Wow! I can't believe we are up to ten facts already. Today I thought I'd talk a little bit about nutrition. Eating right is especially important if you have diabetes. Trying to keep level blood sugars is very important. Your blood sugar rises when you eat a meal high in protein and carbs. By eating well-balanced meals, you will be able to control your weight and manage your diabetes.
Let's review the four food groups:
FRUITS AND VEGETABLES
WHOLE GRAINS
DAIRY PRODUCTS
MEAT PRODUCTS
Your doctor would have told you what calorie diet you should be on. An example would be 1800 ADA (American Diabetes Association) diet or 2200 ADA diet. Those are the most common two I see in the hospital. If you are not sure what your daily caloric intake should be, consult your doctor. He should have a nutritionist in his office or his nurse (like me) can sit with you and work out a diet plan that would be beneficial for you.
For diabetics, too much fat and cholesterol in their diets can be harmful. Fat and cholesterol clog arteries which put you at risk for heart disease and stroke. If you remember from a previous post about heart disease, diabetes itself is a risk factor. Adding a poor diet and little exercise increases that risk. So, choose what you put into your mouth wisely.
And speaking of exercise, did you know that exercise itself is a great way to control blood sugars? Exercise helps to lower blood sugars and makes insulin work better.
And I can't end a Diabetes Monday post without reminding you to stop by www.brendanovak.com! Only five days left to help her raise $$$ for diabetes research! Hop on over and bid bid bid! We want to prevent children and adults alike from having to inject themselves with insulin. Lets find that CURE!
Take care,
Kathleen
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