Diabetes can be well managed by eating appropriate combinations of foods, during the right times during the day.
We learned last time that every time you eat a meal the nutrients are digested and released as glucose into the bloodstream as fuel for the cells. So what you eat and how often you eat can affect your blood sugar. When I teach people about how to eat for diabetes I use a very different method than the conventional methods of diabetes education. I always start with teaching people about eating whole foods and using whole food nutrition. Proteins and good fats are very important components of any diabetes food plan. When we eat these foods our stomach takes more time to digest them and puts glucose into our blood stream at a slower rate. This causes our blood glucose to rise more slowly and blood glucose levels do not go as high as quickly. Proteins and fats do not require as much insulin as carbohydrates so this also helps prevent blood glucose levels from being elevated.
Eating protein and good fat with each meal begins to have a positive impact on lowering blood glucose levels and managing diabetes. Animal proteins need to be baked, broiled or poached. Plant proteins can be eaten raw like nuts and seeds. Beans can be lightly sautéed or boiled. Examples of good fats are found in nuts, avocadoes, and olive oil.
Carbohydrates have to be more closely watched and sometimes restricted. The best carbohydrates to eat are vegetables because they have fiber as well as nutrients. The fiber helps to slow the release of glucose into the blood stream. Fruits have more sugar content than most vegetables so they must be monitored and many be restricted depending on how well you manage your blood sugar. Any grains, breads, pastas, cookies, cakes etc need to be restricted or many avoided to keep blood sugars normal. Once you start changing your diet you will not crave the grains overtime.
Muscle love to pull blood glucose out of the blood to use it as fuel. Resistance training, weight lifting, toning muscles are really important to helping blood sugar continue to be normalized each day.
Remember that if you have diabetes you need to be under the care of a naturopathic doctor, internist, or endocrinologist to monitor your blood sugar values. These doctors can help you understand if supplements like cod liver oil, magnesium, and blood sugar support formulas are appropriate part of your plan too.
Live Vibrantly,
Dr. Dae
Dr. Dae's website: www.healthydaes.org
Dr. Dae's book: Daelicious! Recipes for Vibrant Living can be purchased @ www.amazon.com or www.healthydaes.org
Dr. Dae's Bio:
Daemon "Dr. Dae" (pronounced Dr. Day) Jones is a Naturopathic Physician who completed her training at the University of Bridgeport College of Naturopathic Medicine. She is certified as a General Practitioner by the North American Board of Naturopathic Examiners (NABNE). Dr. Dae provides tailored treatment to meet the unique needs of every individual she sees in her practice. She also provides specialized support for persons challenged by nutritional deficiencies, weight problems, hormonal and reproductive system disorders, attention deficit disorder and those experiencing chronic diseases. Dr. Dae is an adjunct faculty member for Smith Farm Center for Healing and the Arts. She is the author of Daelicious! Recipes for Vibrant Living, The Healthydaes Newsletter, and is a regularly featured writer for the Elite GoogleNews Website empowher.com where she shares her personal and professional vision for living whole and living well. To learn more about Dr. Dae, her products and services, please visit her on the Web at www.Healthydaes.org