For someone diagnosed with diabetes, knowledge is a powerful weapon. The following article contains valuable information in combating this potentially life-threatening disease. If you don’t act upon these tips now, major complications will result as the disease progresses.
Introduce more fiber into your diet so you can lower your risk of developing diabetes. White breads and processed food items usually are high-glycemic and up your chances of diabetes, but if you make a habit of choosing anything with whole grains, you are unlikely to eat them. There have been quite a few studies that prove the point that those who choose whole grain will have a lesser risk of getting diabetes as opposed to those who do not.
Remember to consult your physician if you’re pregnant or if you think you have gestational diabetes. If you are borderline diabetic during your pregnancy, cut back on your sugar and carbohydrate intake. You might even have to take medication and change your diet significantly.
Being diabetic and a snacker can make it hard to stay away from the not-so-healthy snacks available. However, do yourself a favor and avoid such snacks in favor of complex carbs, like fruits and vegetables.
Blood Sugar
If you have diabetes, you have to be careful about what you eat. Your blood sugar will be effected differently by various foods, so keep track of what you eat and how it will impact your blood sugar. Large meals need larger insulin injections, and smaller meals need smaller injections. If you monitor what you eat, it is much easier to manage your glucose and live a healthy life with diabetes.
Replace your usual three meals with five or six smaller meals. Eating more often during the day helps maintain your blood sugar at stable levels. Eating more often also helps you avoid the desire to binge, because the frequent meals will keep you satisfied.
Do not be alarmed if you experience high blood sugar levels immediately after you treat a low glucose reaction. It’s caused by 1 of 2 factors: your body is responding to low glucose and releases hormones, or you may be drinking or eating more than necessary to respond to lower glucose levels. Try lowering the amount of food or drink by half and give your levels a check at 30 minutes.
This makes your baby more likely to be a diabetic. Taking care of yourself will also take care of your child.
You might want to have a talk with your physician about glucose tablets if you have hypoglycemia. Such tablets are a convenient way to increase glucose levels effectively and quickly.
Favorite Foods
Rather then eliminating your favorite foods from your diet, see if there is a way that you could alter them a little. One of the big misconceptions about diabetes is that sufferers must follow a much stricter diet. Many assume they have to stop eating these favorite foods entirely. Others will ignore the diet restrictions and still consume their favorite foods. Taking a close look at the ingredients of your favorites, and adjusting them to meet your nutritional requirements is the best way to go. A lot of foods can be prepared in a way that is healthy for diabetics to eat.
Even if you have no appetite or feel ill, you need to eat healthy, take care of yourself, and watch your blood sugar. Drink a lot of water and other liquids if you aren’t eating. Low blood sugar can contribute to dehydration.
Smoking can have multiple disadvantages, but even more so for those inflicted with diabetes. When you do this you open doors to more unhealthy habits and effects on your body. Smoking can cause insulin resistance and for those who are not diabetic, in can cause diabetes to develop.
There are more effective ways to measure where your blood sugar levels are at, than urine ketone testing. A high ketone level indicates that your blood contains 200 milligrams of sugar per deciliter. Organizations like the ADA recommend that those with diabetes use more reliable testing methods, like strips or finger pokes.
Insulated Bag
When traveling, keep your insulin in an insulated bag. Insulin must be maintained at a specific temperature, and the insulated bag will keep it from becoming affected by hot or cold weather temperatures.
Information will always give you the best chance of winning any battle, and that’s especially true when dealing with something as dangerous and as unpredictable as diabetes. What you’ve just read here, are a collection of tips that you can use to empower you, when working hard to conquer the disease. Don’t waste time; get started today.