Diabetes is one of the fastest growing diseases in the modern world. Each week brings more confirmed cases. This article contains helpful lifestyle tips for anyone who is, or may think they are affected by the disease.
Foods fall on different places according to the glycemic index, a number that details how each food will affect glucose levels in the blood based on its chemical makeup. Look for lower GI ratings if you struggle with diabetes.
If you get hypoglycemia, it’s absolutely crucial you have gum or some type of sugary food always available to you. Hypoglycemia can flare-up at any time, so it is extremely vital you are always prepared. This is a potentially severe problem if you skip breakfast, so always eat a healthy breakfast and regular meals to reduce the risks.
If you’re not sure how you can afford your diabetes medications, try looking at online pharmacies. Sometimes they will even deliver for you each month.
Blood Sugar
Know which foods have high GI values and can spike your blood sugar when ingested. Some examples of foods with high glycemic indexes are cereal, desserts, juices, breads and pasta. Foods that are processed and have a lot of chemicals and preservatives in them can also wreak havoc on your blood sugar levels. Add more fresh vegetables and fruits, meats and fish to your diet.
Sometimes a quick snack, like a chocolate bar from a snack machine, or other goodies around the house, may be hard to avoid, diabetic or not. It is critical that you ignore snacks and eat fruits, vegetables, or any other complex carbohydrate.
When you are experiencing diabetes, it’s a good idea to consume several small meals, as opposed to having three bigger meals. Eating more often during the day helps maintain your blood sugar at stable levels. These meals will also keep you from getting over-hungry and indulging.
Pregnant mothers should understand and take heart in the fact that gestational diabetes has not been caused by something they have done. Gestational diabetes occurs to some people and there is rarely something anyone can do about it. Keep your stress level low, and think positively about your baby and yourself.
This will make it more likely that your child will have diabetes either when he is born or later in life. Do NOT curse your child with this disease, instead take care of yourself now.
If you smoke, and you have diabetes, now is a good time to quit. Chemicals present in cigarettes can raise the level of sugar in your blood significantly if you are diabetic. If you have issues with quitting, talk to your doctor about options to help you stop.
Most diabetics need to take fast acting insulin a few minutes before eating. Check with your doctor to make sure this applies to you. Fast-acting insulins work very well to maintain blood sugars, but they must be properly dosed for the individual.
If diabetes requires you to limit sugar or sodium, a terrific way to add flavor to your diet is to use cinnamon. You can avoid raising your blood glucose levels by adding cinnamon to your foods, which adds natural sweetness without adding sugar While researchers are unsure if cinnamon is able to lower glucose level, it’s still a diabetic-friendly spice.
People with hypoglycemia may benefit from glucose tablets, and should discuss this option with their doctor. The tablets are simple to take wherever you go and help elevate your glucose levels quicker and more efficiently than foods with sugar.
Egg Whites
Egg whites make a great breakfast if you have diabetes. Egg whites have a very low amount of fat and calories, and they’re packed with protein that you need to begin the day in the right way. Make an omelet with egg whites, or scramble the egg whites with ham for instance.
While diabetes is a serious condition, receiving a diagnosis is certainly not something you shouldn’t be able to take in stride. With proper use of the advice from this article, you can learn how to successfully adapt to the precarious nature of diabetes and live a happier and healthier life.