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Controlling Diabetes through Diet
If you think you might have Diabetes or have just been diagnosed, your thoughts may be filled with visions of syringes, insulin and a host of other serious complications associated with the disease in its various forms.
But the truth is, many forms of Diabetes, especially if caught early, can be treated or controlled through proper nutrition. Type 2 Diabetes, in particular, can see great improvement through proper diet, even delaying the need for insulin for months, years, and if you’re lucky, a lifetime!
What is Diabetes?
Diabetes is a disease in which the body does not properly produce or use insulin. Since insulin is necessary for the body to convert sugar, carbohydrates and other food into energy, having Diabetes can cause serious and sometimes life threatening health complications.
It can also cause less tangible symptoms that can affect the way you feel and live. Because your cells are starved for energy you may often feel tired, and you may get dizzy or jittery 2-3 hours after eating.
Despite extensive research, no one really knows what causes Diabetes, There are, however, certain factors that seem to contribute to a greater likelihood of developing the disease. A family history of Diabetes and being overweight have both been attributed to a greater incidence of the disease.How What You Eat Affects Diabetes
Certain foods can help control the symptoms of your Diabetes by releasing consistent levels of glucose into the bloodstream. By doing this, you can mimic the healthy levels of glucose released into the body of a person without Diabetes. Common sense is the guide – if you eat foods that give a quick rush of energy and then make you crash with fatigue a couple of hours later (as with, say, a candy bar or soda), these are probably not the foods you want to eat to control your Diabetes! The key is in knowing which foods contribute to this even release of glucose and which can make your glucose spikes even worse.
Start by eating more complex carbohydrates like whole grain cereals, rice and legumes. These carbohydrates will promote even, long-term release of glucose, which will give you a steady supply of energy throughout the day. On the plus side, this type of energy just feels better than the jittery, peaks-and-valleys energy you get with simple sugars like candy and soda!
Although no one knows why it’s true, the evidence is overwhelming that being overweight greatly increases the chance for contracting Diabetes and the severity of the disease once you have it.
Watching portion sizes and incorporating low fat versions of your favorite foods into your diet will probably result in some immediate, relatively pain-free weight loss. Substituting low fat dairy products for full fat, lean meats for fattier cuts, and water with lemon for soda are all simple ways to cut back on the food that might have contributed to your Diabetes in the first place.
Keep it Simple
Unless your doctor has already put you on insulin there is a very good chance that eating appropriately will allow you to manage your Diabetes without it for the foreseeable future.
You don’t have to overhaul your diet all at once. Start with simple substitutions and smaller portion sizes. You’ll immediately start to feel in control of your condition – and that, more than anything, will give you confidence that you can make those positive changes over the long haul.
Copyright 2006, Diet-Handbook.Com | Diet Handbook