How To Beat Type 2 Diabetes With Diet And Lifestyle Changes
It's no secret that type 2 diabetes is on the rise in the United States and around the world. But if you've been diagnosed with diabetes, there's a lot you can do to improve your health — and the best place to start is likely by making some changes to your lifestyle. “Basic principles of good health like eating right, exercising regularly, and maintaining a healthy weight can be as effective as medicine in the management of type 2 diabetes for most people,” says Sue McLaughlin, RD, CDE, lead medical nutrition therapist at Nebraska Medicine in Omaha. That's backed up by the Look AHEAD study, a large clinical trial funded by the National Institutes of Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The researchers found that over a four-year period, changes like eating a healthier diet and getting more exercise led to weight loss and improved diabetes control in 5,000 overweight or obese participants with type 2 diabetes. A December 2016 review in Diabetologia similarly found through 28 studies that participants who were able to achieve about 150 minutes per week of moderate activity lowered their risk of type 2 diabetes by 26 percent compared with nonactive participants. If you're ready to make positive changes to help control diabetes, here's how to get started. Improve Your Diet to Help You Treat Type 2 Diabetes Naturally Keeping close tabs on your diet is a major way to help manage type 2 diabetes. A healthy diet for people with type 2 diabetes includes fresh or frozen fruit and vegetables, whole grains, beans, lean meats, and low-fat or fat-free dairy. Focus on eating fruit and non-starchy vegetables, like broccoli, carrots, and lettuce, and having smaller portions of starchy foods, meats, and dairy products. Be especially careful about loading Continue reading >>
15 Easy Ways To Lower Blood Sugar Levels Naturally
High blood sugar occurs when your body can't effectively transport sugar from blood into cells. When left unchecked, this can lead to diabetes. One study from 2012 reported that 12–14% of US adults had type 2 diabetes, while 37–38% were classified as pre-diabetic (1). This means that 50% of all US adults have diabetes or pre-diabetes. Here are 15 easy ways to lower blood sugar levels naturally: Regular exercise can help you lose weight and increase insulin sensitivity. Increased insulin sensitivity means your cells are better able to use the available sugar in your bloodstream. Exercise also helps your muscles use blood sugar for energy and muscle contraction. If you have problems with blood sugar control, you should routinely check your levels. This will help you learn how you respond to different activities and keep your blood sugar levels from getting either too high or too low (2). Good forms of exercise include weight lifting, brisk walking, running, biking, dancing, hiking, swimming and more. Exercise increases insulin sensitivity and helps your muscles pick up sugars from the blood. This can lead to reduced blood sugar levels. Your body breaks carbs down into sugars (mostly glucose), and then insulin moves the sugars into cells. When you eat too many carbs or have problems with insulin function, this process fails and blood glucose levels rise. However, there are several things you can do about this. The American Diabetes Association (ADA) recommends controlling carb intake by counting carbs or using a food exchange system (3). Some studies find that these methods can also help you plan your meals appropriately, which may further improve blood sugar control (4, 5). Many studies also show that a low-carb diet helps reduce blood sugar levels and prevent blood s Continue reading >>
5 Tips To Keep Diabetes Under Control
Eating habits to make sure you control your diabetes, and not the other way around Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window) Diabetes is one of the most prevalent chronic diseases in America, and its on the rise, with about 9.3 percent of the population suffering from the condition (an increase from 8.5 percent in 2011). To add to that, 86 million peoplemore than one out of every three adultshave prediabetes and of that, nine out of 10 have no idea they are at risk for the condition. The good news is that type 2 diabetes, which accounts for 90 percent of cases worldwide, is largely preventable. Claudia Perkins, R.D., educator at the Texas A&M Health Science Center Coastal Bend Health Education Center, provides tips on how to keep your diabetes at bay. Its best to go over a meal plan with a registered dietician or a certified diabetes educator (CDE). Making a proper meal plan is extremely important, Perkins said. It will help with weight, blood glucose control and reducing the risk of other complications. One common meal plan is the plate method, filling half of your plate with non-starchy vegetables (such as spinach, broccoli, tomatoes and cabbage), one quarter with protein (such as lean meats or eggs) and the other quarter with grains and starchy foods (such as brown rice, whole grain pasta or sweet potatoes). The plate method helps incorporate a variety of foods in appropriate portions. Carbohydrate counting is also a popular method for controlling blood sugars. Using the clients gender, weight, height, age and physical activity level a registered dietitian can make recommendations for carbohydrate intake per meal. Limiting carbohydrate intake can help control blood glucose since carbs break down into to sugar and we typically eat more than needed, Perkins sai Continue reading >>
How To Control Diabetes
Tweet Learning how to control diabetes is the aim for all of us with diabetes. This can be done for both type 1 and type 2 diabetes with food, diet and regular blood testing. Being armed with information will help you to control your diabetes and this guide includes specific information for controlling type 1 and type 2 diabetes. Blood glucose testing A blood glucose monitor is an excellent tool for managing diabetes. Some of us will be very familiar with using a blood glucose meter but for others it will be something new. Testing before and after meals can be a useful technique for measuring how different meals affect our sugar levels and help to improve our diet and dosage decisions. Read about pre meal and post meal blood glucose testing What blood sugar levels should I aim for? The NICE recommendations vary a little depending on the type of diabetes and whether you are a child or adult. Broadly speaking, we should aim to get our blood sugar levels into a range similar to someone without diabetes - i.e. between 4 and 6 mmol/L before meals and under 7.8 mmol/L after meals. View the current blood glucose level ranges (as set by NICE) Record your blood glucose levels Recording your blood glucose levels comes highly recommended. By recording your levels you can start to build up a history of results and draw conclusions from results. Download a free blood glucose diary Recording your blood sugar levels can help you: Improve dosage decisions (for people on insulin) Identify which foods are best for your levels – and which aren’t so good Learn from periods of high sugar levels – such as during illness See how your sugar levels are affected by exercise Keep your motivation up Controlling blood sugar levels requires a lot of dedication. Don’t get too upset if your bl Continue reading >>
5 Tips To Get Your Diabetes Under Control
Controlling your diabetes is a daily, weekly, monthly, and yearly challenge, but the effort is worth it. Right away you'll feel better and have more energy.The payoff? You'll live better longer with less risk of problems from diabetes like heart attacks, strokes, kidney failure, even blindness. The key to managing your diabetes is to keep your blood sugar levels as close to normal as possible. It sounds tough, but there are simple steps you can follow. Spot Check Your Sugar You and your doctor will have set a schedule to test your blood sugar. Add an extra check on top. Maybe at breakfast one day, lunch the next, and so on. It's like popping in unannounced. "If you're a supervisor and your workers know that you're only going to come once a day to check on them, chances are they're going to be well-behaved during that particular time and the rest of the day you're going to be doing other things," says Sethu Reddy, MD, chief of the adult diabetes section at the Joslin Diabetes Center in Boston. "If you spot check, you have a much better sense of how things are going." Use that information to adjust your eating and exercise to gain even better control if you need to. Count Carbs They can quickly send your blood sugar on a roller-coaster ride. That's why it's so important to keep track. Most women need 35-45 grams of carbs per meal while guys need 45-60 grams, says Jessica Crandall, a dietitian and spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. A cup of rice or pasta is about 45 grams. To make the most of them, pair your carbs with a protein, like nuts. Opt for high-fiber carbs. Both will slow digestion so you feel full without raising blood sugar. "Fiber is really important for blood-sugar control, but it's also a Roto-Rooter to clear out cholesterol building in Continue reading >>
7 Expert Diet Tips To Keep Your Diabetes Under Control
/ 7 expert diet tips to keep your diabetes under control 7 expert diet tips to keep your diabetes under control Follow these diabetes-friendly diet tips to control your blood glucose, especially during the festive season. Bhavyajyoti Chilukoti | Updated: May 10, 2016 10:53 am Tags: Diabetes treatment Expert tips Healthy eating Whenever you have a long weekend, the dietary restriction goes for a toss. And with a series of festivals around the corner Holi, Good Friday and Easter, it is an excellenttime of excuse for many, especially diabetics, for bingeing and snacks or sweets. While some people might stay away from festive celebrations with a fear of weight gain and uncontrolled diabetes , Dr Balaji Jaganmohan, Consultant Diabetologist, Apollo Sugar, Bangalore, says that should not be the case. And hence, he shares few diabetic friendly diet tips to enjoy the celebrations. 1. Do not skip meals to save calories: If you are planning to skip breakfast or meals to lower your caloric intake, then it is not a good idea as skipping a meal often leads to snacking and overeating when having the next meal. Therefore, it is advised to maintain the frequency and routine of meals. If you are not hungry for dinner, you can simply reduce the portion size or eat some fruits to prevent late night cravings. Remember that missing a meal not only leads to low blood sugar but can also cause severe discomfort like dizziness , increased heart rate and cold sweats, further worsening your condition. Here are 10 healthy resolutions every diabetic should follow for a better life. 2. Consume a lot of fibre during the day: Starting the day by consuming a great portion of fiber not only keeps you are full but also prevents you from snacking and bingeing during the day. A fiber-rich breakfast may be Continue reading >>
The 16 Best Foods To Control Diabetes
Figuring out the best foods to eat when you have diabetes can be tough. The main goal is to keep blood sugar levels well-controlled. However, it's also important to eat foods that help prevent diabetes complications like heart disease. Here are the 16 best foods for diabetics, both type 1 and type 2. Fatty fish is one of the healthiest foods on the planet. Salmon, sardines, herring, anchovies and mackerel are great sources of the omega-3 fatty acids DHA and EPA, which have major benefits for heart health. Getting enough of these fats on a regular basis is especially important for diabetics, who have an increased risk of heart disease and stroke (1). DHA and EPA protect the cells that line your blood vessels, reduce markers of inflammation and improve the way your arteries function after eating (2, 3, 4, 5). A number of observational studies suggest that people who eat fatty fish regularly have a lower risk of heart failure and are less likely to die from heart disease (6, 7). In studies, older men and women who consumed fatty fish 5–7 days per week for 8 weeks had significant reductions in triglycerides and inflammatory markers (8, 9). Fish is also a great source of high-quality protein, which helps you feel full and increases your metabolic rate (10). Fatty fish contain omega-3 fats that reduce inflammation and other risk factors for heart disease and stroke. Leafy green vegetables are extremely nutritious and low in calories. They're also very low in digestible carbs, which raise your blood sugar levels. Spinach, kale and other leafy greens are good sources of several vitamins and minerals, including vitamin C. In one study, increasing vitamin C intake reduced inflammatory markers and fasting blood sugar levels for people with type 2 diabetes or high blood pressure Continue reading >>
Diabetes Control: Why It's Important
People who have diabetes may hear or read a lot about controlling, or managing, the condition. But what is diabetes control and why is it so important? When you hear your doctors or health care providers talk about "diabetes control," they're usually referring to how close your blood sugar, or , is kept to the desired range. Having too much or too little sugar in your blood can make you feel sick now and cause health problems later. Managing diabetes is like a three-way balancing act: The medicines you take (insulin or pills), the food you eat, and the amount of exercise you getall need to be in sync. don't take diabetes medicines as directed don't follow the meal plan (like eating too much or not enough food without adjusting diabetes medicines) don't get regular exercise or exercise more or less than usual without making changes to the diabetes plan What Can Happen if Diabetes Is Not Under Control? Out-of-control blood sugar levels can lead to short-term problems like hypoglycemia , hyperglycemia , or diabetic ketoacidosis . In the long run, not controlling diabetes can damage important organs, like the heart, kidneys, eyes, and nerves. This means that heart disease and stroke, kidney disease, vision problems, and nerve problems can happen to people with diabetes. These problems don't usually show up in kids or teens who have had the disease for only a few years, but they can happen to adults with diabetes. Kids and teens with diabetes who don't control their blood sugar levels can be late going into puberty and might not end up as tall as they would have otherwise. The good news is that keeping blood sugar levels under control can help keep you healthy and prevent health problems from happening later. How Do I Know When My Diabetes Is Under Control? If you have diab Continue reading >>
How To Control Diabetes: 10 Tips To Maintain Blood Sugar Level
Living a diabetic life is a challenge. You need to constantly monitor your diet and ensure that your blood sugar level is well under control. One of the major diseases affecting millions and millions of people in the country today, diabetes is life-long and deadly. It is a condition when the hormone called insulin that is produced by the pancreas is unable to break down glucose into energy, and as such, the blood sugar level increases in the body. What one eats plays a crucial role for diabetics, and monitoring it constantly along with following regular meal schedule ca help tremendously. Physical activity is a must too to ensure that insulin is utilized by the body. If you have been diagnosed with diabetes and looking for all sorts of ways to keep a check on your blood sugar level, here are some common and uncommon tips that can help you - 1. Lose Those Extra Kilos According to Dr. Shashank Joshi, Endocrinologist, Lilavati & Bhatia Hospital, "Being overweight causes insulin resistance and makes it difficult for the body to maintain appropriate blood glucose levels. For those who are overweight, dropping 5- 10 per cent of your weight can help. Work with your doctor to manage your weight and if necessary consult a dietician." 2. Follow a Balanced Diet with Complex Carbs According to Preeti Rao, Health and Wellness Coach, "Eat a variety of fruits and vegetables, lean protein and good sources of fat. Foods to avoid are those rich in trans fats (also called hydrogenated fat), processed food, and sugar. Complex carbohydrates are rich in fiber and are not highly processed like refined carbohydrates. They take longer to digest and hence provide a sustained source of energy for a longer duration." 3. Benefits of Barley A recent study done by Lund University in Sweden states tha Continue reading >>
How You Can Control Type 2 Diabetes By Watching Your Blood Sugar
There's good news: Controlling diabeteswhich means keeping your blood sugar at healthy levels and reducing your chances of diabetes complications ranging from heart disease to foot damageis something that you can do. But here's the bad news: Keeping your diabetes under control is up to you, and it's not always easy. "If you have cancer, you go to your surgeon or you go to your doctor to get chemotherapy," says Yvonne Thigpen, RD, a certified diabetes educator and the diabetes program coordinator at Mount Clemens Regional Medical Center in Michigan. "But patients with diabetes can do a lot to control their diabetes by making healthy lifestyle choices in addition to working with their physician." If a patient is a "take-charge person, they take it as good news, if they are not, they don't like that news," she says. Many people don't control their blood sugar A lot of people with diabetes, unfortunately, aren't in good control. A 2005 study from the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists (AACE) involving more than 157,000 people with diabetes found that more than two-thirds weren't adequately controlling their blood sugar, which put them at risk for blindness, kidney failure, foot amputation, and other complications. More about type 2 diabetes These people exceeded 6.5% on their hemoglobin A1C test, which is a common test that shows your average blood sugar level over the past two or three months. The American Diabetes Association and the National Institutes of Health recommends keeping yours under 7% to prevent complications, and the AACE recommends under 6.5%. However, it's not clear if going even lower is better. Government researchers halted part of a 2008 study when patients with type 2 diabetes and a high risk of heart attack and stroke were found to have Continue reading >>
Exactly What I Ate To Get My Blood Sugar Under Control For Good
When Thomas Rupp was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, he was stunned. Despite having a challenging career (he was working in corporate finance and for FEMA), he managed to exercise regularly, and he rarely ate fast food or sweets. Sure, he weighed 245 pounds, but at 6 feet tall that didn't seem so terrible. He didn't consider that his weight pushed his BMI into the obese category—and he didn't realize that many of the "healthy" foods he was eating were actually loaded with tons of sugar and calories. Rupp's doctor started him on four different medications. The side effects were bothersome, but what really kicked him into gear was learning that he'd need to start injecting himself with insulin nightly. Instead, he turned to the Diabetes Reversal Program at Tufts Medical Center, where he met with the founding director, Michael Dansinger, MD. They worked together to closely examine Rupp's diet and uncover pitfalls that Rupp had trouble spotting on his own. (You can control your blood sugar with food and without insulin by making healthy lifestyle changes. Try the easy plan in The Natural Way To Beat Diabetes.) For instance, while adding some cream and sugar to a cup of coffee might not be a big deal for some people, Rupp often downed 10 cups of coffee a day to power himself through long days in the office. (Here are 8 physical signs you drink way too much coffee.) And he was putting cream and sugar in each cup. "That's 10 containers of cream and 10 teaspoons of sugar a day I was adding to my diet," he says. And even though he worked out, "I was drinking green juices at the gym, or protein smoothies with mango, once again without realizing the sugar content." Other seemingly healthy choices—like salads—also concealed stealth sugar bombs. "I would add vinaigrette dressi Continue reading >>
4 Steps To Manage Your Diabetes For Life
This publication has been reviewed by NDEP for plain language principles. Learn more about our review process. Actions you can take The marks in this booklet show actions you can take to manage your diabetes. Help your health care team make a diabetes care plan that will work for you. Learn to make wise choices for your diabetes care each day. Step 1: Learn about diabetes. What is diabetes? There are three main types of diabetes: Type 1 diabetes – Your body does not make insulin. This is a problem because you need insulin to take the sugar (glucose) from the foods you eat and turn it into energy for your body. You need to take insulin every day to live. Type 2 diabetes – Your body does not make or use insulin well. You may need to take pills or insulin to help control your diabetes. Type 2 is the most common type of diabetes. Gestational (jest-TAY-shun-al) diabetes – Some women get this kind of diabetes when they are pregnant. Most of the time, it goes away after the baby is born. But even if it goes away, these women and their children have a greater chance of getting diabetes later in life. You are the most important member of your health care team. You are the one who manages your diabetes day by day. Talk to your doctor about how you can best care for your diabetes to stay healthy. Some others who can help are: dentist diabetes doctor diabetes educator dietitian eye doctor foot doctor friends and family mental health counselor nurse nurse practitioner pharmacist social worker How to learn more about diabetes. Take classes to learn more about living with diabetes. To find a class, check with your health care team, hospital, or area health clinic. You can also search online. Join a support group — in-person or online — to get peer support with managing your Continue reading >>
10 Best Ways To Keep Diabetes Under Control
10 Best Ways To Keep Diabetes Under Control 10 Best Ways To Keep Diabetes Under Control Published: Thursday, June 25, 2015, 4:27 [IST] Its no surprise that type 2 diabetes is on the rise across the world. If you have too much glucose in your body for a substantial amount of time, it can lead to diabetic problems. High glucose, also referred to as blood sugar, can damage many parts of the body such as heart, blood vessels, eyes and kidneys. Living with diabetes means that you will need to make prevention measures a part of your daily routine. Trying to keep your blood glucose, blood pressure and cholesterol under control can prevent diabetes problems. So, how to get diabetes under control? It is always better to ask a dietician to help you develop an eating plan which can be right for your age, weight and medications. Try to set a daily calorie and carbohydrate targets. The individual has to have a broad understanding about what the disease can do, and what he/she should do to keep it under control. Understanding which lifestyle choices and dietary choices he/she should make is vital among the ways to keep diabetes under control. You need to keep close tabs on your diet if youre looking for ways to control your type 2 diabetes. Type 2 diabetes can be prevented by a healthy diet which includes fresh fruits and vegetables, beans, lean meats, whole grains and low fat diary. Here are some of the best ways to keep diabetes under control. Usually stressful situations would make people to smoke more and smoking is a bad choice for people having diabetes. However, smoking can be especially risky if you have type 2 diabetes. Quitting smoking is one of the steps that help in keeping diabetes under control. A dietician is a valuable resource in your attempt to keep diabetes in con Continue reading >>
Things Diabetes Doctors Do To Keep Their Own Blood Sugar Under Control | Reader's Digest
Steal a trick or two from these diabetes experts to keep your blood sugar on track. Theres nothing better than eating a delicious homemade meal after a long day at the office. Not only will your stomach thank you, your blood sugar will too! My family and I eat at home, says Joel Zonszein, MD, director of the Clinical Diabetes Center at the Montefiore Jack D. Weiler Hospital and professor of medicine at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine.Eating and talking at the table with my wife and children without our cellphones, the television, or computer is important. In fact, research from the Nurses Health Study and Health Professionals Follow-Up Study asked 99,000 men and women about their lunch and dinner habits for more than 30 years. People who reported eating at least two meals at home each day had an average 13 percent lower risk of getting diabetes compared to people who ate fewer than six home-cooked meals each week. Exercise for at least 30 minutes a few times each week Jacob Lund/Shutterstock Its no surprise that lowering blood sugar makes the long list of reasons why exercise is good for you! Aerobic workouts like running tend to keep my blood sugar levels low because I burn through my energy and burn up more glucose faster, says Jenn LeBlanc, who has type 1 diabetes, aBSN, RN, and certified diabetes educator at Joslin Diabetes Center in Boston.Anaerobic exercise is a slow burn and its not until hours later that my blood sugar drops. LeBlanc works out to a 30-minute boot camp fitness video that incorporates short bursts of high-intensity activities mixed with intervals of strength training like lunges and squats. (Make sure you know how interval training can help stabilize blood sugar levels within two weeks.) Avoid starchy foods first thing in the morning No o Continue reading >>
15 Efficient Ways To Keep Diabetes Under Control
Some of the best ways to keep diabetes under control include quitting smoking, regularly seeing a dietitian, checking your feet often, remaining active, maintaining your eye health, keeping track of your exercise, eating smaller meals more often, increasing your fiber intake, and many others. Despite the fact that diabetes is a modern epidemic and affects millions of people around the world, there is no cure, so once the disease develops, it is essential to manage it properly, as curing it is impossible. Diabetes represents a dramatic change in a person’s life and it requires constant diligence to maintain a high quality of life. It is entirely possible to do, but understanding what the disease can do, what you should do to keep it under control, and which lifestyle choices and dietary choices you should make is essential. The side effects of diabetes affect everything from vision and inflammation of the joints to kidney health and the digestive process. Therefore, implementing a comprehensive lifestyle plan is very important. In this article we outline some of the best ways to keep your diabetes under control and to prevent it from having any more of a negative impact on your life than this terrible condition already does. If you follow some or all of these suggestions, you will be able to live a happier, healthier, and higher-quality life with diabetes. Ways to Keep Diabetes Under Control Although stressful situations usually make people smoke more, it can be a very bad choice for people with diabetes, particularly those with Type 2 diabetes. Smoking causes narrowing of the blood vessels, which limits good circulation to the extremities. Furthermore, smoking research has shown that it increases insulin resistance, which is the opposite of what diabetic patients want Continue reading >>
