Once you become accustomed to living a certain lifestyle, it’s difficult to make any significant changes. Diabetes forces the issue, however. If you are diabetic and want to live a long, healthy life, you need to change unhealthy habits. Read on to learn what changes to make to help you manage your diabetes better.
Every type of food has a number that states its effects on blood sugar. This number is called the “glycemic index“. The lower the glycemic index, the better it is for you to eat!
There are many high protein alternatives to meat, such as eggs, tofu, beans and other dairy products. Change it up often to give your mouth a treat.
If you are diabetic, be very careful when getting a pedicure. People who suffer from diabetes are more likely to get foot infections, so it is important to be extra careful not to pierce or cut your skin.
Corn Syrup
Many foods contain corn syrup, so make sure to read food labels. In Canada, high fructose corn syrup appears as “glucose/fructose”.
You should always have a pack of gum or some other sugary substitute with you if you are afflicted by hypoglycemia. As these attacks can occur at any time, it is very important to be ready for it. If you have skipped breakfast, this is definitely true because your blood sugar will already be low.
Make a list of high glycemic index foods and learn to identify potential problem foods and ingredients. Avoid carbohydrates with elevated glycemic indexes like bread, cereal and pasta. Processed food is bad for one’s blood sugar. Choose better foods, including fruits that are fresh and vegetables that are not canned, as well as seafood and meats.
You don’t have to join a gym to work out; walk at the park or take a jog around your block. Can goods can make inexpensive weights, as do bags filled with heavy items and chin-ups can be performed on your local park’s jungle gym.
Gestational Diabetes
If you have a baby on the way and show symptoms of gestational diabetes, call your general practitioner right away. Gestational diabetes requires you to act immediately to protect your health. A physician can give you prescription medication safe for pregnancy and good dietary suggestions.
This increases the chances for your child to get diabetes later in life. Don’t give your child this terrible disease. Properly care for yourself today.
Cinnamon is an ingredient you can eat sweeten your food with without any extra calories or sugar. Cinnamon can also accentuate the natural sweetness of some foods without adding sugar that may raise your blood glucose levels. Some studies indicate cinnamon actually lowers glucose levels while others do not, but it is a good spice to use anyway.
You can make changes to your favorite foods to make them work with your diabetes. For most, the restrictive diet that is necessary to control diabetes is the most difficult part of dealing with the disorder. It’s a common myth that to control your diabetes, you must give up your favorite foods. Other people simply continue to enjoy their favorite foods regardless of the diet. The best option is to take a good look at your favorite foods and figure out how to make adjustments. You could replace certain ingredients with more diabetes-friendly alternatives for instance.
Smoking is bad for everyone, though it is a lot worse for a diabetic. This habit produces many negative health effects. Smoking makes a person’s insulin resistant, so the risk of acquiring type 2 diabetes increases if you’re not diabetic to begin with.
Don’t use urine tests as your primary measure of how your blood sugar is doing. High ketone levels in the urine indicate only that your blood glucose is approximately higher than 200 milligrams per deciliter. Use a home glucose meter to measure the exact amount of sugar in your blood instead. The ADA considers this type of testing to be far more accurate than urine testing.
Glucose Levels
Diabetics should learn techniques for handling stress to keep blood pressure low. Diabetics need to watch their glucose levels, and glucose levels are influenced by the stress in your life. Research various ways to relax to aid in calming yourself. Yoga and meditation are two possibilities. Teach yourself breathing exercises that you can use anywhere.
Always stay on schedule with your meals. If you don’t eat at the same time every day or, worse yet, skip meals, you risk blood sugar spikes or drops. A sugar spike can occur when this type of glucose meets the already raised glucose levels that a type 2 diabetic has.
If you have any of the eye diseases that are associated with diabetes, it is extremely important that you monitor and control the glucose levels in your blood. While your eye problems may seem worse initially, maintaining control of your blood glucose will help in the long run. Taking care of blood glucose levels slows progression of eye disease related to diabetes.
There are certain types of diabetes which can be cured, but only in rare instances. Once you figure out that you need to make changes, be sure that you make them for life. The advice you learned here is only the beginning. Ultimately, it’s up to you!