A Basic Food Guide For Diabetes

Food you eat is broken down into glucose, allowing your body to have energy to perform its daily functioning requirements. The pancreas produces the hormone known as insulin that allows the body to absorb glucose and convert it to energy. 

Your body must have insulin in order to allow the nutrients from the food you eat to get into the bloodstream and to help your body function properly. Individuals with diabetes tend to have insulin problems and they need to take medications and shots to help their glucose levels. Without insulin in the body, your glucose levels will spike and this can cause severe problems for you.You will need to purchase a blood glucose monitor if you have diabetes, hypoglycemia, or hyperglycemia. A quality blood glucose meter can be found here: http://www.caregiverpartnership.com/category/11/.

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Use the meter multiple times each day to test your blood glucose levels and to find out when it is at it’s highest and when it is dropping significantly. There is a small guide found within the instruction booklet of your blood glucose monitor that will provide you with the opportunity to write down the results from your test so you can see how your glucose levels are doing throughout the day.

Purchase some diabetes shakes and nutritional supplements that have fiber and protein included: http://www.caregiverpartnership.com/category/31/. These shakes can be used to supplement a meal and they can help to regulate your blood glucose levels, allowing you to go throughout the day without any problems.

Increase your protein intake and try to avoid carbohydrates. Carbohydrates have the biggest impact on your blood glucose as they usually contain refined sugars. You want to reduce the intake of refined sugars in your diet because this can cause problems for you like blood sugar spikes and lows. You need a balance of protein in your diet as it helps to slowly release sugar into the bloodstream throughout the day instead of all at once. 

Since you have diabetes, you need to follow a strict diet that will help you manage diabetes and avoid blood sugar problems. Here are a few tips that can help you manage your blood sugar problems:

• Never skip a meal. You need to eat 3 small meals per day and include at least 2-3 snacks in your diet. Doing so will help your blood sugar levels. Look for snacks that are healthy options like peanut butter on whole wheat toast versus a doughnut or sugary snack.
  
  
• Insulin resistance is at it’s highest in the morning so avoid carbohydrates in the morning.
  
  
• Whole-grain foods are wonderful as they have higher levels of fiber and they help to slow the release of glucose in the bloodstream. This will leave you with stable blood sugar levels and you won’t suffer from some of the standard problems like dizziness, blurred vision, and fainting.
  
  
• Always drink plenty of water. Water helps to flush toxins from the body and it helps the organs, especially the kidneys, work properly. For individuals with diabetes, it is recommended that you have at least 64 fluid ounces of water per day. Dehydration is common for diabetes patients so you must drink water to avoid dehydration.
  
  
• Avoid fatty foods and foods with sugar.
  
  
• Increase your intake of deep green vegetables and colorful fruits. Fruits and vegetables have natural sugars that will provide you with the sweet taste you may be craving and they help you avoid blood sugar spikes.
  
  
• Make sure you are getting plenty of Vitamin C, Vitamin A, folic acid, and iron in your diet daily.
  
  
• Do not drink soda. Individuals with diabetes and blood sugar issues may think soda is a quick way to get your blood sugar back up, but it can cause more damage than good. Opt for a granola bar if you start to feel the shakes that come along with blood sugar problems.

About The CareGiver Partnership. The CareGiver Partnership helps caregivers and their loved ones with answers to their caregiving questions, including information about home health care products and supplies, from our Wisconsin-based team of Product Specialists who are all current or former caregivers. The company’s Web site provides the largest online library of resources on subjects most important to caregivers — from arthritis to assisted living, and Parkinson’s to prostate cancer — as well as access to more than 3,000 home care products for incontinence, skin care, mobility, home safety and daily living aids. The CareGiver Partnership was founded in 2004 by Lynn Wilson of Neenah, Wis. Visit http://www.caregiverpartnership.com to learn more or call 1-800-985-1353.

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