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| Healthy Eating Can Help Manage Diabetes |
Today, I am thrilled to welcome back Lisa Corrado as a guest blogger to tell us how to help manage diabetes through diet. Lisa is a nutritionist and chef, and provides nutritional counseling and coaching, and supports corporate wellness initiatives. She blogs at A Moment in a Busy Life where you’ll find healthy recipes and informative posts such as Drink Your Super Hero, Spicy Super Heros, Super Heros from the Sea, and more.
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Eating Right with Diabetes
For someone who has diabetes, glucose management is the name of the game. If you have diabetes, you know that what you eat (specifically carbohydrates) has a direct impact on your blood sugar levels. It’s important to choose foods that give you the nutrients you need to be healthy, while helping you keep your glucose levels at a steady, appropriate level.
Contrary to old-school thinking, not all carbohydrates are “bad” foods for people with diabetes. Poor choices include simple carbohydrates such as cookies, candy, too much white flour breads and pastas. The fiber in healthy, complex carbohydrates, such as whole grains, fresh vegetables and fruits, and beans helps keep your blood sugar steady while making you feel satisfied. This is good advice for everyone, not just those with diabetes.
For those with Type 2 Diabetes, there is the possibility that it can be managed without relying on medication, but through lifestyle management such as diet and exercise (always consult with your doctor before changing your medication plan). This shows why it’s so important to manage your diabetes one bite at a time.
I love the American Diabetes Association’s “Create Your Plate” method to determine what to eat. It’s simple and it aims to educate.
Try these 6 simple steps to get started:
- Using your dinner plate, put a line down the middle of the plate.
- Divide one half into two smaller halves so you have a total of 1 large and 2 smaller sections on your plate.
- Fill the largest section with non-starchy vegetables. Try spinach, carrots, lettuce, greens, cabbage, bok choy, green beans, broccoli, cauliflower, tomatoes, or mushrooms.
- Now in one of the small sections, put starchy foods such as: cooked beans and peas, sweet potatoes, whole grain breads and grains.
- In the remaining section, put your protein such as: skinless chicken or turkey, fish, lean cuts of beef and pork such as sirloin or pork loin, tofu, eggs, low-fat cheese.
- Add an 8 oz glass of non-fat or low-fat milk. If you don’t drink milk, you can add another small serving of carbohydrates such as a 6 oz container of light yogurt or a small roll.
Add a piece of fresh fruit for dessert and you have a powerhouse of a meal.
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| Fresh Vegetables, Whole Grains, Beans, Fruit and Lean Proteins Are All Part Of A Healthy Diabetic Diet. |
For Some Meal Ideas, Try These Tasty Diabetic Friendly Recipes:
Simply Sauteed Leafy Green Vegetables
Warm Red Quinoa with Fresh Berries and Toasted Pecans
This is such a great guide for those who are struggling with diabetes, but also for those who just want to eat healthy!
Thanks Joanne, it is amazing how important diet can be in managing diseases such as diabetes. Fortunately, eating healthy doesn't mean boring!
Speaking of diabetes,most medical experts recommend a diet that is low in saturated fat and calories, while being moderate to high in complex carbohydrates.
Hey Jeanette! Wonderful guest post. I've got to send this to my dad.
Great post and very informative
This is how I always create a plate. No diabetes and no plan on getting it 🙂
Yes, please pass along this information to anyone you think it might help.
Controlling diabetes through diet is so important. Even for those people who already have diabetes, help can still be found by just changing what is eaten for the most part. Diabetes is a serious condition if not taken care of properly. It really requires a life change of eating the right foods.