Friday, February 13, 2009

What should a Diabetic Eat? Part 2

The best way to control diabetes is being smart and selecting foods which will keep not only keep the sugar down, but will also help to control weight gain and decrease cholesterol. This can be approached by changing to a diet with fewer calories and less fat- this can be accomplished by eating more fresh fruit, vegetables, sea food and legumes instead of daily steak and hamburgers.

One should try and eat a healthy diet which derives at least 20-20% daily calories from protein, 30% or less from fat and the rest from carbohydrates. One should become a label based shopper and check which foods are sugar and fat free. Some labels even mention which foods are good for the diabetic.

When it comes to alcohol, there is no rule on how much one should drink. Alcohol is known to lower sugar and so drink it with your meals. And do not go overboard. One should not treat the diabetes and at the same time require treatment for alcoholism. Do be aware that brandy and some liqueurs have very high sugar content.

Because diabetes increases the risk of heart disease, one should make every attempt to control the cholesterol levels. Combination of cholesterol and diabetes is bad news. There are drugs to decrease cholesterol levels, but the first choice of therapy is exercise and this is highly recommended.

All diabetics should be involved with a nutritionist or a dietician. These individuals can help you with develop a well balanced diet and monitor your progress. They can also teach you about the foods you eat and how they affect your glucose levels and help you coordinate your diabetes and medications to eating. The dietician will work with you to create a healthy eating plan that will include all your favorite foods.

Diabetes does not mean not enjoying food. In moderation, almost all types of food can be eaten by the diabetic. There is sufficient information online for diabetics and there is absolutely no need to buy any fancy books on diabetic diets.

For more on diabetic supplies, visit www.medexsupply.com

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