If someone has diabetes, it is important to know what to eat, how much, and when to eat. If we don’t control these steps, then medications can’t have everlasting effects.
So, instead of hoping for pills to be the primary source of balance for our body, we should focus on our meals too. If we want to balance our blood sugar levels, we should manage our diet, and this can be challenging.
That is why we need more information that will help us manage our condition and help us lead a healthy life.
Why is Blood Sugar so Important?
When our body is not sensitive to insulin anymore, type 2 starts to develop, and our blood sugar level changes. Thus, it can lead to damaged blood vessels and loss of sensation in the feet and legs.
Therefore, it is important not to let the condition progress over time and prevent it from developing. In most severe cases, neuropathy can lead to an increased risk of heart disease, problems with kidney functions, and even deteriorated eyesight.
Because type 2 can cause complications like low blood sugar or hypoglycemia, it serves as a threat to our health. Moreover, it can cause loss of consciousness, and in severe cases, seizures or brain damage.
But, there is a way to prevent all these complications from developing. We just need to manage our condition so that people can be able to avoid all of these side effects.
Consult Frequently With a Doctor
Regular checkups are a must for every person who has the condition. It is important to find a proper doctor who can recommend steps and diets that are ideal for our body and metabolism.
The doctor will make sure that our blood sugar is in order and will help us if we face any problems.
That is why we need to do regular checkups. This way we can monitor all the changes that happen in our bodies. Plus, it is important to know how we can balance our metabolism and improve our overall health.
Food is Important
If we want to manage our condition, we need to pay attention to our meals. Besides, we can eat more calories without even knowing it. Everything has calories today. That is why it is important to know what we eat and how much we eat.
Make sure to pick foods that can help balance blood sugar levels. However, that doesn’t necessarily mean we need to follow a strict diet. On the contrary, we only need to have proper meal plans suited for our metabolism.
How Many Calories Should We Consume
Those who have type 2 should consume around 1,500-1,800 calories a day. This means that it is important for them to regulate and manage the type of food they consume.
If they want to maintain a healthy weight, they need to focus on maintaining a healthy lifestyle.
Besides, the number of calories a person should take can vary on age, weight, and health. For example, men need to consume more calories than women because they have bigger muscle mass. Here is a list of calories that people can take:
- Overweight adults and sedentary women – 10 calories per pound;
- Breastfeeding and pregnant women – 15 to 17 calories per pound;
- Active men and women – 15 calories per pound;
- Men who are more than 55 years old and sedentary men – 13 calories per pound.
If people want to know how many calories a certain meal contains, they should read the labels. But, if one has had any doubts they can always consult with their doctor or nutritionist.
How Many Carbs Do We Need
After we consume carbs, they turn into glucose. All of the carbohydrates we consume become glucose in just 90 minutes. More importantly, they can raise the level of our blood sugar and affect our entire body.
To understand this condition, we need to focus on proper foods that are ideal for our blood sugar and our health.
That is the most important way to manage our condition and health. If we want to start regulating our meals, we should prepare a plan or write down what we will eat and what it contains.
Calculate the number of calories a certain meal contains and sees how much in total one will consume by the end of the day. Plus, this way we can coordinate the size of the portion we eat and how it will affect our blood sugar.
Why Is This Necessary?
With this meal plan, we can see how much carbs and fat we consume daily for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. This way we can see if the foods we eat negatively affect our body and blood sugar together with insulin resistance.
It all plays an important role in our management and control of our condition.
After some time, we can determine what meals are the most ideal for our body and we can focus on eating them. It will all depend on the time of the day, consistency, and the fat they contain.
If a certain meal causes problems for our health, we should reevaluate all of our plans and decide whether we should or shouldn’t consume it.
Post-Meal Blood Sugar
It is important to control our blood sugar after every meal if we want to manage our overall health. Many changes happen after 2 hours after every meal, as the changes in the a1C levels.
If our body reacts to the calories, proteins, fats, or carbohydrates that we consume, it may be best to start organizing every meal before we eat it. Besides, diabetes is a very unpredictable condition, and even the simplest changes can cause various problems.
Shedding Some Pounds
If we want to lower our size, we should consider taking proper foods that have a long-term effect. In other words, we still need to plan every meal accordingly and consult with our doctor about the choices we’ve made.
The doctor will surely give us some more tips and recommendations that will positively affect our blood sugar and help us lose some.
Is Sugar Really the Enemy?
Those with the condition think that they must avoid sugar at all costs. But, that is not right. The body needs sugar. Therefore, if we want to give our body energy, we must eat carbs and meals that have a positive effect on our health.
Do not deprive the body of the necessary nutrients it needs because this may cause an acidic state called diabetic ketoacidosis. Plus, if we don’t handle this condition on time, it may threaten our life.
Portion Size
When we start planning our meals, we should consider the size of the portion as well. That is why the ADA prepared this chart to ease our work and help us manage our condition more easily. Here is the recommended portion size we can consume:
- Cheese – 1 ounce;
- Fish, Meat, and Poultry – 3 ounces;
- Dry Cereal – ¾ cup;
- Pasta (cooked) or Rice – 1/3 cup;
- Milk, Yogurt, and Fresh Vegetables – 1 cup;
- Bread – 1 slice;
- Potatoes or Corn – ½ cup.
Of course, it isn’t easy to start with this portion size. That is why we should gradually adapt our bodies to the changes. After some time we will build our own habits, and it will become much easier for us.
Time the Meals
It is important to make a schedule and eat our meals at the same time. This way we can see how they affect our health so that we can keep our blood sugar at an optimal level.
Manage the Condition with Meal Plans
Those who have the condition should prepare a meal plan to know what kind of snacks they can eat. Therefore, they should count the calories and carbohydrates, and record what they are eating and how they have prepared it.
With this healthy diet, they can avoid complications and manage their blood sugar. So, here is a list of foods they can consume in large portions:
- Fruits and veggies;
- Dairy products with reduced-fat;
- Whole grains;
- Leaner meats;
- Fish and poultry;
- Beans.
However, there is no perfect meal plan that can work for all people. After all, it all depends on our metabolism and how different foods affect our bodies. That is why it is important to consume vitamins and nutrients daily.
Even though we might have type 2, we shouldn’t stop eating the foods we love. We only need to plan accordingly first. Start learning about the different food groups and how they can affect our blood sugar levels.
Managing Our Plate
Managing our plate is an ideal way to lower the number on the scale. Here is an example of how we should manage our plates.
On a plate we can have:
- ½ vegetables;
- ¼ proteins;
- ¼ starch.
This way we can easily plan our plate before every meal. Most importantly, if we can’t plan these meals, consult with our doctor to plan them for us.
Learning about type 2 can be challenging, but with some effort and dedication, we can solve this problem. If this information seems too overwhelming, people can always consult with their doctor.
Source: The Diabetes Council | ADA | Mayo Clinic
