What Foods To Eat To Raise Blood Sugar?

Blood Sugar & The Blood Type Diet July 28, 2016uncategorizedoff

Everyone can benefit from following the Blood Type Diet. For individuals who are challenged with blood sugar issues, the personalized nutrition and lifestyle guidelines of the Blood Type Diet provide additional support for healthy blood sugar maintenance and regulation. Let’s quickly review some fundamentals of blood sugar maintenance. The hormone insulin produced in the pancreas, moves sugar out of the bloodstream and into cells. If there’s more sugar in the bloodstream than the body needs right away, the extra is stored as fat. Normally, the presence of too much sugar in the blood signals the pancreas to release insulin, and lowered blood sugar levels makes insulin production stop. Low blood sugar, or hypoglycemia, occurs when there’s too much insulin for the amount of sugar. This can happen from eating a high sugar, low fat, low protein meal that releases a lot of sugar quickly. Then no more energy is released while insulin levels are still high. Eating a diet that’s right for your type can help keep blood sugars in a healthy range. Type 1 Diabetes occurs when the pancreas stops producing insulin. Insulin shots will be needed for life, and following the right diet provides additional support and helps prevent complications. Type 2 Diabetes occurs when the pancreas still makes insulin, but the insulin isn’t working as well as it should. This can be managed via diet, but sometimes medications are also needed. Gestational diabetes is when blood sugar gets too high during pregnancy. It usually clears up after delivery, but it raises the risk for Type 2 Diabetes later in life. People with diabetes often have high cholesterol and/or high triglycerides. Your body uses cholesterol to build cell walls and to produce certain vitamins and minerals. Triglycerides are u Continue reading >>

Snacking When You Have Diabetes

Learning how to count the carbohydrates that you eat (carb counting) helps you plan what to eat. It will also keep your blood sugar under control. Your health care provider may tell you to eat a snack at certain times of the day, most often at bedtime. This helps keep your blood sugar from getting too low at night. Other times, you may have a snack before or during exercise for the same reason. Ask your provider about the snacks you can and you can't have. Needing to snack to prevent low blood sugar has become much less common because of new types of insulin that are better at matching the insulin your body needs at specific times. If you have type 2 diabetes and are taking insulin and often need to snack during the day, your doses of insulin may be too high and you should talk to your provider about this. You will also need to ask about what snacks to avoid. Your provider can tell you if you should snack at certain times to keep from having low blood sugar. This will be based on your: Diabetes treatment plan from your provider Expected physical activity Lifestyle Low blood sugar pattern Most often, your snacks will be easy to digest foods that have 15 to 45 grams of carbohydrates. Snack foods that have 15 grams (g) of carbohydrates are: Half cup (107 g) of canned fruit (without the juice or syrup) Half banana One medium apple One cup (173 g) melon balls Two small cookies Ten potato chips (varies with size of chips) Six jelly beans (varies with size of pieces) Having diabetes does not mean that you must stop eating snacks. It does mean that you should know what a snack does to your blood sugar. You also need to know what healthy snacks are so you can choose a snack that will not raise your blood sugar or make you gain weight. Ask your provider about what snacks you can Continue reading >>

26 Best And Worst Foods For Diabetics

Despite conventional wisdom, a diabetes diagnosis doesn’t mean you have to commit to a bland and boring diet. There are loads of delicious foods that are safe and healthy to eat—you may just not know what they are yet. But that’s okay, because we’re here to help! Read on to discover the best and worst drinks, grains, proteins, and produce picks for your diet, according to top nutritionists. Once you’ve read through the list and added some things to your shopping list, click over to these 15 Cooking and Eating Tips If You Have Diabetes to find out how to transform the Eat This picks into delicious, satisfying meals. According to the American Diabetes Association, it’s important to choose the most nutritious whole grains possible. Although grains help to maintain steady blood-sugar levels and provide heart-healthy fiber, white flour-based products can’t claim the same. Because the bran, germ, and endosperm have been compromised, these foods elevate blood-sugar levels and should only be consumed on occasion. “Oats contain a type of fiber called beta-glucan, which seems to have an anti-diabetic effect,” explains Jackie Newgent, RDN, CDN, author of The All-Natural Diabetes Cookbook., adding,* “I advise people with diabetes to steer clear of added sugars by enjoying savory rather than sweet oatmeal.” For some tips on whipping up a delectable bowl of oats, dig into these 20 Savory Oatmeal Recipes for a Flat Belly. Though you likely assumed sugary donuts and muffins weren’t the best way to kick off your day, we bet you didn’t realize just how awful certain pastries can be. “Cinnamon rolls, for example, can contain more saturated fat and added sugars than people with diabetes should have in an entire day,” cautions Newgent. Yikes! Always turn down t Continue reading >>

How Can I Raise My Blood Sugar?

Always carry quick-sugar foods with you. To raise your blood sugar quickly back to a safe level, you'll need to eat 15 grams of simple carbohydrates. Foods with protein and fat won't do the trick quickly enough. American Diabetes Association: Hypoglycemia (Low Blood Glucose). National Institutes of Health: Diabetes -- low blood sugar -- self-care. Joslin Diabetes Center, Is Low Blood Glucose (Hypoglycemia) Dangerous? How to Treat Low Blood Glucose, Plasma Glucose Meters and Whole Blood Meters,"What Can I Do to Prevent Serious Hypoglycemic Episodes if I am Hypoglycemic Unaware? National Diabetes Information Clearinghouse: Hypoglycemia. Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation: Low Blood Sugar, What is Glucagon? University of California San Francisco Medical Center: Treating Low Blood Sugar. Reviewed by Michael Dansinger on January 22, 2017 American Diabetes Association: Hypoglycemia (Low Blood Glucose). National Institutes of Health: Diabetes -- low blood sugar -- self-care. Joslin Diabetes Center, Is Low Blood Glucose (Hypoglycemia) Dangerous? How to Treat Low Blood Glucose, Plasma Glucose Meters and Whole Blood Meters,"What Can I Do to Prevent Serious Hypoglycemic Episodes if I am Hypoglycemic Unaware? National Diabetes Information Clearinghouse: Hypoglycemia. Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation: Low Blood Sugar, What is Glucagon? University of California San Francisco Medical Center: Treating Low Blood Sugar. Reviewed by Michael Dansinger on January 22, 2017 What should I keep in mind before exercising if I use insulin? This tool does not provide medical advice. See additional information. THIS TOOL DOES NOT PROVIDE MEDICAL ADVICE. It is intended for general informational purposes only and does not address individual circumstances. It is not a substitute for professio Continue reading >>

6 Foods That Lower Blood Sugar

A healthy lifestyle of exercise with a well-balanced diet should go a long way towards keeping blood sugar levels even. For example, for maintaining good blood sugar levels, my doctor recommends a diet rich in healthy protein and fats, lower in carbohydrates, and plenty of low-carb produce. But beyond the general principles, there are some wonderful foods that specifically help keep blood sugar levels in a healthy place. Here are six of them. Tea: Animal studies have shown that black, green, white and oolong teas all help with blood sugar control. One study found that after drinking six cups of tea a day for eight weeks, patient’s blood sugar levels were 15-20 percent lower than before! Drinking tea is a beautiful and traditional practice that could also have a positive role in healthy blood sugar levels. Dark chocolate: One important aspect of good blood sugar control is how your body handles insulin. Dark chocolate was found to reduce insulin resistance, a vital part of keeping healthy blood sugar levels. This is good news for chocolate lovers — just make sure that it is a truly dark chocolate. Vinegar: In a surprising study at Arizona State University, vinegar was shown to have the same effect as a leading diabetes medication! In the study, patients were given a vinegar drink to consume before a meal rich in carbohydrates. Starting a meal with a salad with a vinegar dressing could be a good choice instead. Nuts: When diabetic patients swapped carbohydrate-rich snacks with nuts instead, they were able to lower their general blood sugar levels over time. Nuts are a healthy source of protein, as well as many nutrients (such as vitamin E and selenium), so they are a smart addition to a healthy lifestyle. Chia seeds: This tiny seed is native to Southern Mexico and Cen Continue reading >>

How To Best Manage And Prevent Exercise Low Blood Sugars

If you take insulin or another blood glucose-lowering medication, you are at risk for low blood sugar (usually defined as blood glucose < 65 mg/dl), or hypoglycemia, which can occur during or following physical activity. Low blood sugar can cause trembling, sweating, dizziness, blurred vision, impaired thinking, and even seizures and loss of consciousness. Exercise presents its own special challenges for managing blood sugar. Since any activity increases your body’s use of blood sugar, hypoglycemia can develop more easily. The more you understand about what makes your blood sugars go down (or sometimes up) during exercise, the easier it becomes to control and the more confident you can be about doing activities and staying in control of your diabetes. Much of your blood sugar response has to do with how much insulin is in your bloodstream. If your insulin levels are high during a physical activity, your muscles will take up more blood glucose (since muscle contractions themselves stimulate glucose uptake without insulin) and you’re more likely to end up with low blood sugars. You can even end up with late-onset hypoglycemia, which can occur from right after to up to 48 hours after you exercise. What’s important is to do your best to prevent lows before, during and after exercise by taking the steps listed below. Prevent Lows Before, During and After Exercise Learn how your body responds to exercise by checking your blood sugar levels before, (occasionally) during, and after exercise. If your blood sugar is near or below 70 mg/dl before you exercise, bring it back within normal range before you begin by consuming some carbohydrates. Always be prepared to correct a low by carrying a rapid-acting carbohydrate with you during exercise. Don’t assume you’ll be able Continue reading >>

The 4 Foods That Will Steady Your Blood Sugar

Wondering what blood sugar has to do with you, if you don’t have diabetes? Keeping your blood sugar levels as steady as possiblenow may help you avoid getting diabetes later. “As you get older, your risk for type 2 diabetes goes up,” says Alissa Rumsey, Registered Dietitian and Spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. “Since you can’t modify your age, it is important to take other steps to lower your risk, including maintaining a healthy weight, getting enough exercise, and balancing your diet to prevent spikes in blood sugar.” Controlling your blood sugar will also just make you feel better. “It’s best to control blood sugar—it keeps your energy stable,” says Leann Olansky, M.D., an endocrinologist at the Cleveland Clinic. “If your blood sugar doesn’t vary that much before and after a meal, that’s a healthier way to be.” Unrelated to diabetes, symptoms of occasional high blood sugar aren’t life-threatening, but rather unpleasant and only potentially dangerous if you suffer from other health problems. “When your blood sugar is too high, it can make you feel sluggish,” says Dr. Olansky. “When it’s higher still, it can lead to dehydration and make your blood pressure unstable, and cause you to urinate more often, especially at night.” But when your blood sugar remains chronically high, insulin, a hormone that’s supposed to help your body store sugar as energy, stops working as it should. “Prolonged high blood sugar levels can lead to insulin resistance, meaning your body isn’t able to use insulin properly,” says Rumsey. “Over time this insulin resistance can develop into diabetes, when insulin isn’t able to keep your blood sugar within normal levels.” Current research reveals an association between spik Continue reading >>

Diet Guidelines: No-no Foods — Eliminating Simple Sugars

NO-NO FOODS: ELIMINATING SIMPLE SUGARS Named below are some of the common foods that contain simple sugars, which rapidly raise blood sugar or otherwise hinder blood sugar control and should be eliminated from your diet. All grain products, for example—from the flour in “sugar-free” cookies to pasta to wheat or non-wheat grain products except pure bran—are converted so rapidly into glucose by the enzymes in saliva and further down in the digestive tract that they are, as far as blood sugar is concerned, essentially no different than table sugar. There are plenty of food products, however, that contain such tiny amounts of simple sugars that they will have a negligible effect on your blood sugar. One gram of carbohydrate will not raise blood sugar more than 5 mg/dl for most diabetic adults (but considerably more for small children). A single stick of chewing gum or a single tablespoon of salad dressing made with only 1 gram of sugar certainly poses no problems. In these areas, you have to use your judgment and your blood sugar profiles. If you’re the type who, once you start chewing gum, has to have a new stick every 5 minutes, then you should probably avoid chewing gum. If you have delayed stomach-emptying (Chapter 22), small amounts of “sugar-free” chewing gum may help facilitate your digestion. Powdered Artificial Sweeteners At this writing, several artificial sweeteners are available. They are available from different manufacturers under different names, and some, such as Equal and Sweet’n Low, can have brand names under which more than one form of sweetener is sold. Here, to simplify your shopping, are acceptable products currently and soon to be available: saccharin tablets or liquid (Sweet’n Low) aspartame tablets (Equal, NutraSweet)* acesulfame- Continue reading >>

4 Foods To Eat When Your Blood Sugar Is Running High

It’s six o'clock, and your blood sugar has been running high all day. It’s tempting, and it may seem to make sense, to want to skip dinner. But skipping meals can be dangerous and may actually increase your blood sugar more. If you've been experiencing high levels all day, it’s important to eat a meal that has a low glycemic index to help lower your blood sugar levels. There are many foods out there that have a low GI. Here are four quick and simple options that can easily be thrown together at the end of the day. What to eat? 1. Salad with blueberries, nuts, and vinaigrette Vinegar has a balancing effect on blood sugar and post-meal levels. When mixed with olive oil and lemon juice, vinaigrette may lower blood glucose by as much as 30 percent. Blueberries improve insulin sensitivity and are low in naturally occurring sugars. Nuts like raw almonds, walnuts, pecans, and cashews are great for lowering and controlling blood sugar. 2. Avocado Avocados are packed with monounsaturated fats, the same fats found in olive oil that help slow the release of sugars into the bloodstream. They contain soluble fiber, which stabilizes blood sugars and lowers cholesterol. These creamy fruits make a great substitute for cheese and mayonnaise. In fact, 1/5 of an avocado only has 55 calories. Try it with lemon juice and some sea salt. 3. Cinnamon Spice up your night with cinnamon. Some studies have shown that it may help regulate blood sugar levels, though others haven’t. And there’s no clear answer about whether one type of cinnamon works best. But it’s easy to try adding more cinnamon to your diet to see if you notice a benefit. Here’s a delicious chicken dinner recipe from Diabetic Connect that has cinnamon in it to help you get started. And right now, you can add some cin Continue reading >>

10 Foods That Lower Blood Sugars In Diabetics

While a low carb diet appears to be useful on the whole, there are also many foods shown to help. Either by lowering blood sugars and/or improving insulin sensitivity. This articles looks at 10 of the best foods and supplements for lowering blood sugars, based on current research. Just know they should never be used in place of your diabetes medication, but rather alongside. 1. Resistant Starch Lowers Sugars After Meals Starches are long chains of glucose (sugar) found in oats, grains, bananas, potatoes and various other foods. Some varieties pass through digestion unchanged and are not absorbed as sugar into the blood. These are known as resistant starch. Many studies show resistant starch can greatly improve insulin sensitivity. That is, how well the body can move sugar out of the blood and into cells for energy. This is why it’s so useful for lowering blood sugar levels after meals (1, 2). The effect is so great that having resistant starch at lunch will reduce blood sugar spikes at dinner, known as the “second meal effect” (3). Problem is many foods high in resistant starch, such as potatoes, are also high in digestible carbs that can spike blood sugar. Therefore resistant starch in supplement form – without the extra carbs – is recommended. Summary: Supplemental resistant starch is a fantastic option for those struggling to control sugars or have hit a plateau. 2. Ceylon Cinnamon Several cinnamon compounds appear to prevent the absorption of sugar into the bloodstream, minimising blood sugar spikes. It may also dramatically improve insulin sensitivity (4, 5). In a recent clinical trial, 25 poorly-controlled type 2 diabetics received either 1 gram per day of cinnamon or placebo (dummy supplement) for 12 weeks. Fasting blood sugar levels in the cinnamon gro Continue reading >>

13 Foods That Won’t Raise Blood Glucose

Part 1 of 15 A healthy diet is essential to reversing prediabetes. There are no foods, herbs, drinks, or supplements that lower blood sugar. Only medication and exercise can. But there are things you can eat and drink that have a low Glycemic Index (GI). This means these foods won’t raise your blood sugar and may help you avoid a blood sugar spike. In addition to diet changes, staying or becoming active is also important. Learn which foods you can add to your diet plan. You may be able to prevent prediabetes or type 2 diabetes by adding more of these foods, spices, and drinks into your diet. Eat them as healthy alternatives to sugar, high GI carbohydrates, or other treats. Want more info like this? Sign up for our diabetes newsletter and get resources delivered right to your inbox » Part 2 of 15 Polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) and monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs) are important components of a healthy blood sugar eating plan. They can improve insulin sensitivity. They can also help increase feelings of satiety, and have a healthy impact on blood pressure and inflammation. MUFAs are a key nutrient in avocados. Studies have shown avocados can lower the risk of metabolic syndrome. This is a group of risk factors that can increase the risk of diabetes. It can also raise the risk of blood vessel disease like heart disease and stroke. Avocados also have a low GI. For a unique, diabetes-friendly dessert, try making Oh She Glow’s natural, no sugar added, raw avocado chocolate pudding. Part 3 of 15 Protein helps the body maintain and repair itself. Since protein doesn't impact blood sugar levels, it doesn't have a GI ranking and won’t raise blood sugar levels. Protein also increases satiety, so relying on protein to feel full instead of bread, rice, or pasta may be Continue reading >>

How To Lower Blood Sugar With Diet

Reader Approved High blood sugar can cause a number of health problems. Most notably, it can trigger the onset of diabetes, especially in people with a family history of the disease. Diabetics must monitor their diet to prevent their blood sugar from running dangerously high or too low. Pre-diabetics, or those with a genetic disposition to the disease, can keep blood sugar levels low by being careful with their diet, possibly reducing the risk of needing medication. Once you are diagnosed as Diabetic, it is dangerous to assume that diet and exercise alone can help you manage your blood sugar. If you are disciplined, then a doctor could agree that minimal medication is all that you need. It is not advised that a diagnosed diabetic to take charge of managing his or her blood sugar with diet and exercise alone. Continue reading >>

Treating Low Blood Sugar

You are at risk of having a low blood sugar reaction if you: Skip or delay a meal or snack Take too much insulin or eat too few carbohydrates Exercise Drink alcohol, especially without eating carbohydrates Check your blood sugar if you have any of these symptoms: Weakness and/or fatigue Headache Sweating Anxiety Dizziness Shaking Increased heartbeat If your blood sugar is less than 70 milligrams per deciliter (mg/dl): Eat 15 to 30 grams of carbohydrate (sample foods listed below) Wait 15 minutes and then recheck your blood sugar If your blood sugar is still less than 100 mg/dl, take another 15 grams of carbohydrate and retest your blood sugar in another 15 minutes. Repeat if necessary. Important: If you have frequent low blood sugars speak to your doctor. You may need changes in your medication and/or meal plan. Quick Carbohydrate Guide for Treating Low Blood Sugars If your blood sugar is less than 70 mg/dl, you need 15 to 30 grams of a quickly absorbed carbohydrate, like the ones listed below. Each of the following servings provides 15 grams of carbohydrate. Candies and Other Sweets 5 small gum drops 12 gummy bears 6 large jelly beans 5 Life Savers 15 Skittles 1 Tablespoon honey, jam or jelly 1 Tablespoon sugar in water 4 Starburst Beverages 1/2 cup apple juice 1/2 cup orange or grapefruit juice 1/2 cup pineapple juice 1/2 cup regular soda (not diet) 1/3 cup grape juice 1/3 cup cranberry juice 1/3 cup prune juice 1 cup fat free milk Fruits 1/2 banana 1 small apple 1 small orange 1/2 cup applesauce 2 tablespoons of raisins 15 grapes Other 3 to 4 glucose tablets 1 tube glucose gel Note: The foods listed above are easily absorbed and will raise blood sugar levels quickly. Foods that contain protein or fat — such as chocolate, candy bars, ice cream, cookies, crackers and Continue reading >>

12 Powerfoods To Beat Diabetes

Can controlling your blood sugar and preventing diabetes complications be as simple as eating the right foods? Yes. Certain foods are packed with nutrients that stabilize blood sugar levels, protect your heart, and even save your vision from the damaging effects of diabetes. These 12 foods can give you an extra edge against diabetes and its complications. 1. Apples In a Finnish study, men who ate the most apples and other foods high in quercetin had 20 percent less diabetes and heart disease deaths. Other good sources of quercetin are onions, tomatoes, leafy green vegetables, and berries. 2. Cinnamon A study at the Human Nutrition Research Center in Beltsville, Maryland, found that if you use ½ teaspoon of cinnamon daily, it can make cells more sensitive to insulin. Therefore, the study says, the cells convert blood sugar to energy. After 40 days of taking various amount of cinnamon extract, diabetics experienced not only lower blood sugar spikes after eating, but major improvements in signs of heart health. And you can sprinkle cinnamon on just about anything. 3. Citrus Fruit Studies show that people with diabetes tend to have lower levels of vitamin C in their bodies, so antioxidant-packed citrus fruit is a great snack choice. It may seem quicker to get your C from a pill, but since fruit is low in fat, high in fiber, and delivers lots of other healthy nutrients, it's a better choice. 4. Cold-Water Fish Heart disease strikes people with diabetes twice as often as it does people without the illness, according to the American Diabetes Association. Diets high in omega-3 fatty acids—the "good fat" in cold-water fish such as wild Alaskan salmon, sardines, and Atlantic mackerel—can help lower artery-clogging LDL cholesterol and triglycerides while raising levels of HDL Continue reading >>

The Glycemic Index

The glycemic index ranks foods on how they affect our blood sugar levels. This index measures how much your blood sugar increases after you eat. When you make use of the glycemic index to prepare healthy meals, it helps to keep your blood sugar levels under control. This is especially important for people with diabetes, although athletes and people who are overweight also stand to benefit from knowing about this relatively new concept in good nutrition. Recent studies of large numbers of people with diabetes show that those who keep their blood sugar under tight control best avoid the complications that this disease can lead to. The experts agree that what works best for people with diabetes—and probably everyone—is regular exercise, little saturated and trans fat, and a high-fiber diet. That is excellent advice—as far as it goes. The real problem is carbohydrates, and that's what the glycemic index is all about. Foods high in fat or protein don’t cause your blood sugar level to rise much. The official consensus remains that a high-carbohydrate diet is best for people with diabetes. However, some experts recommend a low-carbohydrate diet, because carbohydrates break down quickly during digestion and can raise blood sugar to dangerous levels. A low-glycemic diet avoids both extremes. Many carbohydrate-rich foods have high glycemic indexes, and certainly are not good in any substantial quantity for people with diabetes. Other carbohydrates break down more slowly, releasing glucose gradually into our blood streams and are said to have lower glycemic indexes. The really shocking results of G.I. studies are in which foods produce the highest glycemic response. They include many of the starchy foods we eat a lot of, including most bread, most breakfast cereals, and ba Continue reading >>