If You're Diabetic, Eat More of This and Less of That

So, your doctor told you that you are either pre-diabetic, or diabetic.  Maybe it's a loved one who's got the diagnosis.  Don't panic, take control.  It's time to get educated and I hope the following will be a good start for you.

I can not stress enough how imperative it is for your longevity and quality of life to take the steps necessary to control your sugar.  Diabetes affects every organ in your body.  I'll avoid the scare tactics for now, but if you really want them, post a comment and I'll be glad to paint the horrific picture of the future you with uncontrolled diabetes.  That however is not what I want this blog to be about.  I want to empower you with some basic knowledge on what to eat to control your sugar now.

First, I will give you the most basic nutritional education.  Everything you eat is comprised of three things, carbohydrates, fats, and protein.  These are the foundation of your diet.  All three are important to include in your diet.  Only one of them affects your blood sugar levels and that is carbohydrates.

Having established that carbohydrates are what affects your blood sugar, not fats or protein, I want you to understand that all carbohydrates were not created equal.  I'm sure you have heard the terms simple and complex carbohydrates.  The difference is fiber. Fiber is a carbohydrate, but its a good one.  

Like fats and protein, fiber will not raise your sugar but it is listed as a carbohydrate on your food labels.  A simple rule of thumb when reading labels is to subtract the grams of dietary fiber from the grams of carbohydrates to get an accurate picture of the amount of simple carbohydrates that will affect your blood sugar levels.

I highly recommend that you keep a food and blood sugar diary for a few reasons.  first of all, there is no one size fits all diet for anyone.  You need to learn how what you eat affects your blood sugar.  Second, it will help your doctor make informed decisions and recommendations for you.

The symptoms of high and low blood sugars vary among individuals, but the common expected symptoms are these:

Symptoms of high blood sugar (hyperglycemia) can include:

• Being very thirsty
• Having blurry vision
• Having dry skin
• Feeling weak or tired
• Needing to pee a lot

Symptoms of low blood sugar (hypoglycemia) can be different depending on how low your blood sugar level drops.

• Mild hypoglycemia can make you feel hungry or like you want to vomit. You could also feel jittery or nervous. Your heart may beat fast. You may sweat. Or your skin might turn cold and clammy.
• Moderate hypoglycemia often makes people feel short-tempered, nervous, afraid, or confused. Your vision may blur. You could also feel unsteady or have trouble walking.
• Severe hypoglycemia can cause you to pass out. You could have seizures. It could even cause a coma or death.

Having established that Fats, proteins, and fiber will not raise your sugar, you should eat them daily.  Having established that a blood sugar too high or too low is detrimental, and that simple carbohydrates will raise your blood sugar, you will eat these in moderation.

• You can eat all lean meat, fish, seafood & eggs
• You can eat all non-starchy seasonal vegetables
• - artichoke - asparagus
• - beet greens
• - beets - bell pepper
• - broccoli
• - brussels sprouts
• - cabbage - carrots
• - cauliflower - celery
• - collards - cucumber
• - dandelion - eggplant
• - endive - green onion
• - kale - kohlrab
• - lettuce - mushroom
• - mustard greens
• - onions - parsley
• - parsnip - peppers
• - pumpkin - purslane
• - radish - rutabaga
• - seaweed - seaweed
• - spinach - squash
• - swiss chard - tomatillos
• - tomato - turnips
• - turnip greens
• - watercress
• You may eat beans which have lots of fiber without added sugar
• Eat Moderate Amounts of Carrots
• Be wary of high simple carbohydrate vegetables such as
• Corn
• - cassava root
• - manioc - potatoes
• - tapioca
• Be wary of grains
• If you must consume grains, consume whole grains in small amounts
• Moderate healthy fats
• Moderate nuts and seeds
• Moderate Dairy products
• Cheese is low carbohydrate
• Milk will raise your blood sugar
•  Moderate amounts of seasonal fruit
• Whole fruit with its natural fiber intact is preferable to juice
• Avoid fruit juices which are all simple carbohydrates if you must drink them, try diluting them with water.
• Avoid processed foods – make it yourself so you know what is in it.
• Avoid sugars.  
• Stevia is a natural sweetener which is healthy and will not raise your blood sugar.
• Avoid Agave, organic honey, and molasses which are all simple carbohydrates.
• Artificial sweeteners are not food!  They are chemicals.  They will not raise your blood sugar, but I highly discourage consuming them.  I will gladly tell you why if you ask in a comment.
• Drink Water, and coffee, tea, and lemonade sweetened with stevia.
• Cinnamon has been known to help control blood sugar.
• Check it out here

The most sensible changes are ones you can live with.  Try making reasonable changes by consuming more of the foods highlighted in green, a moderate amount of the foods highlighted in yellow, and reduce your serving sizes of the foods listed in orange.

DISCLAIMER OF WARRANTIES AND LIABILITY  

The information contained in this site is intended to be used for general health care information purposes only, and should not be considered complete or used in place of a visit, call, consultation or advice from a physician and/or healthcare provider.

It is recommend that all decisions regarding medical conditions or patient care be made by a qualified healthcare provider who can evaluate your signs and symptoms.

Individuals are encouraged to contact their own private physician or healthcare provider regarding continuation or changes in their symptoms.

Should you have any questions about the information found on this site, please call your physician or healthcare provider.

Please do not disregard your physician or healthcare provider's advice or delay seeking treatment based upon information found on this site. The use of information provided on this site does not create a doctor/patient or hospital/patient relationship.