What should a Diabetic Eat? Part 1

Unfortunately, once diabetes has been acquired, it can not be prevented nor can it be cured. It is a serious chronic disease and the individual has to adapt to it. Diabetes is relatively easy to control but if neglected the complications of diabetes are devastating. To avoid the complications, the following changes in lifestyle will make one’s life a lot bearable and hassle free. These changes include:

Nutrition

Medical nutrition therapy is an integral component of diabetes management and of diabetes self-management education. Yet many misconceptions exist concerning nutrition and diabetes. Despite what everyone thinks there is no such thing as a diabetic diet. Dieticians, therapists, fitness experts and nutritionists have all gone overboard trying to create imaginary diabetic diets.

A common sense attitude to food is all that is needed.

Try and reduce the intake of total fat, mainly saturated fat, which is known to worsen diabetes and make control of blood glucose difficult. Except for the omega 3 fatty acids, most fats have an adverse effect on insulin action. Some dieticians recommend that intake of unsaturated fatty acids are beneficial in the long term management of diabetes.

Recent studies also indicate that there is a decreased risk of diabetes with increased intake of whole grains and dietary fiber. Although few micronutrients may affect glucose and insulin metabolism, data to document their role in the development of diabetes are scant. Infact moderate amount of alcohol intake has recently been shown to increase insulin sensitivity and improve glucose control.

However, recommending alcohol consumption as therapy may lead to worsening of the social problems related to alcoholism, not to mention its damaging effects on the liver.