Diet plays a significant role in controlling blood sugar level. It is important for a diabetes patient to follow a regular diet plan in order to achieve optimum blood sugar level. If a patient is able to follow a diet plan he or she can control his diabetes without taking any OHA. A large number of patients control their blood glucose by diet and life style measures alone. Diet not only helps in controlling the blood glucose but it also helps in maintaining ideal weight. Thus, a diabetic patient should control his diet to control his blood sugar as well as weight. Weight loss is an important part of management.
The diabetic patients should try to understand which foods are good for their health and which are not. As we all know that carbohydrates are the main source of energy in our body. Thus, it is necessary for a diabetes patient to balance the intake of carbohydrates in diet to keep his blood sugar normal. When food containing carbohydrate is eaten and digested, glucose is released and absorbed into the blood stream which increases the glucose levels.
Different types of carbohydrates containing food release glucose and affect blood glucose level in a different way. Thus a glucose results in blood glucose levels rising rapidly and in a person without diabetes, falling fairly quickly as insulin is released from the pancreas. At the other end, eating an apple results in a much slower rise in the blood glucose level as the digestive process takes time to release the glucose. In diabetic patients, the pancreas is unable to respond to a rapidly rising blood glucose level and the treatments for type 2 diabetes do not fully correct this problem. Hence people with diabetes are encouraged to follow a diet low in simple sugars.
Dietary advice or to plan a diet for a diabetes needs skilled dieticians who are aware of, and experienced in, the eating habits of the local population cultures. Many such cultures had naturally extremely healthy patterns, which have now been damaged by westernization and easy availability of prepared, high fat food in abundance. Diabetic patients have to be cautious while eating food; it is not so that they have to keep a strict watch on their diet. A little awareness and control can help to deal with this never ending disease. Diabetes diet plan refers to plan a diet that has high nutrient content and low calories and fats.
Planning of meals
If you are suffering from diabetes, you can plan your meal according to your wish. There is no need to cut off your favorite foods but you can simply adjust the timings to get sufficient amount of nutrients and control blood sugar levels. If you are already following a regular diet plan do not change it. If you will try to change you may add new foods and this can disturb your blood glucose levels. Usually dieticians recommend exchange plan for diabetic patients to maintain blood glucose levels while on a diet plan.
It is necessary to control weight gain while on a diet plan. Regular exercise and healthy eating habits can help you to control your blood glucose and weight. Family members can play an important role in maintaining a diet plan for a diabetes patient. Family members can help by making healthy foods at home, by encouraging exercise, giving company to the diabetes patient during simple exercise and by eating the same food as made for diabetic patients.
Nutritious diet plan
The diet plan for the diabetic patient should be nutritious and free from extra calories. There should be spacing between the different meals. Sufficient amount of spacing helps in the effective absorption of the nutrients in the body cells. Irregular intake of meals can increase the blood sugar levels due to insufficient production of insulin from the pancreas. Diet of the diabetics should be such that it helps to prevent the risk of other complications such as heart disease, kidney disease, vascular disease etc. Diet should be such that it helps to lower the blood cholesterol level. Diet should be rich in essential nutrients required by the body to fight against the infection and prevent other complications.
In newly diagnosed diabetic patients with borderline diabetes, diet alone along with mild exercise can help to control blood glucose level. There is no need to take any oral hypoglycemic agents. But in severe cases, in addition to changes in the lifestyle, diet, weight control oral hypoglycemic agents are prescribed to bring the blood glucose level under control. Thus diabetes is a medical problem that can be dealt effectively by maintain a healthy lifestyle and by making some changes in the diet. It can help you to live a healthy and happy life.
