Diabetes Diets for Better Living

Posted by Paul on January 10th, 2010 at 04:48am

Healthy diabetes diets will assist you in controlling your blood sugar levels.

All doctors recommend a healthy diet for diabetics, but in addition to that, you need to exercise daily to maintain a healthy weight. Exercise also plays a major role in making you feel good, energized and it can also boost your immunity.

Every diabetic will have different needs, that is why it is vital that you formulate a personalized meal and exercise plan.

You should do this in conjunction with your doctor or specialist to ensure that nothing is left out. Your medical requirements are your first priority so always make sure your doctor approves of any dietary changes that you wish to implement.

Let’s look at diabetes in a little more depth so you can understand the and why of diabetes diets.

Diabetes nutrition has the aim of doing three things:

- Maintaining blood sugar levels as measured through the A1c haemoglobin test.
- Controlling your blood pressure
- Lowering your cholesterol and/or maintaining low cholesterol

What about alcohol?
A diabetes diet will generally not include alcohol. There are many calories in alcohol and it should not be drunk when your blood sugar level is not optimal. Most diabetics avoid alcohol altogether, but you may be occasionally able to drink it. See your doctor for specific advice.

When buying food, consider the glycemic index. This is a ranking that is able to estimate the effect that a particularly food will have on a person’s blood sugar level. Carbohydrates play a big role in determining the rating of particular foods in the glycemic index.

Low glycemic index foods will not cause rapid spikes in your blood sugar levels after you eat them. High glycemic foods will cause a blood sugar spike and increase their level. The BMI (body mass index) of people who eat alot of high glycemic foods is also likely to be higher as they are likely to have more body fat. A dietician or nutritionist can assess your diet to see if it fits will within the glycemic index as recommended for a diabetic.

Tags: Blood pressure, Blood sugar, Body mass index, Carbohydrate, Conditions and Diseases, Diabetes Diets, Endocrine Disorders, Glycemic index, Health

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