Healthy Eating
Healthy Eating
How to eat right with diabetes
By Theresa Garnero
There are four specific diet behaviors that have the most influence on improving glucose control:
- Being consistent with a meal plan;
- Treating hypoglycemia appropriately;
- Responding to hyperglycemia (more insulin and/or less food); and
- Being consistent with an evening snack, if prescribed.
The payoff? By following a meal plan most of the time, you can see a 1% to 2% decline in A1C, a 15 to 25 mg drop in LDL (the “lousy” or bad cholesterol), a decrease in blood pressure, and a 1- to 2-pound weight loss per week. Easier said than done, especially with temptation around every corner. Now you can pull out that healthy eating key for defense.
Have you seen a dietitian recently to help tailor make a meal plan? Depending on your needs, any of the following could be recommended: regulating carbohydrates, reducing saturated fat and/or overall calories, or increasing fiber.
Visit these resources for key information on healthy eating habits:
Food and Nutrition for People with Diabetes
Menu Planning
Dietary Fat and Fat Control
Portion Sizes
Getting Past Roadblocks to Healthy Eating
<< GO BACK TO THE SEVEN SELF-CARE HABITS INDEX << SOURCE:1 - American Association of Diabetes Educators. AADE 7 Self-Care Behaviors. (Accessed 2/19/08).