03/27/2017
Diabetic? Escape from those Medications!
Type 2 Diabetes is pretty common these days and can be treated in a number of ways including medications from your doctor. But what if someone decided that they wanted to treat their diabetes without all the medications and the side effects. Listed below are few of the ways you can avoid all the negative side effects of the drugs.
Diet! I know we all need to eat a little bit better. But, people with diabetes need to watch their eating habits very closely. A diet rich in nutrients but also low in fat and calories is ideal. A diet of fruits, vegetables and whole grains is perfect for the diabetic and is suggested by the Mayo Clinic. This is also a great eating plan for just about anyone, especially those who want to lose weight.
The correct diet plan helps you control your blood sugar levels along with manage your weight, and control risk factors for high blood pressure and high blood fats. Eating excess fats and calories leads to an undesirable rise in blood glucose and if not kept in check, can lead to long term complications such as nerve, kidney and heart damage.
Keep your blood glucose levels in safe range by making healthy food choices and tracking your eating habits.
A diabetes diet can help you lose weight so that it’s easier to control blood glucose and has other health benefits as well like lowing your blood pressure. This diet also helps you reach your weight goals safely.
Here’s the diet:
Eat 3 meals a day at regular times. This helps your body use the insulin more effectively.
Use portion control that reflects your tastes, lifestyle, your size and level of activity.
Nutritious Foods:
Healthy Carbohydrates: Fruits, Vegetables, Whole Grains, Beans, Peas, Lentils and Low-fat Daily products.
Fiber-rich Foods: Fiber foods are those your body cannot digest or absorb. It moderates how your body digests and helps control blood sugar levels. These foods are vegetables, fruits, nuts, beans, peas, lentils, whole-wheat flour and wheat bran.
Heart-Healthy Fish – East this at least twice a week! These include Cod, Tuna and Halibut. Salmon, Mackerel, Tuna, Sardines and Bluefish are rich in omega-3 fatty acids, which lower blood fats called triglycerides. Avoid fish with high levels of mercury such as tilefish, swordfish and king mackerel.
Fried fish is to be avoided too!
Good Fats: Lower your cholesterol levels with foods containing monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats. Avocados, almonds, pecans, walnuts, olive and canola, olive and peanut oils. Use these moderately as they are also high in calories.
Avoid these Foods: Saturated Fats: High fat Daily products and animal proteins such as beef, hot dogs, sausage and bacon.
Trans fats: Processed foods contain trans fats. Processed goods, baked goodies, shortening and stick margarine.
Cholesterol: High fat Dairy products, animal fat protein, egg yolks, liver and organ meats. 200 mg of cholesterol per day is advised.
Sodium: Try less than 2,300 mg of sodium per day and if you have high blood pressure keep that down to 1,500 mg per day.
Creating a Diet Plan: The American Diabetes Association offers a simple seven-step method of mean planning. Here are the basics:
Divided Plate Method: Fill ½ of the plate with a non-starchy vegetable such as spinach, carrots and tomatoes. ¼ with a protein like tuna or lean pork. Fill ¼ with a whole grain or starchy food. Include a fruit or daily product and a glass of water, unsweetened tea or coffee.
http://www.diabetes.org/food-and-fitness/food/planning-meals/create-your-plate/
Counting Carbs: Carbs break down into sugar and have the greatest impact to your blood glucose levels. Eat the same amount of carbs each day at regular intervals.
http://www.diabetes.org/food-and-fitness/food/what-can-i-eat/understanding-carbohydrates/carbohydrate-counting.html?referrer=https://www.google.com/
Food Exchange Lists: You can use a food exchange list to help your plan your meals and snacks. The lists are organized by Proteins, Carbohydrates and fats. One serving is called a food choice. Each choice has the same effect on your blood glucose levels. Examples include choosing to eat a half ear of corn or 1/3 cup of pasta for one starch choice.
https://www.uaex.edu/publications/pdf/FSHED-86.pdf
Glycemic Index: This uses a glycemic index to select your food choices. This method ranks carbohydrate-containing foods based on their effect on blood glucose levels. This method works for some people with type 2 Diabetes.
http://www.health.harvard.edu/diseases-and-conditions/glycemic_index_and_glycemic_load_for_100_foods
Water Intake: One well-known factor in helping control your digestive system is your water intake. We are told to drink 6 to 8 glasses of water per day. Most of us don’t even come close to achieving that with our busy lifestyles. There have been many Diabetics who have used Alkaline Water to reduce or even eliminate their medications. To find out more about the health benefits visit: http://www.flowingalkalinewater.com
To obtain more information about controlling diabetes visit www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/diabetes/
Hope this information helps you.
