Keeping your blood sugar within range is easier said than done, and diabetics can’t agree more. However, managing your blood sugar with diet rather than medication is much better. For one, diabetic medications are used for a lifetime unless or until your condition is resolved. Second, diabetic medicine like generic Januvia price tags make it burdensome for people to continue the long-term treatment.
Healthy eating is the cornerstone for a healthy life, whether suffering from Diabetes or not. But it becomes even more necessary when your body is not consuming sugar as effectively as it should.
How can dietary modifications help manage Diabetes?
Although type 1 diabetes cannot be resolved with diet or lifestyle modifications alone, just like Type 2 patients, they must avail themselves of this privilege to avoid any exacerbations.
Type 2 diabetes is a condition where the body becomes resistant to insulin and can’t effectively use the hormone to ferry blood sugar into the cells for consumption. This ultimately causes the sugar to accumulate in the blood at higher levels putting your health at high risk.
Eating a healthy and sugar-free diet can help you as follows:
Low sugar in the diet leads to little or no accumulation of sugar in the blood and lowers the health complications
When your body is provided with less sugar content, it consumes stored fats to complete the energy requirements of your body, which in turn helps you lose weight. Obesity is one of the main reasons for insulin resistance. As your body fat is consumed, chances rise for your body to resume insulin intake.
Diabetic Friendly Diet
If you are diabetic or experiencing prediabetes, your certified healthcare provider will likely recommend you to see a nutritionist for diet plans and lifestyle modifications. The specific diet plan helps you to control your blood sugar and also manage your weight and other heart risks. Usually, diabetic patients are prone to acquiring high blood pressure that may exacerbate serious heart diseases. Therefore, you must make healthy diet choices and keep your cravings to a minimum. This article will take you through some of the most commonly recommended and effective diet plans to keep your blood sugar in normal ranges. Let’s dive into them one after the other.
DASH Diet
The DASH diet is the foremost recommended diet to manage high blood glucose and high blood pressure to prevent hypertension. Managing both of these conditions also decreases the likelihood of other illnesses, including obesity and heart disease.
The plan of DASH entails reduced meal portions and consuming foods high in nutrients that lower blood pressure, like calcium, potassium and magnesium. Now that you know of the benefits, what does the DASH actually include?
The diet plan usually includes lean protein like poultry or fish and plant-based foods like fruits, veggies, beans, seeds, nuts etc. Besides these, the DASH diet also includes whole grains, low-fat dairy products and healthy fats from vegetable oils.
Diabetics are recommended to keep their sodium intake to as low as 2,300 mg/day, but you must consult with your doctor to know the right amounts for your condition.
Vegan Diet
For some patients, doctors recommend a vegan diet that can not only help in reducing weight but also lower fasting blood glucose levels. As the name suggests, a vegan diet excludes meat. However, you can still include animal products like milk, butter, eggs, etc.
Some healthy food options for a Vegan Diet include dark leafy vegetables, soy, beans, legumes, fruits, nuts, and whole grains. Although this type of diet provides effective results, it is vital to plan the diet to ensure the intake of necessary nutrients.
Mediterranean Diet
As the name speaks for itself, the Mediterranean diet includes foods that are usually consumed in the Mediterranean region. These foods are rich in oleic acid that is natural fatty acid usually found in the animals, vegetable oils or fats.
The diet includes all the vegetables like cucumbers & artichokes, poultry, salmon and other fatty fish, beans, nuts, seeds, and healthy fats including almond and olive oil.
This diet effectively leads to a lower blood glucose level and helps to lose weight thus reducing the risk of metabolic disorder.
Studies have shown that you can also take the Wine but in moderate amounts. And ensure that you are not consuming it over an empty stomach.
Key Takeaway
Diabetes requires much more attention than you might think since it can lead to several other health conditions. Dietary and lifestyle modifications are the best way to avoid taking medication and live a healthy life.
People often claim that diet modifications are only necessary for Type 2 patients. However, it is wrong, and every diabetic should manage their blood sugar levels through diets.
