Note From the Cuisine Diva
I had gestational diabetes when I was pregnant with my daughter. My doctors said I need to be careful about NOT gaining excess weight as I get older, as this could lead to my getting adult onset diabetes. I was recently contacted by Patricia Harris, founder of the Diabetic Menu Blog. She wanted to know if I would be interested in having her write an article for my Cuisine Diva blog. I thought that would be a fantastic idea, and contacted her right away. Here is the article Patricia wrote for Cuisine Diva.
Help Stop Type 2 Diabetes
by Patricia Harris
Diabetes type 2 is the most common kind of diabetes. An incredible number of Americans are identified as having type 2 diabetes, and many more don't suspect that they may be at high risk. Some groups have a higher risk for developing type 2 diabetes than others. Type 2 diabetes is much more common in African Americans, Latinos, Native Americans, and Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians along with Pacific Islanders, as well as the older population.
In type 2 diabetes, either the body doesn't produce enough insulin, or the cells ignore the insulin. Insulin is critical in order for your body to be able to use glucose for energy. Once you eat food, the body breaks down all of the sugars and starches into glucose, that's the basic fuel for your cells in the body. Insulin takes the sugar from blood into your cells. When glucose generates inside the blood, rather than going into cells, it can lead to diabetes complications.
You may have the power to increase and protect your health. With proper nutrition and exercise and by making good lifestyle choices, like not smoking, you possibly can feel better, stronger, and healthier, and can reduce your risk of diseases including cancer, diabetes, heart disease and heart stroke.
What is a Healthy Weight?
There's a great way to find out if your current weight puts you at risk for developing serious diseases. Go to www.diabetes.org/bmi and take the Body Mass Index (BMI) test. The final results can help you decide if you need to be concerned about your weight.
The Better You Eat, The Better Your experience
Here are some basic guidelines to help you and your family make healthier food decisions.
- Eat many vegetables and fruits.
- Choose wholegrain foods over processed grain products; try brown rice instead of white, substitute wheat grains bread for white.
- Eat fish 2 to 3 times per week.
- Select leaner cuts of meat like those that end in "loin."
- Remove the skin from poultry and turkey.
- Eat non-fat dairy.
- Drink water and low calorie, non-carbonated liquids.
- Use liquid oils for cooking instead of solid fats.
- Cut back on high calorie snacks like chips, cookies, cakes, and regular ice cream.
- Find baked chips and reduced calorie snacks. Or have some fruit instead.
- Be careful about your serving sizes. Even an excessive amount of "healthy" food could potentially cause weight gain.
Tips
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Compare labels of similar foods, then pick the one with smaller amounts of saturated fat, cholesterol and sodium.
- Adults should eat under 2400 mg. of sodium everyday. If you have high blood pressure, you might want to aim for even less.
- Try adding seasonings in your cooking to replace salt for enhancing flavor.
A Little Physical Activity Goes a Long Way
Anything that gets you up and moving will help get you started on the right track. You do not need to visit a gym, play sports, or use fancy equipment. You should talk to your physician before beginning any
exercise program. Here's what exercise may do for you:
- Reduce your risk of developing diabetes type 2
- Reduce your risk of heart disease and stroke Lower hypertension and cholesterol
- Reduce blood glucose (sugar) levels if you have diabetes, which could lower your risk of developing diabetes-related complications
- Reduce tension
- Help you slim down
- Provide you with more energy
- Help you sleep better
- Build stronger bones and muscle mass
Living With Diabetes
Maintaining a healthy diet, and staying active are very important when you've got diabetes. Well-balanced meals might help keep your glucose (sugar) level as close to normal as it can be. Being physically active also helps you decrease your blood glucose levels. If you increase your physical activity levels, you may be able to take less insulin or diabetes pills.
In case you are very inactive, have heart disease, or simply a history of foot ulcers, talk to your doctor about safe exercise options available for you. Check your blood glucose before exercising. If it's under 100 mg/dl, eat some fruit, crackers or have a glass of milk or juice. Check your glucose level again, after exercising, to know how your blood glucose responds to a workout. Bring a snack if you'll be active for a few hour.
About the Author
Patricia Harris writes for the Diabetics Menu Blog; her personal hobby web log devoted to tips to eat healthy to avoid and manage diabetes.
