The daily task of testing your blood sugar is not the most dreaded aspect of diabetes. Diseases such as diabetic retinopathy can evoke fear in anyone who suffers from diabetes. Weight loss, exercise and a healthy diet are treatments that you can practice to prevent serious complications caused by diabetes. Use the ideas from this article to learn more about managing your condition, and developing your own personal treatment plan.
All foods contain glycemic index numbers that inform you of how they will impact your blood sugar levels based on their ingredients. Don’t forget: Lower GI numbers mean that the food is better for someone with diabetes.
Take the stress out of diabetes management by developing more consistent habits. For example, keep your insulin and meter in one place each night so it is easier found in the morning. When testing, keep track of it as a routine so that you don’t forget any steps. Also, try to jot down your numbers.
Diabetics must be careful during pedicures. Be careful if you get a cut on your feet as those with diabetes are more prone to food infections.
Blood Sugar
Learn to identify foods that have high glycemic indices and that can cause your blood sugar to spike. Some of these high glycemic foods include cereal, pastas, breads, and juice. In addition, these processed foods are bad on your blood sugar. Try eating fruits, veggies, meats, and fish instead.
If you are with child and suspect that you are afflicted with gestational diabetes, you need to talk to your physician. If you don’t control your diabetes, it harms both you and your baby. A physician can offer guidance about dietary adjustments; he or she may also choose to prescribe medications to control your condition.
It is a good idea for diabetics to have five or six small meals throughout the day, rather than three large meals. This will help you stay in control of your blood sugar levels. These meals will also keep you from getting over-hungry and indulging.
Don’t panic if you go through high glucose levels right after you apply treatment towards a low sugar reaction. This means could mean that you are eating and drinking more than you should to fix your low level or that your body is releasing hormones to make up for the low level. Try reducing your meal by about half the next time and then check on your blood sugar level about 30 minutes later.
Diabetics who smoke should stop immediately. Not only is smoking bad for everybody, it is especially bad for diabetics because it could raise your blood sugar to dangerous levels. If you are having problems quitting smoking, ask your doctor for quitting methods.
If you suffer from diabetes, a great spice you can add to your foods without adding calories, sugar or sodium to your diet, is cinnamon. The natural sweetness inherent in certain foods is accentuated by cinnamon without the need for adding sugar that can increase levels of blood glucose. While researchers are unsure if cinnamon is able to lower glucose level, it’s still a diabetic-friendly spice.
A common misconception regarding diabetes is that sugar is not allowed in your diet. This is incorrect as sugar does not need to be completely eliminated, however, you must be mindful about eating sweets. You will still be able to indulge in small servings of your favorite sweets on special occasions. Eliminate other carbs from a daily meal in order to make room for eating your favorite dessert.
Don’t use urine ketone body tests exclusively as a means of testing your blood sugar. Testing through urine only shows that your glucose level is over 200mg per deciliter, and is not specific enough for an accurate reading. 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.
Egg Whites
Egg whites are the best thing to have for breakfast, especially if you have diabetes. Egg whites are low in fat and calories, and are packed full of protein, which helps get your day started off right. Make an omelette of egg whites, or scrambling the whites and eating them with some ham.
Individuals experiencing diabetes should add healthy carbohydrates in their diet. Diets that promote very low carbohydrates may not be the best option for diabetics as they don’t give the body important substances like vitamins and fiber. Adding more carbs to your diet is a good source of energy.
It has been shown by science that good exercise will lower the levels of sugar in your blood and raise the body’s sensitivity to insulin. This increase helps maintain a proper sugar level through life. Mix aerobic exercise with weight training for best results.
If you have diabetes, you need to know about the increased risk for foot problems. Inspect your feet regularly and take good care of them to prevent serious conditions and perhaps amputation. If you’re diabetic and you follow these tips, your feet will be healthier.
As the introduction of this article mentioned, it’s the potential to go blind and other debilitating side effects associated with diabetes that really scare people. You can work past the fear and use the information you’ve learned here to ensure that you’re never a victim of these nasty complications.
