HOW TO EAT HEALTHY WITH DIABETES

A diabetes diet plays an important role in regulating level of blood sugar in the body. It is, therefore, important to eat healthy with diabetes.

The diet must be a combination of proteins, carbohydrates and fats. While whole grains like brown rice and oats, skimmed milk and fresh fruits and vegetables must occupy a major part of the diet, saturated and trans fat products such as fried foods should be minimal. They might spike the blood sugar resulting in more diseases.

These products can be substituted by avocados, nuts and olive oil that contain omega-3 fatty acids that have anti-inflammatory properties and help make the heart and the body healthy. Thus, there should be moderation in the diet and its consumption.

Diet Considerations for Diabetics

There is no specific diet regimen for combating diabetes, be it Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus or Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus. Healthy food options are also considered healthy for individuals suffering from diabetes. Therefore, diabetics and their family can have same food together. One needs to take into account that intake of excess carbohydrates can complicate the condition, as the nutrition element have substantial impact on blood sugar levels.

In order to keep control of the diabetic condition, one needs to check his/her caloric intake, which includes consumption of fats, proteins and carbohydrates. Monitoring the nutrient intake helps in controlling blood sugar level. Tracking calories along with making healthy food choices, regular exercise and adhering to medication regimen enables control over diabetic condition.

One can also make a personalised diet plan for himself by discussing preferred food options with a dietician. Adequate diet plan for diabetes helps in maintaining blood glucose levels, blood pressure and cholesterol level. In this manner, diabetic condition can be kept in control.

Healthy Drinking for Diabetes

Beverages high on fats and sugar content are dangerous in diabetic condition. Therefore, diabetics must consider nutritional content before consuming any beverage :

1. Fresh fruit juice instead of preserved juice is good for diabetics. One must consider that it should be low on carbohydrates, sugar content and sodium.
2. Water is considered the best drink for diabetics. Diabetics lose more fluids than usual and drinking ample amount of water is essential. Moreover, water has no calories, carbohydrates and fats that have an effect on blood sugar levels.
3. Unsweetened tea is free of calories, and contains antioxidants along with flavonoids.

Concerned About Coffee

It May Actually Be Good for You

Because it tastes so good, you may assume coffee is bad for you. Maybe you’ve heard rumors that your morning brew causes everything from heart disease to cancer. But researchers are finding that coffee poses little to no health risk for most people. Not only that, coffee drinking might have some health benefits.

Early research hinted that coffee might have some harmful effects. But most of those studies searched for links between people’s habits and their overall health. In such studies, it’s hard to know which effects come from coffee and which just show up by coincidence. Heavy coffee drinking sometimes goes hand in hand with unhealthy habits, like smoking and a less active lifestyle.

Coffee beans are seeds and like all seeds, they’re loaded with compounds to protect the plant’s next generation.

Caffeine is probably the most well-known compound in coffee. It can make you feel more awake and alert, which is why most people drink coffee in the first place. But too much can be harmful. In fact, caffeine causes the most common problem reported by coffee drinkers: trouble sleeping. Caffeine can also blunt your appetite and cause headaches, dizziness, nervousness and irritability.

If you’re sensitive to caffeine, simply drink less of it. If you have trouble falling asleep at night, make sure to avoid it later in the day.

Caffeine is mildly addictive, so you might get headaches, drowsiness, irritability, nausea and other symptoms if you suddenly cut back. You can avoid these effects, though, by gradually reducing your caffeine intake.

There’s some evidence that high amounts of caffeine during pregnancy may cause problems with the pregnancy. That’s why doctors recommend that pregnant women cut back on coffee and other caffeinated beverages.

Studies also suggest that caffeine may interfere with calcium absorption. Calcium is an important nutrient for growing and maintaining strong bones. Make sure you get enough calcium in your diet to help reverse this effect.

Some types of coffee can cause cardiovascular problems for another reason, however. Coffee can contain compounds that lead to a rise in LDL cholesterol. That’s the “bad” kind of cholesterol that’s been linked to cardiovascular disease.

When coffee is brewed with a paper filter, it removes a lot of the components that lead to higher LDL. So it’s a good idea to drink filtered coffee to avoid this problem.

Perhaps the strongest research showing a health benefit from coffee relates to type 2 diabetes. In a 2002 study, van Dam’s team reported that people drinking 7 or more cups per day had a 50% lower risk of type 2 diabetes than those drinking 2 or less cups. About 20 studies have now looked into the effect in various populations.

Coffee can also help your social life, if you meet good friends to talk over coffee. Studies have clearly shown that people who have more social relationships have less stress and live longer. Research also suggests they’re less likely to show mental declines as they age.

So go enjoy that cup of coffee. It’s not the guilty pleasure you may have thought.

For Healthier Coffee Drinking

1. Drink coffee that’s been filtered through paper.
2. Avoid specialty coffee drinks loaded with sugar and fat, which can contribute to weight gain.
3. Consider adding a little non-fat milk if you’re concerned about bone health.
4. Don’t drink caffeinated coffee late in the day if you have trouble sleeping.
5. Avoid caffeinated coffee if you’re pregnant.

Signs and Symptoms of Hyperglycemia

It is possible to have type 2 diabetes for years and not even know about it. Most people with high blood sugar may have few or no symptoms are all. The common signs and symptoms of high blood sugar are;

1. Dry mouth
2. Increased thirst and frequent urination: Elevated blood sugar in the blood causes fluids to move out your cells. This makes you feel thirsty and so you drink more water - this leads tofrequent urination
3. Increased frequency of urination during the night
4. Increased hunger - as your body cannot use the glucose in the blood your muscles and other tissues become depleted of energy source - so you feel hungry more frequently;
5. Blurred vision: Elevated glucose levels in the blood leads to loss of fluid from the lenses of your eyes - which can affect your ability to focus and see clearly.
6. Dry, itchy skin.
7. Patches of darkened skin.
8. Fatigue or drowsiness
9. Weight loss
10. Slow-healing sores or frequent infections. If severe hyperglycemia or severely elevated glucose levels persists for a long time (several hours or days) it can cause dehydration.
11. Difficulty in breathing
12. Giddiness on standing
13. Drowsiness, stupor and confusion
14. Loss of consciousness or coma If you have symptoms suggestive of elevated glucose levels - get your blood sugar levels tested.