Having diabetes can be stressful, unpleasant and affect the quality of your life and relationships, but it doesn’t have to take all the pleasure out of things. Here are some helpful ideas that you can use to improve your life and make sure you control your diabetes, rather than letting your diabetes control you.
If you want to get oats into your diet but you don’t like eating a bowl of oatmeal, put them in your muffins and have one for breakfast. You can take any muffin recipe and add as much oats as possible, and throw in some cinnamon for an extra diabetes-fighting punch!
If you’re craving french fries but are watching your weight due to Diabetes, try sweet potato fries! Slice up a sweet potato and sprinkle salt, pepper, and other spices on it (Cajun spice mix also works well.) Bake it at 425 for about 30 minutes and you’ll have sweet, scrumptious fries to eat!
Eat foods rich in fiber. By eating fruits, vegetables, and grains you will improve your diet. You will lose weight and feel great. Fiber can help give you more control over your blood sugar and lower your chances of getting heart disease. Other sources of fiber include nuts, seeds, and beans.
If you suffer from diabetes and you are going to exercise, it is important that you check your blood glucose afterward. Strenuous activity can cause your body to burn off blood glucose and if your body does not have enough glucose, you can develop hypoglycemia. If your glucose levels are too low, try eating foods that have carbs to raise your glucose levels.
Try buying food at local farmer’s markets or at the farm itself to get discounts on healthy foods. A diet for Diabetes doesn’t have to be expensive, you just have to look for deals and sometimes shop in different locations. Eating farm fresh eggs for the first time will make you a believer!
If you find that you are frequently unable to keep your blood glucose levels under control, consider asking your primary care physician about whether an insulin pump may be a good choice for you. You may find that a pump can help you reach your targets, but it requires diligence and willingness to monitor insulin frequently.
If you find that your A1C levels are disproportionately higher than your typical blood glucose levels, the problem may be that you are measuring your pre-meal levels, which does not give you an accurate reading. Your average levels may not accurately reflect readings that are taken before, during, and after eating your meals.
If you are a diabetic, you should consider eating five to six little meals rather than three large meals everyday. When you have more frequent meals during the course of the day, your glucose level can be better stabilized. Eating more often also makes it less likely that you will binge, as you are likely to feel more satisfied.
If you have diabetes, it is important that you learn to recognize high glycemic index foods. These types of foods will make your blood sugar rise very fast, which can be dangerous. If you are not sure which foods fall into this category, take your time when food shopping to read the food labels.
It is very helpful to have at least one friend who also has diabetes. This is someone that you will lean on for support when you are just not feeling good, and someone that can depend on you when they need a friend. You will also be able to learn about what their doctor is doing that may be different from the treatment you are getting. Just remember not to change anything without consulting a medical professional first.
Prospective employers cannot legally forbid applicants from being employed because they have diabetes. Therefore, it is not necessary to initially reveal your medical condition.
Smoking has been attributed to the onset of diabetes. Smoking also raises your blood pressure and affects your whole cardiovascular system. It is definitely not a good idea to be smoking if you are diagnosed with diabetes. Smoking also causes lung cancer and affects many other parts of the body that are also affected by the symptoms of diabetes.
People suffering from Diabetes should consider adding green tea to their diet as a replacement of other sugary drinks. Green tea is a great way to cut calories and save carbohydrates. It also has the added benefit of fighting several other diseases. It may not lower your blood sugar, but it helps in many other ways.
Diabetes is never going to be a party, but with the above tips and some effort, you can make sure that it doesn’t keep you from enjoying every aspect of your life. Yes, living with diabetes can be inconvenient at best, but you can and will, find ways to overcome that.
