It is hard to narrow down who is telling the truth and who is feeding you a line of lies when it comes to the facts about diabetes. This article will help to clear up any confusion about the disease and break it down in a clear way that you can understand.
Checking out international foods is an excellent way of finding new recipes that you’ll actually enjoy eating, even though they’re good for you and your Diabetes. I’d highly recommend trying Tabouleh, a Middle Eastern dish made with herbs, onions, lemon juice, and bulgur. It’s extremely good mixed with hummus and served on a pita!
Anything you take to help with your Diabetes should come recommended by a medical professional, and you should seek at least a second opinion if it is not a mainstream treatment. Diabetes is not a disease which should be taken lightly, so make sure that you are dealing with reputable, knowledgeable health care providers.
Focus on leg circulation to combat diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy. Keep your feet moving as much as possible to increase the blood circulating down through your toes. One exercise that is great for a desk job is to lift your foot up and then wiggle your toes, turning your feet in circles at the ankle.
It is important for diabetics to learn to eat a healthy diet and control portion sizes. Eating excessively large portions is a sure way to gain weight. Eating too much, even of foods that are good for you, will result in weight gain and blood sugar problems. Use smaller plates, put your utensils down between bites and eat slower.
When traveling it is especially important to keep food with you. You may be strolling through a museum or shopping in an unknown area, and you could find that there is nothing healthy or appealing to eat. If you have your own snack it will at least tide you over until you can find something palatable.
If you have been diagnosed with Diabetes – keep a diet diary! This is a handy tool! A diary will allow you to track what and how much you are eating. It will also help you detect a pattern you may have for a certain craving at a particular time of the day. You will be able to see which foods cause your blood glucose level to spike. Perhaps you can make some tasty alternatives that will not have such an effect on your Diabetes? Doing so will help you to avoid any unnecessary headaches.
An easy way to reduce your risk of contracting diabetes is to get up and get active. People who take an hour long brisk walk daily will reduce their risk of contracting diabetes by over 35%. Even when you cannot walk for an hour a day, do what you can to get moving like take the stairs instead of the elevator, park at the furthest parking spot at the grocery store, or take two or three trips in carrying in the groceries.
If you have diabetes or are at risk for developing it, it is important that you lose weight. Being overweight or obese can cause blood glucose levels to be dangerously high, which can cause severe complications, including coma or death. Try to eat healthier and stick to a moderate exercise plan. It’s never to late to change, and you can be successful no matter how many previous failed attempts you’ve had.
If you find that your A1C levels are disproportionately higher than your typical blood glucose levels, the problem may be that you are measuring your pre-meal levels, which does not give you an accurate reading. Your average levels may not accurately reflect readings that are taken before, during, and after eating your meals.
Almost all insurance companies will now pay for blood glucose monitoring equipment for diabetics to have in their homes. It is important to keep machines in good working order and clean. This is vital to assure you obtain accurate results. Your manufacturer’s directions have directions on how to clean and maintain your machine.
Monitor your blood sugar at the same time every day. This helps you to know your body and to better anticipate any change of schedule or any problem. In addition, you can better control your intake of sugar, if you know what your blood level is. Monitoring times should be as regularly as you like.
Improperly managing your diabetes and blood sugar levels can lead to binge eating and overeating. Failure to accurately assess your body’s individualized responses can lead diabetics to continuously eat for fear of allowing their blood glucose levels to dip below acceptable and healthy levels. Diligent monitoring can give you a more accurate assessment than your feelings of fullness.
A common misconception regarding diabetes is that the diabetic is not allowed any sugar. You need to remain diligent about keeping sweets to a minimum, but not completely gone from your diet. You can still enjoy some of your favorite sweet treats, just in moderation. Because food high in sugar can add carbohydrates to your system, make sure you adjust what you are eating accordingly to compensate for this increase in carbohydrates.
Be aware of what you are drinking. Many carbonated drinks and juices are made with high-fructose corn syrup, which is not good for anyone, let alone those with diabetes. These types of beverages are loaded with sugar (and thus, a lot of calories) that will leave you wanting more. Water should be your best friend!
Watch out for trans-fats. Trans fats are found in any foods containing partially hydrogenated oils. These fats are dangerous for everybody, but diabetics are at extra risk. Trans fats cause increased amounts of fat around the waistline which has been linked to heart disease. They are also extremely high in calories and low in nutritional content.
In summary, diabetes is a deadly disease that needs to be identified and dealt with as soon as possible. Follow the advice provided in this article to ensure that you are putting yourself in a good position to not only help yourself but also help others become more aware about prevention and treatment.