Diabetes Diet Plans: Nourish The Sweet Evil Away
Jula Hanf
With the breathless pace and skewed nutritional habits of today's world, the incidence of Diabetes is increasing at an alarming rate. This condition, which can be fatal if not treated in time, occurs when your body is starved of the energy it requires as it is incapable of using the insulin that it produces to break down the sugar in your blood. However, there is a brighter side to this threatening cloud. By simply adhering to the Golden Rules of regular exercise, timely medication and keeping a close watch on your glucose levels, this disease can easily be restricted to its most rudimentary stages, thus enabling you to lead a long and healthy life. Your meal patterns are also a vital part of your treatment, because in order to ensure that your medication is as effective as possible, it is important that you pay heed to not only what you eat, but also when you eat.
To ensure that your meals are perfectly suited to your medication and also meet your nutritional requirements, it is essential that you base them on the Diabetic Food Pyramid. Not to be confused with the Food Guide Pyramid which classifies your diet as per foods, the Diabetic Food Pyramid distinguishes between foods on the amounts of protein and carbohydrates they contain. Also, the focus here lies in maintaining the ideal intake of carbohydrates in every meal that you consume and hence, portion sizes as per the Diabetic Food Pyramid may also vary. Hence, even though your cup of juice may seem like nothing more than a refreshing thirst quencher, it may cause your glucose levels to fluctuate dramatically if you don't equate this increase in sugar by cutting down the carbohydrate content of your meal.
Carbohydrates form the primary constituent of all your meals. It is advisable that you stick to the range of 6 to 10 servings a day, each of which is constituted of a slice of bread, half an English muffin, a third of a cup of rice or its equivalent amount of pasta. You can also swap the former for half a cup of potatoes, peas or cooked beans, as these are also included in this food group on account of the high amounts of carbohydrates they contain.
The next category, namely vegetables make great additions to your meal, either cooked or consumed raw, as they are low in fat and hence calories and also rich in vitamins, minerals and fiber. One serving comprises of a cup of raw vegetables or half a cup of cooked varieties. Try to include at least 3 to 5 servings in your diet every day, or even munch on a few carrot sticks as a light snack. Keep away from the deep fried and greasy versions, and opt for the lighter and more waist-line friendly steamed and stir-fried alternatives.
Fruits, like vegetables are loaded with nutritional benefits, but are also significantly higher in the amounts of carbohydrates they contain. This is one of the key factors you need to bear in mind when you unmindfully pour yourself an extra cup of orange juice at breakfast, without balancing those carbohydrates first. Stick to the recommended portion size of half a cup of canned fruit, one whole small fruit or two tablespoons of dried fruit, which you can weave into your meals, 2 to 4 times a day. Milk and milk products are powerhouses of calcium and many beneficial vitamins, but once again, you need to keep an eye out for the fat content. Stick to the low fat or fat free varieties as far as possible. Cheese, despite of being a direct derivative of milk, is included in the category of meats, as it contains similar amounts of fat, while also being a significant source of protein. Keep your servings from the Meats Category down from four to six ounces a day, and opt for only the leanest versions you can lay your hands on.
If your Diabetes has driven all those sweet fantasies away, then here's good news! You can include the occasional sweet, as research and studies have proved your intake of sugar alone, is not the determining factor behind your Diabetes. All you need to remember is to balance the remainder of your meal in keeping with the additional sugar you're consuming and limit your sweet indulgence to special occasions. You can even sneak past the calorie devil by using low calorie or reduced calorie sweeteners in your baking or stir then into your desserts.
The success of your dietary regime is solely dependant on how interesting and flexible you make it. Stringent diets, no matter how well balanced, are bound to lead you astray simply because you will tire of all the restrictions laid down for you. Make sure you plan your diet with your nutritionist in keeping with your likes and dislikes and leave plenty of room for innovation. Also, don't be lured towards the low-carb options without consulting your physician as the high saturated fat levels in many of these alternatives are breeding grounds for cholesterol and high blood pressure. Armed with the perfect meal plan, which also allows you the occasional indulgence, there's almost nothing your Diabetes will compel you to strike out of your list of 'goodies'. In fact, you'll soon find that good nutrition has never tasted better than your own diabetes meal plan!
Julia Hanf author of the book How To Play the Diabetes Diet Game and Win Through a real life crisis Julia figured out how to live diabetes free. Visit http://www.yourdiabetescure.com and learn more about your solution for diabetes.
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