How to make healthy changes without giving up all your favorite foods
Forget the concept of a “diabetic diet.
Forget the concept of a “diabetic diet,” which strictly prohibits the intake of certain foods. For people with type 2 diabetes, the healthiest diet is no different from anyone else’s.
This means eating a wide variety of foods, including all the major foods on the nutritional pyramid-protein, dairy, grains, fruits, and vegetables. It means watching your food portions, taking care to get enough vitamins, and avoiding excessive intake of fat, salt, alcohol, and sugar. Yes, people with type 2 diabetes can eat sweets-just in moderation, and they need to plan ahead!
Following these steps will not only help control blood sugar, but also help achieve a healthy weight, which is especially important for people with diabetes.
A healthy eating plan
As with any disease, people with type 2 diabetes should consult with their doctor before starting any diet or exercise program. It is also a good idea to work with a dietitian and/or diabetes educator to develop a diet plan that meets your needs.
Here are two main methods that doctors and dietitians use to help plan a healthy diet.
- Food portions. This approach breaks down foods into categories-starch, fruits and vegetables, dairy, protein, and fat-and tells patients how much of each food they should eat each day.
- Carbohydrate measurement. In this way, the grams of carbohydrates (starches and sugars) consumed can be recorded, thus keeping blood sugar stable.
The end result should be a plan tailored to the patient’s needs: a plan that takes into account age, gender, lifestyle, and eating habits.
Putting the plan into action
While people with type 2 diabetes can eat most of the foods that the general population can eat, people with diabetes need to limit the amount of food they eat, cook food differently than they have been used to, and need to consider meal times.
Consistency of diet needs to be considered. If you have diabetes, you need to eat about equal amounts of food at the same time every day. You cannot skip meals, or go more than 4-5 hours a day without eating.
Another important factor in healthy eating is portion control of the diet. The health care team can help patients learn to measure the correct portion sizes, which are often smaller than we would expect in the era of super-sized portions. For example, a serving of meat is about the size of a deck of cards, and a serving of pasta is about the size of half a tennis ball.
Control your fat intake
What should people with diabetes eat? Here are some guidelines for eating various foods that patients may have concerns about.
- Sugar: Most experts agree that it’s OK for people with diabetes to eat the occasional sweet treat. Sugar is just another form of carbohydrate, so it can be substituted for another starch (such as bread or pasta) in the diet plan. But keep in mind that most sugary foods contain a lot of calories and very little of the nutrients your body needs.
- Fat: Too much fat is bad for anyone, and even more so for people with diabetes. A high-fat, high-cholesterol diet increases the risk of heart and artery disease, and people with diabetes may be at greater risk of developing these diseases. Of course, eating too much fat can make you fat, so choose lean meats, fish or skinless poultry, or nonfat or low-fat dairy products. Skip the butter and replace it with low-fat margarine or other condiments such as broth, herbs and juices.
How to control salt
People with diabetes are at higher risk of developing high blood pressure, which may be related to sodium intake. To eat less salt, start by cutting back on convenience foods and fast foods, as well as pickles and salty condiments, such as mustard. Replace salt with herbs, garlic or fruit juice.
Watch your fiber intake
Fiber, the indigestible carbohydrate found in plant foods, makes people feel fuller longer and also helps lower blood sugar and lipid levels. Choosing coarse grains and cereals and eating more fruits and vegetables can help achieve a healthy goal of 25-35 grams of fiber per day.
If your doctor agrees, people with diabetes can drink alcohol in small amounts
A small amount of alcoholic beverages can be added to a healthy eating plan if your doctor agrees. The American Diabetes Association (ADA) recommends no more than 2 drinks per day for men and no more than 1 drink per day for women. Do not drink alcohol on an empty stomach. Remember that alcohol tends to be high in calories and has little to no nutrition; choose light beer or dry wine, and remember not to add sugar.
Artificial sweeteners
Unlike sugar, artificial sweeteners contain no calories, don’t raise blood sugar levels, and don’t have to be counted as a starchy food in your diet plan. But don’t overdo it; many artificially sweetened foods still contain a lot of calories and almost no vitamins or minerals.
Seeking support
While many people with type 2 diabetes live happy and healthy lives, adapting to change isn’t always easy. Here are some suggestions to help patients make changes and stay on track. Let friends and relatives know about the changes they are going to make and why they are important to their health. Let them help you stick to the plan.
Plan ahead to resist temptation
Prepare and bring your own healthy foods when you go to a party. Or, if you’re going to a restaurant, figure out ahead of time what you’re going to order and how you’re going to make it fit into your eating plan.
Self-education
Learn as much as you can about your condition to help make informed decisions.
Progressive steps
For example, if the goal is to eat more vegetables, then add a serving of vegetables to dinner each day. Once you get used to the change, start adding a serving of vegetables at lunch as well.
Get some exercise
Exercise not only helps control blood sugar, but also promotes health, reduces stress, and improves appearance in other ways. Consult your doctor before you start exercising.