Being diabetic does not imply that you have to eat plain food all the days of your life. While it is imperative that you learn what is suitable for your health, you need to create a healthy diet that will keep you fit and healthy and also give you the nutrients that your body needs to keep heart disease away. Diabetics healthy food choices is key to healthy living.
The food that we consider unsuitable for the diabetic to eat is as well what would be a bad diet for everyone else. Basically, diet that is high in fat, salt, sugar and the over processed foods are considered bad for diabetics. This sort of foods is often filled with poly saturated fats or trans fat, which cannot be burned off through exercise. They are going to stay in the body and clog up the arteries.
If you have diabetes it can be the most awful thing for your diet and this will increase your risks of getting heart disease, stroke, and other heart problems that can lead to health complications. Making diabetics healthy food choices should be a continuous activity.
However, this will not entail that you have to cut out the fat forever, some fats, however, are healthy and necessary. Diabetics healthy food choices is a very important health activity not only for the diabetics, but for all health enthusiasts. For the diabetic, it is important to know which type food, fruit, fat is good for you and which ones are bad for you. For example, you will find most processed foods in fast food restaurants. Some of these fast foods contain fats that are not healthy. It is important to realize this and be cautions in your choice of foods.
Healthy fats, for example, are contained more in fish. Omega-3 fatty acids are good for diabetics and can be found in fish. They are good for diabetics because they can help reduce the risk of unexpected heart attack. While dieting, you can take foods rich in Omega-3 fatty acids. Note that it can contain some sugars and fats but in lower amounts.
Avoiding processed foods and making healthy food choices will enhance your health. Certain amounts of good fat are desirable for health. Diabetics healthy food choices is paramount.
Control of carbohydrate intake is another key factor that a diabetic should take note of. Excess carbohydrates turn into sugars in the body which could be harmful. This means more sugar in the body. This leads to increase in blood sugar levels. How to determine the quantity of carbohydrates in food can be learnt from diabetics by studying information from nutritionists or books on the subject. This can help diabetics to estimate how much to eat for the preferred food and the desired combinations. Diabetics healthy food choices is paramount.
Being diabetic does not imply that one have to limit food intake to foods without taste. You can still have the foods that you want so far as you keep the portions under control. The important thing is about being in charge of what you eat in such a way that you don’t consume more than what your body system can process and assimilate. Diabetics healthy food choices is very important. That is what is desirable for a healthy body.
Diabetics Healthy Food Choices: Understanding Blood Sugar Levels
Our actions, activities, food, state of health, thoughts or even our environment can cause blood sugar levels to fluctuate. For a healthy body, hormones are released in response to the varying blood sugar levels so as to properly utilize the sugar and to maintain a balanced blood sugar level. The importance of diabetics healthy food choices can not be overemphasized.
Blood sugar level can fluctuate. It can be high or low. When blood sugar level is too high it is known as hyperglycemia, and when it is low, it is known as hypoglycemia.
Controlling and monitoring blood sugar (glucose) levels are one of the most important aspects of diabetes management.
The inabilities of some individuals to either release the correct hormones or to respond effectively to them result in either high blood sugar level (hyperglycemia) or low blood sugar level (hypoglycemia). Diabetics healthy food choices can help to manage sugar level.
High Blood Sugar Level (Hyperglycemia)
The incapability of the body to produce enough insulin or is insulin-resistant results in high level of blood sugar level. Hyperglycemia can be as a result of stress, and lack of exercise, among other factors. If you have Type 1 diabetes and miss taking any of your diabetes medications, this can also lead to hyperglycemia.
Eating more carbohydrate-rich foods than the body can assimilate is the most common cause of high blood sugar level. If the situation becomes constant, it could develop to a chronic state which is referred to as type 2 diabetes. The body becomes progressively less able to control blood sugar levels. This has enormous adversarial health consequences for the individual. Making diabetic healthy food choices is very important.
Improper medication can also result in hyperglycemia. It is, therefore, very important to consult your doctor first before taking any other drugs, which may aggravate the health condition. Diabetics healthy food choices is a very important health activity that should be taken seriously.
Any feeling of unusual tiredness, thirstiness, feeling sick to your stomach, urinating more often and having blurry vision could mean that your blood glucose has exceeded safe levels. It is, therefore, very crucial that you consult your doctor and describe how you feel to him or her. Simple tests can be performed and necessary adjustments to your meal plans, exercise patterns and if necessary, diabetes medicines can be prescribed. Diabetics healthy food choices is not only for the diabetics.
Low Blood Sugar Level (Hypoglycemia)
Blood glucose level below 70mg/dl can be considered hypoglycemic. This means your blood glucose levels are too low. Hypoglycemia, in extreme cases, can pose very serious health consequences, immediately and in the longer term. Abrupt drop of blood sugar levels will require immediate medical attention, because this can result in seizures and coma.
Skipping or delaying meals, not eating enough carbohydrate-rich foods, prolonged physical exertion and excessive alcohol drinking are some causes of hypoglycemia. Medicines taken for other health issues might result in side effects that lead to lowered blood glucose levels.
Typically a hypoglycemic incidence is the consequence of a blend of conditions rather than a single factor.
If the insulin dosage of a Type 1 diabetic individual exceeds the required dosage, it could develop to hypoglycemia. This can happen if unplanned fasting and physical exertion follows medication, which results in a depletion of available blood glucose.
Feelings of anxiousness, irritability, tiredness, numbness around the mouth, slurred speech, feeling shaky, weak and hungry are some of the symptoms of low blood glucose levels. Profuse sweating, headaches are other forms of symptoms one may experience.
Once you experience any of these symptoms or combination of these symptoms, it is important to take immediate action to increase available blood sugar and have someone monitor your response. Seek prompt medical attention if your condition deteriorates.
Engage you health care professional to analyze the situation if the condition persists. This can help improve your body’s ability to respond to insulin.
Consumption of healthy meals at suitable and consistent times will significantly assist in keeping the right blood sugar balance. Notify your doctor if any medications you are taking affect your sugar level.
Human body is designed to regulate blood sugar levels. The activities you perform will either make or mar your body’s ability to achieve the desired health status. Generally, insulin medication is essential for type 1 diabetics. For others, though medication can help, the foremost factor is your activities concerning diet and lifestyle.
Periodic monitoring of your blood sugar level is very important as this will enable you ascertain your progress as well as take necessary action if desirable. You have a good chance at managing your hyperglycemia or hypoglycemia without the need of medications if you are pro-active in your quest of sustaining healthy blood sugar levels. Making diabetic healthy food choices is a huge step for the diabetics to bounce back to normal.
The following best tools on Amazon can be of help in monitoring your blood sugar levels:
First Pick: Care Touch Diabetes Testing Kit – Care Touch Blood Glucose Meter, 100 Blood Test Strips, 1 Lancing Device, 30 gauge Lancets-100 count and Carrying Case
Second Pick: Contour NEXT EZ Diabetes Testing Kit – Contour NEXT EZ Blood Glucose Meter, 100 Contour NEXT Blood Glucose Test Strips, 100 Lancets, Lancing Device, Control Solution, Log Book, User Manuals and Pouch
Third Pick: KETO-MOJO Bluetooth Blood Ketone and Glucose Testing Kit –10 Ketone & 10 Glucose Test Strips, 10 Lancets, 1 Meter, 1 Lancing Device, Monitor Your Ketogenic Diet
We recommended the following books:
- Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Complete Food and Nutrition Guide, 5th Ed
- Diabetes and Carb Counting For Dummies (For Dummies (Lifestyle)) 1st Edition
- The Complete Guide to Carb Counting, 4th Edition: Practical Tools for Better Diabetes Meal Planning Fourth Edition
Health is the greatest of all possessions; a pale cobbler is better than a sick king. – Isaac Bickerstaff