10 Tips and Tricks for Better Diabetes Management
It is currently Diabetes
Week and our goal for this year is to make diabetics more aware of their
condition by improving the understanding around diabetes and how it can be
managed.
In this article we will be looking
at Type 2 Diabetes and ways to manage it. For a long period of time it has been
believed that type 2 diabetes is a progressive disease which becomes worse over
time. However, ground-breaking research has shown that several strategies can
be used to prevent the onset of type 2 diabetes and reduce the risk of further
complications.
As a diabetic, the one question that has
perhaps come up in your head over and over again may often be “What diet should
I follow?”. There is nothing more controversial, confusing or stressful than
this question since there are numerous amounts of diet books, dietary opinions
and articles out there, throwing all kinds of information towards you left,
right and center. However, in reality, no single “diet” trumps them all. All
approaches to manage type 2 diabetes or in fact any chronic disease come with
their pros and cons, whether we’re talking about health effects such as blood
glucose and blood pressure control or taste, cost effectiveness and
convenience. So instead of thinking about following a strict “diet,” try to think
about eating in terms of general strategies, or what this article is calling
“tips and tricks”.
After talking to various health
professionals, diabetics and reading research, I came across some strategies
that seem to keep blood sugar levels in range, provide a decent of energy,
budget friendly, convenient and easy to adjust to different eating
environments. That being said, I understand that eating habits and preferences
are personal and so therefore these strategies may not apply or work for
everyone. One should also remember to consult a health care provider before
introducing changes to one’s diet, whether they’re big or small.
Where to begin? Brainstorming
Your Eating strategies
1.
Test your blood sugar levels at least 90 minutes
after a meal, if it is at its best (ideally 8.5mmol/l and under), begin jotting
down what and how you ate? when and where you ate it and how did you go about
managing your diabetes around these times?
2.
if your blood sugar levels are higher than the ideal
values 90 minutes after a meal, again think about what and how you ate? when
and where you ate it and how did you go about managing your diabetes around
these times?
Once
you start looking at your answers, can you identify any patterns or themes? If you
find a pattern, then start looking at small guidelines or rules you can follow
for making better choices at meal time.
Struggling
to find a pattern or theme? Then take a few days out to record the foods that
you’re eating and the blood sugar level readings taken before and 90 minutes
after a meal. To make this easier, go ahead to the app store and download mySugr or One
Drop (both
apps are available on Apple and Android). Our main goal is to produce a list
with a bunch of realistic eating guidelines that help you keep your blood
glucose levels regular and give you enough energy throughout the day. Below is
a brainstorm produced by a diabetic which you can use as sample or even follow
it word-for-word.
10 tips
to follow every day to regulate your blood sugar levels:
1. Try to limit your
Carbohydrate intake to no more than 35 grams in one sitting. Although this is a
super controversial tip within the Nutrition and Dietetics field, every
individuals body is different and therefore before adjusting your Carbohydrate
intake consult with your health care provider.
2. Eat more vegetables.
3. Opt for whole foods more often.
4. Cook your meals from scratch so you know
exactly what is going into your food.
5. Avoid Sugary and fatty foods such as
pastries, biscuits, crisps, cakes and anything fried.
6. Snack on seeds and nuts, they’re heart
healthy and full of nutrients. You can eat fruits but remember to spread the
portions throughout the day.
7. Eat Lean sources of proteins, remove
skin of poultry and fat off meat.
8. Drink water or unsweetened tea.
9.
Eat
a filling breakfast (Protein, Fiber) and ideally nothing within 90 minutes of
bedtime.
This
list may look tough to follow considering our modern food environment, but once
you start introducing these small changes into your lifestyle, you’ll begin to
see better post-meal blood sugar levels and therefore, reducing the risk of hypoglycemia, which every diabetic wants to avoid!
Since
this article seems to be lengthening out, I have decided to split the
information I share in two separate parts, I will write a follow-up article
focusing on the everyday challenges that may occur whilst following these
principles and how to overcome them. I hope this article has been very
informative and that you are able to come up with your own principles and
guidelines.
Resources:
