned foods. Diabetic patients will be asked also to minimize foods which are processed like breads, pastas and baked products. This contains sugar that can be abruptly absorbed by the body.

Exercise plays a significant role in managing diabetes. A strictly-followed exercise is one secret in order to maintain diabetes and other related health problems at bay. Some recommended physical activities include walking, jogging or jogging in place and bicycling.

Diabetes Control The Easy Way

WHAT IS DIABETES? WHY DO WE NEED TO CUT DOWN OUR SUGAR INTAKE?

Diabetes is a disease where the pancreas (a part of digestive organ) is unable to secrete enough insulin. The body produces insulin, however the body itself does not respond to it or utilize it properly giving it the chance to increase high level of sugar in the blood, since it was not processed and taken in. When glucose builds up in the bloodstream, the cells become starved for energy because they do not have access to the glucose and in short term and long term frequent glucose build-up increases the acidity of the blood, damaging many of the body's organs, including the eyes, kidneys, nerves and/or heart. People giving up sugar do not act of their free will, it's because they need to give sugar up for health reasons. Having a diabetes condition makes a person's sugar level rise due to an insulin deficiency or an insulin malfunction.

TYPES OF DIABETES

In type 2 diabetes, either the body does not manufacture enough insulin or the cells pay no attention to the insulin. As a result, diabetes will require maintenance and permanent medication. Type 2 diabetes is the most common form of diabetes. Likewise, the term "type 2 diabetes" has replaced several former terms, including adult-onset diabetes, obesity-related diabetes, and non-insulin-dependent diabetic cases. As pregnant women enter their second and third trimesters, more hormones are secreted, the body demands more insulin makes it becomes more difficult for the insulin to help their cells absorb the glucose.

DIABETES TREATMENT

If diet and exercise aren't enough or fail to control your elevated blood sugar, you may need diabetes medications or insulin therapy to manage your blood sugar. Get at least 30 to 60 minutes of physical activity on most days of the week. Treatment for diabetes varies based on a number of factors, including weight, age and any complications that the patient is experiencing. Take maintenance medicine is necessary even when you feel good and get a routine check up to avoid problems.

ALTERNATIVE DIABETES CURES THROUGH THE HERBAL WAY

When our body malfunctions or suddenly experiences any abnormality, one may only conclude that there is something wrong with it. Now once we encountered insulin scarcity, diabetes may take place. Marine Phytoplankton is found to be rich in omega 3 fatty acids which might help to reduce the amount of sugar in the diabetic patient's bloodstream. Especially in countries like Myanmar, India and China, they consider bitter melon to be an effective way to fight diabetic activity. Studies have also proven that marine phytoplankton may enhance our immune system and may lessen the effect of the damage the disease could give the patient. If our bodies do not produce insulin, this results in a lower amount of sugar in our blood and in our urine, so once we have a severe low amount of glucose in our blood, other internal organs like eyes, kidneys, heart and nerves might not have enough supply of sugar.