There are many serious health problems that are associated with diabetes. Death is one of them. To live a long and healthy life even with diabetes, you need to learn more about the disease, its effects and its treatments. The below article provides many excellent pieces of advice.
A large number of foods have an assigned “glycemic index,” which is a number that tells you how much the food affects your blood sugar after eating it. Keep in mind that foods with a lower glycemic index are better for a person with diabetes.
Experiment with alternative sources of protein such as eggs and tofu instead of just eating meat. Try to mix it up to keep your mouth interested!
Due to the large number of diabetics, diabetes awareness has really grown over the past decade. Don’t allow managing your diabetes to cause stress or shame in your life.
Following a sensible diet without overindulging is important if you suffer from diabetes. You most likely do not need to give up those sweet treats for the rest of your life. If you have good blood sugar levels, it is not bad for you to consume deserts every now and then. Make room for desserts by eliminating an equal amount of carbohydrates from your main meal.
You will find it in soda, condiments and candies, and therefore, it is important to study labels in order to avoid harmful items. Sometimes, this ingredient is labeled differently, depending on the country of your residence. In Canada for example, high fructose corn syrup is usually found on food labels as “glucose” or “fructose.”
If you’re hypoglycemic, you should carry sugary food or gum with you constantly. You never know when you will feel the onset of an attack so it is important to always be prepared. This is even more important if you skip breakfast, because your body will be craving sugar.
If you have a baby on the way and show symptoms of gestational diabetes, call your general practitioner right away. If you do not get in front of this condition, you are risking both the health of you and your child. There are many safe medications you can take while being pregnant, and your doctor can not only provide those to you, but they can also give you advice on what foods are best to eat.
This increases your child’s chances of developing diabetes when he or she is born or later in life. It is very important for you to maintain good health so as not to doom your child to having diabetes.
Adding Sugar
If you are a diabetic, add cinnamon to your food as a way to spice up flavor without adding sugar, sodium or calories. Cinnamon can bring about a sweeter flavor without adding sugar, which can raise the level of glucose in the blood. Some studies have shown that cinnamon will lower the sugar levels, but regardless it is a good thing to add to your foods.
For people who suffer from hypoglycemia, you may want to talk with your doctor about taking glucose tablets. They are portable and small, providing an excellent way to get needed glucose into your system more quickly than consuming foods with sugar.
Favorite Foods
You don’t have to eliminate your favorite foods from your diet, but you likely will need to modify how you eat them. A lot of people struggle with their diabetes-related diet restrictions. The majority of diabetics think that they have to eliminate their favorite foods. Others tend to ignore the diet and eat their favorite foods anyway. The best thing to do is look at what you like to eat, and make substitutions. You would be surprised just how many dishes can be made diabetic-friendly just by using healthier replacements for offending ingredients.
Even if you have no appetite or feel ill, you need to eat healthy, take care of yourself, and watch your blood sugar. When your blood sugar is low for an extended period of time, you can become dehydrated. Take time to drink extra fluids if you suspect you are dehydrated.
Smoking is bad for everyone, though it is a lot worse for a diabetic. This habit produces many negative health effects. Smoking makes you insulin-resistant, and if you’re not a diabetic, you could be at risk for type 2 diabetes.
Don’t rely only on ketone testing with your urine to measure your glucose levels. Elevated ketone levels only indicate that your blood sugar is higher than 200. Readings should be recorded to find patterns and to give your physician an accurate report.
The diabetic is in great need of knowing what is necessary to their body’s health, and how to minimize damage from diabetes. This article has great advice for loved ones of diabetics and diabetics.