Dietary Changes For People With Diabetes
Living with diabetes isn’t easy. It can get stressful reminding yourself daily what’s best for you and what’s not. There are various factors you need to keep in mind, especially the diet you take. Diet for diabetic people can heavily impact their life.
Healthy eating can help them prevent, control, and even reverse diabetes. Making these simple changes can tune your diet up and help keep your diabetes in check.
The bran and fiber in whole grains make it difficult for digestive enzymes to break down the starch into glucose. This in turn leads to a slow increase in blood sugar. These whole grains are also rich in essential minerals and vitamins that help in reducing the risk for diabetic people.
On the contrary, food items such as white bread, mashed potatoes, white rice, etc., should be avoided. These food items have a high glycemic index which can cause a spike in blood sugar & insulin levels increasing the risk for diabetic people.
[Note: Glycemic Index is a system wherein a number is assigned to carbohydrates containing food based on how much blood sugar each item increases.]
Fiber-rich diet includes foods that your body can't digest or absorb. Fiber helps control your blood sugar levels by moderating how your body digests food. Food rich in fiber includes.
- Fruits
- Vegetables
- Legumes, such as beans and peas
- Low-fat dairy products, such as milk and cheese
Eating fish such as salmon, mackerel, tuna, and sardines are rich in omega-3 fatty acids, which may avert heart disease.
Avoid fish such as king mackerel, which are fried and contain high levels of mercury.
The types of fats you consume directly affect your diabetic development. Good fats such as polyunsaturated fats found mostly in plant-based oil, seeds, nuts, and fatty fish help in maintaining a healthy diet and controlling your diabetic development. Common food items that contain polyunsaturated fats are:
- Walnuts
- Avocados
- Sunflower and Flax Seeds
- Corn Oil
- Canola Oil
For people tackling diabetes, it is advisable to limit their intake of red meat and avoid processed meat at all costs. It increases the risk of diabetes even among people that consume controlled portions. Studies have shown that diets high in red meat and processed meat are associated with an increased risk of Type 2 diabetes.
Consuming these in smaller portions won’t do because consuming small amounts of processed red meat each day would amount to an increase in diabetes risk considerably. Try cutting down on these for a healthier life.
Foods to avoid
With diabetes comes the risk of heart disease and stroke since it may accelerate the development of clogged and hardened arteries. Following food items may stunt your goal of a healthy diet and lifestyle.
- Cut down on high-fat dairy products and animal proteins such as beef, hot dogs, butter, sausage, and bacon.
- Fats found in processed snacks, and baked goods, also known as trans fat should be avoided at all costs.
- Stay away from high-fat dairy products and high-fat animal proteins, egg yolks, liver, and other organ meats that contain cholesterol. Limit your cholesterol consumption to not more than 200 mg a day.
- Your sodium intake should not be more than 2300 mg a day.
While you are on this life-changing journey to a healthy lifestyle, keeping a check on your health and progress is essential. Especially for people that have high chances of developing high blood pressure. It is advisable for people with diabetes to monitor their blood pressure for timely diagnosis.
You can check our Romsons Blood Pressure Monitor range perfect for self-monitoring and daily use.
Romsons BPX Plus is a fully automatic blood pressure monitoring device that is highly recommended for its easy one-touch operation. The device comes with an automatic monitor, automatic inflation and deflation of the cuff, auto shut-off after use, and a memory recall button with a capacity of up to 120 readings. Its compact size is ideal for people on the go.
Romsons BP10 Automatic Digital BP Monitor is an easy-to-use device. Its easy one-touch operation allows it to calculate heart rate and monitor blood pressure. It comes with latex-free cuffs that fit all. These cuffs inflate by the press of a button and deflate automatically after use.
To measure blood glucose levels, opt for Romsons Romo Check Plus Blood GlucoMeter. It is specially designed to provide high-quality glucose monitoring. It's an easy-to-use device that comes equipped with automatic calibration with a code chip and has a memory that stores up to 100 results.
We also have in our range the Romsons Alco Swabs which are alcohol wipes highly effective in quick and easy cleaning and disinfecting of the skin area.
