What’s the Best Diet For Diabetes?
Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes are progressive physical conditions for which there is no cure. Even so, sufferers of either version of diabetes are generally able to enjoy a high quality of life with proper treatment. One of the key factors in helping to control one’s diabetes is adopting a proper diet.
The Type 1 version of diabetes is characterized by the inability of the pancreas to generate a sufficient insulin output. This leads to a build up of glucose in the bloodstream and renders the body unable to use it to produce energy in the normal manner. Over time, the body will completely lose its ability to produce insulin. While insulin injections are mandatory for Type 1 sufferers, they can supplement their management of this disease by implementing a healthy dietary regimen, which will serve as a complement to the required insulin treatments.
Dietary changes can also create a situation where more insulin is required and the blood sugar becomes more difficult to maintain, for example consuming food that are high in carbohydrates will create a situation where more insulin is needed. It is imperative that the carbohydrates consumed, insulin and physical activity must all be carefully balanced to that the blood sugar, or glucose, levels will remain in acceptable ranges. When diet, insulin and activity are out of balance, there will be large fluctuations in glucose levels. This is why it is imperative that people with Type 1 diabetes taking fixed doses of insulin should watch their carb intake closely at every meal and snack.
With Type 2 diabetes, the problem lies not in the body’s production of insulin, but in it’s response to insulin. Type 2 diabetes is linked, in part, to lack of exercise and excess body weight. This means that the nutritional goals for people with Type 2 diabetes will be slightly different. In this diet, the thrust is to reduce excess body fat and lose weight. Eight to ninety percent of Type 2 diabetes sufferers are overweight; some are even obese. For these people, the dietary changes begin with reducing calorie intake, eliminating saturated fat, close monitoring of carbohydrates and incorporating healthy monounsaturated fats including nuts and peanut butter. This diet will help the Type 2 diabetic to lose weight and maintain steady, healthy glucose levels.
Changes in eating habits combined with increased physical activity will help to reduce insulin resistance and improve blood sugar control. Carbohydrate consumption should come from healthy whole grains, pasta, brown rice, beans and fresh fruit and vegetables rather than heavily processed foods. On occasion, one still might eat foods with a lot of sugar, such as birthday cake, for example. However, on those days when cake, candy or other sweets are consumed, one must then ensure that their usual daily intake of certain carbs like rice, pasta or potatoes is adjusted accordingly as well. By doing this, you will preserve the correct healthy ratio between sugar and total calories.
Diabetes is a serious health condition which can result in acute health issues and possibly death. In certain instances, it can be treated by making changes to your diet. If you’re looking for a gestational diabetes diet plan or other advice on managing the condition, drop by the Diabetes Treatment site.