What Do Diabetics Need To Know About Timing Of Their Meals Why Is This Important

Blood Sugar Monitoring: When To Check And Why

Managing diabetes is one part investigation and two parts action. Unlike some other diseases that rely primarily on professional medical treatment, diabetes treatment requires active participation by the person who has it. Monitoring your blood sugar level on a regular basis and analyzing the results is believed by many to be a crucial part of the treatment equation. When someone is first diagnosed with diabetes, he is usually given a blood sugar meter (or told to go buy one) and told how and when to use it, as well as what numbers to shoot for. However, the advice a person receives on when to monitor and what the results should be generally depend on his type of diabetes, age, and state of overall health. It can also depend on a health-care provider’s philosophy of care and which set of diabetes care guidelines he follows. At least three major health organizations have published slightly different recommendations regarding goals for blood sugar levels. There is some common ground when it comes to blood sugar monitoring practices. For example, most people take a fasting reading before breakfast every morning. Some people also monitor before lunch, dinner, and bedtime; some monitor after each meal; and some monitor both before and after all meals. However, when monitoring after meals, some people do it two hours after the first bite of the meal, while others prefer to check one hour after the start of a meal. To help sort out the whys and when of monitoring, three diabetes experts weigh in with their opinions. While they don’t agree on all the details, they do agree on one thing: Regular monitoring is critical in diabetes care. Why monitor? Self-monitoring is an integral part of diabetes management because it puts you in charge. Regardless of how you manage your diab Continue reading >>

The Importance Of Timing Of Food And Diabetic Medication

The Importance of Timing of Food and Diabetic Medication The Importance of Timing of Food and Diabetic Medication The Importance of Timing of Food and Diabetic Medication If you take insulin, the peak of your insulin activity should correspond with the greatest availability of glucose in your blood. To accomplish this, you need to know the time when your insulin is most active, how long it lasts, and when it is no longer active. Regular insulin, which has been around for decades, takes 30 minutes to start to lower the glucose level, peaks at three hours, and is gone by six to eight hours. This insulin is used before meals to keep glucose low until the next meal. The problem with regular insulin has always been that you have to take it 30 minutes before you eat or run the risk of becoming hypoglycemic at first, and hyperglycemic later when the insulin is no longer around but your food is providing glucose. Rapid-acting lispro insulin and insulin glulisine are the newest preparations and the shortest acting. They begin to lower the glucose level within five minutes after administration, peak at about one hour, and are no longer active by about three hours. These insulins are a great advance because they free the person with diabetes to take a shot only when he or she eats. Because their activity begins and ends so quickly, they dont cause hypoglycemia as often as the older preparation. Given a choice, because of its rapid onset and fall-off in activity, choose either lispro or glulisine as the short-acting insulins for people with type 1 diabetes and those with type 2 diabetes who take insulin. If youre going out to eat, you rarely know when the food will be served. Using rapid-acting insulins, you can measure your blood glucose when the food arrives and take an immediat Continue reading >>

Healthy Eating Especially Important For Those Who Have Diabetes

Dietetics In plain terms, people with diabetes need to develop a routine with their eating. Because blood sugar is mostly affected by what you eat, eating a variety of healthy foods at regular times, and in regular amounts, helps you regulate your blood sugar. If you take diabetes medication, regular mealtimes and regular amounts of various foods also help you get the most out of the least amount of medication. Because people with diabetes are at risk of — or already have — high blood pressure or high blood fats, it makes sense to also choose foods that are heart healthy (lean, low-fat) and ones that are low in salt. You don't need special foods, and your meals do not need to be complicated. Here are four steps you can take to "tune up" your diet to take control of blood sugar — without your diet taking control of you. 1. Eat three meals at regular times. This should include breakfast, a noon meal and an evening meal. Maintaining an eating schedule establishes a time frame for building your meals. It helps ensure that you don't eat too much — or too little — throughout your day. Why is this important? Your body is better able to utilize the insulin it produces — or takes as a medication. Skipping meals or eating at irregular times causes unhealthy highs or lows in blood sugar levels. 2. Eat the healthiest foods. We all know what they are. Vegetables, fruit and starchy foods (whole grains, beans, peas and lentils) should be the basis of your diet. Choose smaller amounts of leaner meats (including poultry, fish) and lowfat dairy products. Why? A healthy diet that builds upon whole-grain starchy foods, vegetables and fruit fills you up, helps you reach a healthy weight and avoids risk of diabetes complications. These food groups also contain fiber which moderat Continue reading >>

Patient Education: Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus And Diet (beyond The Basics)

TYPE 2 DIABETES OVERVIEW Diet and physical activity are critically important in the management of the ABCs (A1C, Blood pressure, and Cholesterol) of type 2 diabetes. To effectively manage glycated hemoglobin (A1C) and blood sugar levels, it is important to understand how to balance food intake, physical activity, and medication. Making healthy food choices every day has both immediate and long-term effects. With education, practice, and assistance from a dietitian and/or a diabetes educator, it is possible to eat well and control diabetes. This article discusses diet in the management of type 2 diabetes. The role of diet and activity in managing blood pressure and cholesterol are reviewed separately. (See "Patient education: High blood pressure, diet, and weight (Beyond the Basics)" and "Patient education: High cholesterol and lipids (hyperlipidemia) (Beyond the Basics)".) Articles that discuss other aspects of type 2 diabetes are also available. (See "Patient education: Diabetes mellitus type 2: Overview (Beyond the Basics)" and "Patient education: Diabetes mellitus type 2: Insulin treatment (Beyond the Basics)" and "Patient education: Self-monitoring of blood glucose in diabetes mellitus (Beyond the Basics)" and "Patient education: Hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) in diabetes mellitus (Beyond the Basics)" and "Patient education: Diabetes mellitus type 2: Alcohol, exercise, and medical care (Beyond the Basics)" and "Patient education: Preventing complications in diabetes mellitus (Beyond the Basics)".) WHY IS DIET IMPORTANT? Many factors affect how well diabetes is controlled. Many of these factors are controlled by the person with diabetes, including how much and what is eaten, how frequently the blood sugar is monitored, physical activity levels, and accuracy and consi Continue reading >>

Treating Type 1 Diabetes

en espaolEl tratamiento de la diabetes tipo 1 If your child or teen has been diagnosed with type 1 diabetes , the next step is to create a diabetes management plan to help him or her manage the condition and stay healthy and active. Treatment plans for type 1 diabetes are based on each child's needs and the suggestions of the diabetes health care team . Treatment approaches differ in, among other things, the types of insulin given and the schedules for giving insulin given each day. The advantages and disadvantages of a plan should be considered for each child. The blood glucose level is the amount of glucose in the blood. Glucose is the main source of energy for the body's cells and is carried to each cell through the bloodstream. The hormone insulin allows the glucose to get into the cells. In type 1 diabetes, the body can no longer make insulin, so the glucose can't get into the body's cells. This makes the blood glucose level rise. Treatment goals for kids with diabetes are to control the condition in a way that minimizes symptoms; prevents short- and long-term health problems; and helps them to have normal physical, mental, emotional, and social growth and development. To do this, parents and kids should aim for the goal of keeping blood sugar levels as close to normal as possible. In general, kids with type 1 diabetes need to: eat a healthy, balanced diet, paying special attention to the amount of carbohydrates in each meal and the diabetes meal plan check blood sugar levels several times a day Following the treatment plan helps kids stay healthy, but treating diabetes isn't the same as curing it. Right now, there's no cure for diabetes, so kids with type 1 diabetes will need treatment for the rest of their lives. But with proper care, they should look and feel h Continue reading >>

How Often Should I Eat?

Q: How often should a person with type 2 diabetes eat? A: Everyone needs to eat about every four to six hours during the day to keep energy levels up. People with type 2 diabetes usually have better blood glucose control if their meals and carbohydrates are spaced evenly throughout the day. Too many carbohydrates at any one time can raise blood glucose too high, even if you take diabetes medicine. Many people tend to skip breakfast, eat a light lunch, and then eat too much in the evening. A person with diabetes should attempt to eat about the same amount of carbohydrates at each meal. Breakfast is especially important if you need to control your weight. It helps to jump-start your metabolism and makes you less likely to overeat later. If you are unusually active or on fixed doses of medication, you may need a snack. Monitoring your blood glucose will help you to decide that with your medical team. Sometimes diabetes medication can be adjusted so you do not need snacks if you are concerned about your weight. Connie Crawley, M.S., R.D., L.D., is a nutrition and health specialist for the University of Georgia Cooperative Extension Service and a registered dietitian Continue reading >>

Blood Sugar Testing: Why, When And How

Blood sugar testing is an important part of diabetes care. Find out when to test your blood sugar level, how to use a testing meter, and more. If you have diabetes, self-testing your blood sugar (blood glucose) can be an important tool in managing your treatment plan and preventing long-term complications of diabetes. You can test your blood sugar at home with a portable electronic device (glucose meter) that measures sugar level in a small drop of your blood. Why test your blood sugar Blood sugar testing — or self-monitoring blood glucose — provides useful information for diabetes management. It can help you: Judge how well you're reaching overall treatment goals Understand how diet and exercise affect blood sugar levels Understand how other factors, such as illness or stress, affect blood sugar levels Monitor the effect of diabetes medications on blood sugar levels Identify blood sugar levels that are high or low When to test your blood sugar Your doctor will advise you on how often you should check your blood sugar level. In general, the frequency of testing depends on the type of diabetes you have and your treatment plan. Type 1 diabetes. Your doctor may recommend blood sugar testing four to eight times a day if you have type 1 diabetes. You may need to test before meals and snacks, before and after exercise, before bed, and occasionally during the night. You may also need to check your blood sugar level more often if you are ill, change your daily routine or begin a new medication. Type 2 diabetes. If you take insulin to manage type 2 diabetes, your doctor may recommend blood sugar testing two or more times a day, depending on the type and amount of insulin you need. Testing is usually recommended before meals, and sometimes before bedtime. If you manage type 2 Continue reading >>

Meal Times And Diabetes: What’s The Connection?

will have diabetes by 2050. With statistics like these, it’s becoming increasingly important that we understand the best way to eat in order to manage blood sugar levels. For well-planned meals to have the most benefit, we must first look at the timing of our meals and understand the impact it has on an individual’s blood sugar levels. Let’s take a closer look at why regular meal times are helpful: Prevent blood sugar fluctuations For individuals that are taking long-acting insulin or oral medications that assist with decreased blood sugar levels, eating at least every 4-5 hours is necessary to prevent low blood sugar, also called hypoglycemia. Promote weight loss When individuals are able to stabilize their blood sugar levels throughout the day, this helps regulate their appetite as well. It is well documented that when people with type 2 diabetes achieve a 5-10 percent weight loss, this will increase insulin sensitivity and help lower blood sugar. Improve overall nutrition The power of planning cannot be ignored when it comes to creating a healthy diabetes meal plan. While sometimes easier said than done, meals planned in advance will likely be more balanced and include better choices. When we arrive to a meal too hungry, we tend to choose whatever food is the closest to us, eat faster and in larger portion sizes. When an individual with diabetes has been encouraged to consume ‘regular’ meals, this can often be confusing if additional guidance is not provided. Generally, it is recommended to eat breakfast within 90 minutes of waking and then eat at least every 4-5 hours during the day after your first meal. Snacks are not necessary, but can be included if hunger is present between meals. In fact, bedtime snacks are very helpful. Since it is recommended to av Continue reading >>

What To Eat, How Much, And When

Meal planning is one of the most important things you can do to keep your blood sugar in control. Paying attention to what you're eating, how much, and when might seem like a huge challenge at first, but these tips can help make it easier. Quality: What Can I Eat? Having diabetes doesn't mean you can't eat food you enjoy. You can keep eating the foods you like. Just make sure to include lots of nutritious, healthy choices. Healthy, nutritious choices include whole grains, legumes (dried beans, peas, and lentils), fruits, vegetables, non-fat or low-fat dairy, and lean meats, such as fish and poultry. These foods are high in vitamins, minerals, fiber, and lean protein, and low in saturated fat, cholesterol, and refined sugar. Healthier food choices aren't only good for people with diabetes. They're good for everyone. People who eat a variety of these foods every day have a well-balanced diet and get the nutrients their bodies need. Quantity: How Much Can I Eat? Learning about serving sizes is key to meal planning. Food labels on packaged foods and many recipes tell you what a serving size is. These labels tell you how many calories, carbohydrates, protein, and fat are in each serving. You'll need to know serving sizes to help you choose foods that keep your blood sugar from going too high after you eat. If you take fast-acting insulin to control your blood sugar, knowing the serving size will tell you how much insulin you need to take before you eat. Eating carbohydrates affects your blood sugar more than other foods. The more you eat, the faster and higher your blood sugar will rise. Eating fat and protein can affect how quickly your body turns carbohydrates into sugar. When you know the amount of carbohydrate, protein, and fat you're eating at a meal, you can learn to c Continue reading >>

Timing Is Everything | Pet Diabetes Care

A friend recently told me that she always comes up with the perfect comeback. Her problem is that she thinks of it 20 minutes too late. Yep, sometimes timing is everything. When it comes to diabetes care of our pets, timing can make the difference between a well regulated diabetic pet and a “mostly” regulated diabetic pet. Routines may not be exciting, but routines make for a well-regulated diabetic pet! After two plus decades practicing veterinary medicine, I sometimes think I have heard it all. Then a client comes along and proves me wrong. Recently one of my own veterinary clients told me he routinely gave his cat the insulin then waited an hour before feeding his pet. I don’t know where this client got this notion as I had told him what I tell all my clients, to feed and give insulin at the same time every 12 hours. Now, whether one waits to see if Fluffy is eating before giving the injection is another story. For folks who have a pet with a hearty appetite that couldn’t imagine missing a meal, they may give the injection as the pet dives into dinner. A feeding frenzy is definitely a distraction to the quick poke of an insulin needle. For folks who have a finicky eater, they might watch to make sure the pet truly eats before giving the injection. Nonetheless, I would feed the pet essentially at the same time as the injection rather than waiting any length of time. The insulin needs something to work with. If food is not given with the insulin the pet could become hypoglycemic. How about the timing of meals? Does it matter if a pet eats in between insulin injections? Yes. Just as giving insulin without food can cause a low blood glucose reading, giving food without insulin will cause an elevated blood glucose test result. If you give a snack in the middle of Continue reading >>

Morning To Night Diabetes Management

Good diabetes management depends on following a routine that runs throughout your day — from the time you get up until your head hits the pillow again at night. That's because blood sugar levels are in constant flux during the day. They rise after meals and taper off during physical activity. The key to successfully managing type 2 diabetes and its symptoms is to keep your blood sugar levels as stable as possible. That's where a routine comes into play. Here are diabetes management tips to help cover every part of your day: In the Morning Check your blood sugar. If you have type 2 diabetes, you should check your blood sugar level every morning before you eat anything, says Marjorie Cypress, CDE, president of health care and education at the American Diabetes Association. This gives you a good baseline idea where you stand and allows you to make adjustments throughout the day. Eat breakfast. If you skip breakfast, you're already starting your day on the wrong foot. "Many people tend to skip breakfast, and it's one of the most important meals of the day," Cypress says. "You skip breakfast and you get hungrier and hungrier, and that's one of the reasons people tend to overeat later in the day." Eating regular meals will help keep your blood sugar levels steady, but skipping meals and then binging will cause spikes. Give your feet a once-over. Diabetes can cause your feet to lose feeling because of nerve damage. In extreme cases, a person with diabetes can end up having to have a foot amputated if an unnoticed cut becomes severely infected. Check your feet for any sores or cuts each morning. Also check your shoes before putting them on to make sure there's nothing in your shoe that could cause a sore. You might want to check your feet at bedtime, too. In the Afternoon Tak Continue reading >>

Does Timing Of Food Matter With Diabetes?

Eating certainly affects glucose control. But does the timing of your food intake really matter, as long as you take your medications when you’re supposed to? What about European cultures who favor a larger midday meal? What time of the day should you eat for optimal glycemic control? Glycemic Control Certainly, regularly scheduled meals and snacks are best for glycemic control. This is a long well-known principle. Standard of care recommendations are three meals, 4-5 hours apart, same or similar times of the day every day. Setting your meal times and medication times on a regular schedule will result in improved glucose control throughout the day, and over time, evidenced by improved HbA1c values and improved insulin sensitivity. A sample daily meal schedule would be: 7:00 a.m. – 8:00 a.m. breakfast + 12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m. lunch + 5:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. dinner. Regular recommendations are 60 grams of carbohydrate at each of these meals, but that should be individualized by working with a Registered Dietitian (RD) or Certified Diabetes Educator (CDE). Individuals on long-acting insulin will need a bedtime snack including 15-30 grams of carbohydrate to avoid nighttime hypoglycemia. This can be tricky for people working a night shift, or other lifestyle issues affecting a ‘typical’ schedule. Again, work with an RD or CDE to determine what can work for you. Hunger & Satiety Eating on a regular schedule, with small frequent mini-meals keeps you satisfied. Skipping meals in order to lose weight eventually ends up with overeating at the next meal. Eating the traditional three larger meals each day may lead to hungry spells in between. Hunger scores were significantly improved in human subjects fed a larger morning meal compare to those fed a larger evening meal. A Continue reading >>

5 Ways To Stabilize Blood Sugar With Meal Timing

When it comes to stabilizing your blood sugars, timing can be everything. From the hour of your first meal of the day to how late you eat at night, the timing of your meals can heavily dictate how well your blood sugars are managed on a daily basis. When my clients are in the habit of eating healthy still see peaks and valleys in their numbers, we sit down to re-evaluate when and how often they are eating. Here are five strategies to help you with better meal timing and keeping blood glucose in check: 1. Eat within the first few hours of rising Among the majority of my new clients, breakfast is the most-skipped meal of the day. Many people feel they don’t have time for breakfast, which is unfortunate because it truly is the most important meal – especially if you have diabetes. When you’re sleeping, your body is in a fasting-like state. When you wake up, eating within the first couple of hours can help break that fast (hence the name “breakfast”). And although it may seem like you’re saving yourself from extra calories or spiking your blood sugars, skipping breakfast can end up backfiring. You may find yourself over-eating at your first meal or gravitating more toward starchy or sugary foods. What’s worse, if blood glucose levels indeed drop too low, the body will send out hormones to release stored glucose into the blood stream, spiking your sugars and making it even harder to regulate your numbers throughout the day when you do finally eat. If you’re strapped for time, try to at least grab a small, balanced bite – pair a bit of protein with a high-fiber carbohydrate like peanut butter and whole-wheat toast, or a hard-boiled egg and fresh fruit. 2. Avoid Eating Right Before Bedtime It may be tempting to sneak in that late-night snack right before bedt Continue reading >>

Meal Timing

“Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince, and dinner like a pauper,” is a saying attributed to 20th-century American nutrition activist Adelle Davis. Many people, of course, do not follow this advice to eat a large breakfast, a medium-large lunch, and a small dinner. It is commonplace in the United States for dinner to be the largest meal of the day, and some people see no problem in this. Others, however — including many researchers and people with diabetes — question whether timing meals this way produces the best health effects. This has led to some debate over whether a large dinner, or a late dinner, could be harmful to your health. A recent article at Fox News Latino, written by a registered dietitian, claims that eating dinner later in the evening has not been shown to cause weight gain or to produce ill health effects. The author notes that in many Latin countries, as well as in Europe, it is routine to eat dinner at 9 PM. The problem with late dinners in the United States, he claims, is that they are often the main source of food for the day due to hectic schedules and failure to prioritize meals. Thus, people are often starved at dinnertime and overeat. As a guideline to prevent this, he suggests that people should consume 70% of their day’s calories before dinner, but they may eat the remaining 30% as late as they want, except within 90 minutes before bed. A study published last year, however, somewhat contradicts the claim that meal timing makes no difference. Presented at Obesity 2010: The Obesity Society 28th Annual Scientific Meeting, the study found that eating a later dinner produced several metabolic effects. The participants were 10 healthy Japanese men with an average age of 40 and an average body-mass index (BMI) of 23. They were ea Continue reading >>

Diabetes Diet, Eating, & Physical Activity

Nutrition and physical activity are important parts of a healthy lifestyle when you have diabetes. Along with other benefits, following a healthy meal plan and being active can help you keep your blood glucose level, also called blood sugar, in your target range. To manage your blood glucose, you need to balance what you eat and drink with physical activity and diabetes medicine, if you take any. What you choose to eat, how much you eat, and when you eat are all important in keeping your blood glucose level in the range that your health care team recommends. Becoming more active and making changes in what you eat and drink can seem challenging at first. You may find it easier to start with small changes and get help from your family, friends, and health care team. Eating well and being physically active most days of the week can help you keep your blood glucose level, blood pressure, and cholesterol in your target ranges prevent or delay diabetes problems feel good and have more energy What foods can I eat if I have diabetes? You may worry that having diabetes means going without foods you enjoy. The good news is that you can still eat your favorite foods, but you might need to eat smaller portions or enjoy them less often. Your health care team will help create a diabetes meal plan for you that meets your needs and likes. The key to eating with diabetes is to eat a variety of healthy foods from all food groups, in the amounts your meal plan outlines. The food groups are vegetables nonstarchy: includes broccoli, carrots, greens, peppers, and tomatoes starchy: includes potatoes, corn, and green peas fruits—includes oranges, melon, berries, apples, bananas, and grapes grains—at least half of your grains for the day should be whole grains includes wheat, rice, oats, co Continue reading >>