Controlling diabetes through diet is possible for many people, but it does take some effort. This article will discuss what type 2 diabetes is, why it is important to eat correctly and then offer a few tips to make things easier. One of these tips might be to substitute certain foods for diabetic shakes to help control blood sugar levels.
What is type 2 diabetes?
Type 2 diabetes is a chronic condition in which your body does not properly use insulin. This causes your blood sugar to rise. While type 1 diabetes is usually caused by genetics, type 2 diabetes can be caused by being overweight or obese, having high blood pressure, having a history of gestational diabetes, or not getting enough physical activity.
If diabetes is not controlled, it can lead to serious health problems such as heart disease, stroke, blindness, kidney disease, and amputation. That’s why it’s so important to make changes to your diet if you have diabetes.
Why is diet so important in controlling diabetes?
The food you eat has a direct effect on your blood sugar. When you have diabetes, your body either doesn’t make enough insulin or can’t use insulin properly. This is what causes your blood sugar to rise. Eating foods that raise your blood sugar can make it harder to control your diabetes.
On the other hand, eating foods that don’t raise your blood sugar can help you control your diabetes. These foods include fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins. They also include healthy fats such as olive oil and avocados.
It is well worth researching the foods that are bad for diabetes as much as those that are okay to eat more of when you have such a condition. It is not easy being a diabetic and it can impact your health in so many different ways, but there is help out there. Your doctor or diabetic nurse can point you in the right direction as well as the tips that we talk about below. Sometimes we need to take responsibility ourself for our medical condition because that is going to be the best way to manage it for the future and take much of the burden away from those closest to us.
A few tips for controlling diabetes through diet
If you’re looking to control your diabetes through diet, here are a few tips to get you started:
- Choose foods that are low in sugar and carbohydrates. These include fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins.
- Limit processed foods, sugary drinks, and red meat.
- Eat several small meals throughout the day instead of three large meals.
- Spread your carbohydrate intake throughout the day.
- Include a diabetes-friendly protein at every meal.
- Monitor your blood sugar levels regularly.
- Try the diabetic shakes to see how these can help change your life by making it easier to control your diabetes.
These tips are a way of avoiding having to control diabetes by other means, which can be unavoidable in certain cases. When you have the option to do so by diet, this is much easier for everyone involved in your care. Your doctor will want you to be able to control your condition by diet if possible and hope that it does not lead to you needing to take regular insulin injections. It is all about making things as convenient as possible, yet still managing your condition so that you can continue to go about your business as usual.
Making changes to your diet can be difficult, but it’s worth it if it means you can control your diabetes. Talk to your doctor or a registered dietitian to get started. Look online to discover diabetic shakes and other assistance that can help you self-manage your condition. Always consult a doctor about diabetes but also have as much help to hand as you can.