Diabetes: How You Can Stay Healthy Longer

Diabetes: How You Can Stay Healthy Longer

Once you become accustomed to living a certain lifestyle, it's difficult to make any significant changes. But change you must if you want to live the healthiest life possible. Here are some great tips you can use to cope with diabetes. All food has a 'glycemic index' this is how much your blood sugar will be affected when you eat them. Diabetics should always look for foods with the lowest possible GI number. The glycemic index is a number that reflects how much effect different foods have on your blood sugar level. Don't forget: Lower GI numbers mean that the food is better for someone with diabetes. Almonds are the perfect snack to not hurt blood sugar. Natural, unsalted almonds are healthy for you, as they are full of protein, fiber and healthy nutrients. Keep a bowl by the couch so you can grab some for a snack while you watch TV. Try making a salad with walnuts. Walnuts are full of monosaturated fats. This makes your cells become more receptive to the insulin. They also contain antioxidants, omega-3 fatty acids, minerals, and vitamins, plus they give you a major energy boost and taste great! Having a kid who has diabetes can be very frustrating, but you will be able to deal with it. Diabetes treatments have advanced to the point where it no longer shortens a person's life span. There is a person that is in his 90s that has lived with diabetes his entire life, which was before the advances in medicine that can properly treat diabetes. If you tend to get hypoglycemic reactions, make sure you carry sugary snacks with you. The effects of hypoglycemia can be much more dangerous than those of hyperglycemia, and it can rear its ugly head at any time. Your body especially craves sugar in the morning, making breakfast a very important meal. Due to the large number of diabetics, diabetes awareness has really grown over the past decade. Acknowledging this can eliminate any shame or stress that came with your diagnosis, and make living with the condition much easier. Know which foods have high GI values and can spike your blood sugar when ingested. For example, most juices, breads, desserts, cereals, and types of pasta are high glycemic index foods. Your blood sugars do not respond well to foods that are processed either. Instead, try to focus on fresh fruits and vegetables, fish, and meat. Learn to indulge healthily if you are living with diabetes. You don't have to eliminate all the sweets you enjoy. You can eat dessert every so often if you're blood sugar is controlled. Simply account for dessert by reducing the amount of carbohydrates in your main meal by an equal amount. There are numerous methods to lose weight that are free, everything from jogging to workouts at the park, and all of them will help in your battle against diabetes. Go to the park and use the jungle gym to do chin ups. If you want to stay home, do some weight training with bags filled with heavy objects. Remember that diabetics must be extremely cautious when having a pedicure. You are more prone to getting a foot infection if you're diabetic, so you need to try and be careful when you get a pedicure, especially if you get a puncture or cut. Watch the foods you eat if you are diabetic. Different food affect your glucose levels differently, so you need to closely monitor what you eat. If you are on insulin, the amount of insulin that you need will depend on the size of a meal. Watch what you eat to manage your blood sugar levels. If you have diabetes and see that you have vision problems, make sure to visit with your doctor. Glaucoma, cataracts and retinopathy can appear because of diabetes. At worst, these problems can cause blindness, so it is crucial to take care of them. As a diabetic, rather than eating three meals a day, consider eating five to six lighter meals. Eating smaller amounts with greater frequency during the day helps maintain the stability of your blood sugar. Frequent meals also help to eliminate the risk of binge eating, since you will never feel ravenous. 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. Pass up the Pop Tarts, though, and eat a veggie or fruit instead.

Blood Sugar Level

Be careful with what you eat if you're diabetic. Different foods will affect your blood glucose levels in different ways, so you will want to carefully monitor your food choices. Eating a large meal may require a higher dose of insulin than smaller meals, if you have to use insulin. If you carefully consider what you eat, your glucose levels can easily be managed. It is normal for your blood sugar level to spike in response to low glucose treatments. In some cases, you might overcompensate for low blood sugar by eating too much, while in other cases your body might release hormones into your bloodstream when your sugar gets too low. These hormones can raise glucose naturally at the same time as you are raising it via eating. Try drinking or eating half your previous dose, then checking your blood sugar level 30 minutes later to see if the spike is smaller. Replace your usual three meals with five or six smaller meals. By eating regularly during the day, you will be able to stabilize your blood sugar. Eating more often also helps you avoid the desire to binge, because the frequent meals will keep you satisfied. In some instances, certain diabetes types may be cured. So when diabetes patients learn that they must make lifestyle changes, they must really grasp the importance of that word, "life." Consider reading this article as a starting point for a healthier daily life. Everything else is your decision. Pregnant mothers should understand and take heart in the fact that gestational diabetes has not been caused by something they have done. Most of the time gestational diabetes simply happens for no apparent reason. Cancel negative thoughts and think positively about your child and yourself. This will go a long way toward lowering stress.