One of the most important things that people who have just been diagnosed with diabetes have to pay attention to is their dietary plan. They have to make sure that they have a proper diet. This will help them maintain good health, and well being!
Manage Carbohydrates: Carbohydrates when absorbed turns into glucose. Individuals must keep track of the amount of carbohydrates that they consume. They can do this by reading food labels. Carbohydrates are usually measured in grams. Balancing your intake of carbohydrates will help blood sugar levels remain constant.
Regulate your meals: This means as much as possible, try to eat meals at the same time each day. Also, it would be best if individuals try to consume the same amount of food for every meal. Another thing that is important is not to skip meals.
It has been discovered that eating 5 to 6 small meals a day, is healthier than eating loads of food at one sitting.
Establish a Support System: People who have just discovered that they have diabetes need a strong support system. If you don’t have family supporting your new lifestyle changes find a hospital program that will educate you and provide some support. You may feel extremely vulnerable, and need extra emotional support as you come to terms with your health condition.
Get plenty of Vitamin D: Vitamin D is a nutrient found in the body that contains calcium and phosphorus, chemicals needed for bone growth and strength. It is formed on the skin, when cholesterol at the subcutaneous level interacts with the ultraviolet rays of the sun. Traditionally known as the nutrient to combat osteoporosis (bones becoming brittle due to loss of calcium), Vitamin D has been tested and found to prevent diabetes as well.
Get plenty of Vitamin E: For the past decade, health and nutrition experts have concluded that antioxidants help combat free radicals, bad cells in the body that cause diseases like cancer and type II diabetes, together with a healthy diet and lifestyle. Well, since type II diabetes is a condition of voluntary cell dysfunction, antioxidants can help in this aspect. Antioxidants include among others, Vitamin E.
Important Minerals: Minerals are inorganic nutrients that are essential in normal bodily functions as well as combat diseases, like diabetes. Magnesium and potassium are minerals that aid in carbohydrate and protein metabolism. The proper breakdown and synthesis of carbohydrates into simple sugars is a function that diabetics lack. Chromium and zinc facilitate the recognition of insulin in the body.
Eat protein serving first. 15 to 20 percent of your total daily caloric intake should be made up of protein. The protein should be distributed throughout all your meals.
An advantage of having protein serving first during mealtime is that it can reduce your carbohydrate intake. The logic here is that you would already fill full after the serving of protein so you would have less inclination to consume carbohydrates.
Eat Carbohydrates Second: A diet high in carbohydrates has always been linked to an increased risk of diabetes. This is because people who have diabetes or who are at risk of getting the disease do not have the ability to process carbohydrates particularly sugars properly. Individuals suffering from diabetes and those who believe they are at a moderate or high risk of getting the disease must carefully follow a diet plan that is low in carbohydrates. The level of carbohydrates can have a large impact in ones blood sugar levels.
And one of the ways to lower your carbohydrate intake is to eat your carbohydrate serving second. This will ensure that by the time you start on that serving of carbohydrates you will already be half full. Therefore you wouldn’t eat as much as you would have if the carbohydrate serving was served first.
Maintain a balanced diet: This means a lot of fruits and vegetables, and not burgers and fries! Fried foods are high in calories and fat! A healthy diet includes: food rich in fiber, whole grains, legumes, nuts, fruits and vegetables. The use of salt should also be measured. Drink plenty of water.
Consult a Nutritionist: You may want to acquire the assistance of a nutritionist. Every individual that has diabetes requires a dietary plan that is customized to suit their needs. A good nutritionist will be able to assess the type of meal that an individual needs depending on what type of health concerns he/she might have.
Those people who need to shed some pounds will benefit greatly from nutritionists. A nutritionist will be able to help them come up with a dietary plan that will help them lose weight, while maintaining the nutrients that their body needs.
Start a Food Journal: It would not be a bad idea for people who have diabetes to list down all the foods that they eat per day. This is to keep track of all the food products they are consuming. So they would be aware of the types of nutrients that are going into their system. This will help them to maintain a healthy balance and balanced diet. Also, keeping a record would help individuals plan what types of meals they should be preparing in the coming days.
Exercise: People who have diabetes will benefit tremendously from physical exertion. Exercising burns fat! It is an important addition to a healthy lifestyle. Walking is a great form of exercise, and does not require any type of machinery to be executed. A simple walk around the block or a long walk from the parking lot to the grocery store will do the trick!
These are just simple steps that can be done, but the benefits are immeasurable.
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