Being diagnosed with diabetes can be shocking and for many, somewhat frightening. Fear of making a complete lifestyle change is understandable although by paying special attention to your diet it is possible to live a healthy and happy life as a diabetic.
First and foremost it should be stated that for every individual with diabetes there is a separate diabetic diet; no one list of daily foods is suitable for everyone. Instead, the best advice is to follow a set of nutritional guidelines which if followed can create a healthy lifestyle.
Within the guidelines the two principles of carefully monitoring the intake of carbohydrates and also ensure that regular mealtimes are taken, at the same times each day to prevent instabilities in blood sugar levels. In regards to carbohydrates it is better to eat complex carbohydrates as these are broken down more slowly and give a gradual release of glucose into the bloodstream.
As well as these principles however there are a number of ways to approach a diabetic diet, which is coherent with the approach for a regular healthy diet; these include:
Reducing your intake of sweets, sugary and fatty foods. All diets should contain sugars and fats but it is easy to overindulge; sweets and treats every now and again are fine. The best plan of action is to treat yourself once or twice a week but limit it to that, or only eat half of your treat at a time so that your appetite for sweetness is sated, without the implications of eating an entire dessert.
Increasing the amount of fruit and vegetables in your diet. Equally important in a diabetic diet as with any diet is to increase your intake of natural foods. Fruit is an excellent snack and can be used to supplement sugary sweets; equally sliced vegetables can replace fatty crisps for something for substantial. Some fruits do contain high levels of sugar however so it is important to moderate these carefully.
Some fruit and vegetables include soluble fibres, which importantly for diabetics can help to reduce the rate at which glucose is absorbed into the bloodstream. Fibres can also be found in foods such as whole grains, seeds and brown bread.
Naturally each diabetic will have to follow a different diet using information from their doctor or nutritionist. Additionally the requirements of diet depend upon whether it is type 1 or type 2 diabetes. However by making small dietary changes, it is possible to eat well and healthily and maintain stable blood sugar levels.
Horace Tait studies the benefits of following a diabetic diet and presents some guidance which can be helpful to those living with diabetes.
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