Effective diabetic-management requires a healthy regular lifestyle which should include a regular balanced diet, regular exercise and sensible weight control.
Despite diabetes being a condition of sugar regulation, specific restriction of sugars is not necessary, except as part of ensuring a balanced diet overall.
Glucose
Control
Research studies in the United States and abroad have found that improved
glycemic control benefits people with either type 1 or type 2 diabetes. In
general, for every 1 percent reduction in results of A1C blood tests, the risk
of developing microvascular diabetic complications (eye, kidney, and nerve
disease) is reduced by 40 percent. Choosing a healthy diet with the right
mixture of low and high glycemic index foods, and exercising regularly, is a
good way to maintain glucose control.
Control of
Blood Fats/Lipids - Lower Fat Diet
Improved control of cholesterol and lipids (for example, HDL, LDL, and
triglycerides) can reduce cardiovascular complications by 20 to 50 percent.
Choosing a lower fat, low-cholesterol diet, combined with regular exercise makes
fat control more effective.
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What, when, and how much you eat all affect your blood glucose level. You can keep your blood glucose at a healthy level if you:
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- How Many
Calories Should I Eat Each Day?
- What Foods?
- How many Food Servings?
Have about 1,200 to 1,600 calories a day if you are:
- a small woman
who exercises
- a small or medium woman who wants to lose weight
- a medium woman who does not exercise much
Choose this many servings from these food groups to have 1,200 to 1,600 calories a day:
6 starches
2 milk and yogurt
3 vegetables
2 meat or meat substitute
2 fruit
Up to 3 fats
Talk with your diabetes teacher to make a meal plan that fits the way you usually eat, your daily routine, and your diabetes medicines. Then make your own plan.
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Have about 1,600 to 2,000 calories a day if you are:
- a large woman
who wants to lose weight
- a small man at a healthy weight
- a medium man who does not exercise much
- a medium to large man who wants to lose weight
Choose this many servings from these food groups to have 1,600 to 2,000 calories a day:
8 starches
2 milk and yogurt
4 vegetables
2 meat or meat substitute
3 fruit
Up to 4 fats
Talk with your diabetes teacher to make a meal plan that fits the way you usually eat, your daily routine, and your diabetes medicines. Then make your own plan.
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Have about 2,000 to 2,400 calories a day if you are
- a medium/large
man who does a lot of exercise or has a physically active job
- a large man at a healthy weight
- a large woman who exercises a lot or has a physically active job
Choose this many servings from these food groups to have 2,000 to 2,400 calories a day:
11 starches
2 milk and yogurt
4 vegetables
2 meat or meat substitute
3 fruit
Up to 5 fats
Talk with your diabetes teacher to make a meal plan that fits the way you usually eat, your daily routine, and your diabetes medicines. Then make your own plan.
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Whether you have type 1 or type 2 diabetes, what, when, and how much you eat all affect your blood glucose. Blood glucose is the main sugar found in the blood and the body's main source of energy.
If you have diabetes (or impaired glucose tolerance), your blood glucose can go too high if you eat too much. If your blood glucose goes too high, you can get sick.
Your blood glucose can also go too high or drop too low if you don't take the right amount of diabetes medicine.
If your blood glucose stays high too much of the time, you can get heart, eye, foot, kidney, and other problems. You can also have problems if your blood glucose gets too low (hypoglycemia).
Keeping your blood glucose at a healthy level will prevent or slow down diabetes problems. Ask your doctor or diabetes teacher what a healthy blood glucose level is for you.
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For most people, target blood glucose levels are:
Before meals - 90
to 130
1 to 2 hours after the start of a meal - less than 180
Ask your doctor how often you should check your blood glucose. The results from
your blood glucose checks will tell you if your diabetes care plan is working.
Also ask your doctor for an A1C test at least twice a year. Your A1C number
gives your average blood glucose for the past 3 months.
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Your blood glucose goes up after you eat. If you eat a big lunch one day and a small lunch the next day, your blood glucose levels will change too much.
Keep your blood glucose at a healthy level by eating about the same amount of carbohydrate foods at about the same times each day. Carbohydrate foods, also called carbs, provide glucose for energy. Starches, fruits, milk, starchy vegetables such as corn, and sweets are all carbohydrate foods.
Talk with your doctor or diabetes teacher about how many meals and snacks to eat each day.