Simple lifestyle changes can help prevent the host of health problems that are caused by type 2 Diabetes. Here's How
The western worlds fastest growing chronic disease is Type 2 Diabetes. Even in a relatively "sporty' health conscious country like Australia 1500 Type 2 Diabetics are being diagnosed each and every week, that adds up to 1.2 million Type 2 Diabetics in Australia by the year 2010.
Medications and insulin injections are usually a Doctors first line of attack, to keep the symptoms and complications at bay. But just as useful is watching what you eat to keep your blood glucose levels stable. Plus switching to a healthier diet will pay big dividends in the future when you would rather not face the complications that Type 2 Diabetes brings.
Keep eating the same way tomorrow as you do today and in 20 years you'll still be on medications, or worse dead. A change in diet today might mean that you are free of medications in the long run, some people even rid themselves of the Type 2 Diabetes altogether.
" Studies show that in some cases dietary changes can have similar effects to
medication" says dietitian Kate Marsh. "The problem is some people start
with medication and see it as an alternative to dietary changes- which should be
your first choice" says Kate.
7 easy ways to beat Diabetes with Diet.
1. Watch the Carbohydrates.
If you want more stable blood glucose levels (BGL) then foods with a low GI should be favoured as your body will digest the low GI foods slower. The High GI foods cause spikes in your BGL, macular degeneration, which leads to blindness, has been associated with high GI diets. High GI food diets results in our body "see-sawing" up and down with your BGL swinging wildly.
Switch to wholegrain breads, swap your processed cereals for oats or natural muesli. It does not have to be a hard change to make. I make up my own muesli at home adding nuts, dried fruit, bran, oats and seeds to my basic everyday off the shelf packet of Cornflakes. It's way cheaper than buying pre packages muesli too.
Switch to Nicola potatoes, or sweet potato. Use Basmati rice rather than the Higher GI Jasmine rice.
2. Switch to Good Fats.
Good fats? Aren't all fats bad? No not at all, some fats can be good for you in small amounts.
Too much of the bad trans fats will lead to obesity, insulin resistance and hardening of the arteries.
Switch to Olive and Canola oils, by lean meat, buy reduced fat milk and give the full creme dairy milk a miss. Eat more fish, the omega 3's in fish will lower your triglycerides, lower you blood pressure and help ward off depression. Tuna, Sardines and Salmon are easy to add to your diet, yummy too. It doesn't have to be fresh fish either, canned fish makes an easy quick lunchtime sandwich.
3. Add Vegetables and fruit to mealtimes.
Its really easier than you think to add some more veggies and fruit to your diet. Most supermarkets these days have bags of pre chopped veggies and salads, try adding a handful to your dinner plate before you put anything else on it. A handful of salad veggies takes up a lot of space on your plate that you then won't fill with meat, or other proteins.
Next time you make lasagna try adding cooked pumpkin, cottage cheese and spinach instead of mince meat. Or try making every second layer a vegetable layer.
Add some fruit to your breakfast cereal, or try some fruit as a dessert after dinner. Apples or Bananas make great snacks for "on the go" people.
Switch to 5 serves of vegetables and two serves of fruit a day. A serve is about as much as you can fit on the palm of your hand.
4. Salt; in seawater yes, in your food no.
About 50% of Type 2 Diabetes suffers also have high blood pressure and adding extra salt to your diet is exactly what you do not want to do. Salt will only add to your blood pressure woes. And high blood pressure puts a strain on the kidneys.
Often we are conditioned by TV cooking shows, or memories of "the way Momma use to make it" to add salt, unthinkingly, to our food. Salt in the pasta sauce, salt in the boiling water we cook the noodles in, salt in the boiling potatoes, salt in this, salt in that, salt in everything. Whoa, Stop Taste the food first, often you won't even need to add salt. Salty food is addictive, so try cutting back gradually rather than going cold turkey. After a couple of months you will hardly be using any added salt in your cooking and you will finally really taste your food. That "salty mask" will be gone and instead you will reveal the real taste of the food.
Switch to adding pepper rather than salt, try other seasonings, garlic, onions, curry powder, lemon juice all are great alternatives to salt.
5. Legumes, Love 'em.
Bust out of the rut and try something a bit different to the meat and two veg, usually potatoes, and carrots.
Switch to sliced green beans, green peas, kidney beans, lentils, chickpeas all taste great are high in fibre and are Low GI. Add some Lentils, Chickpeas or Kidney beans to soups and stews and use less meat.
6. Get some nuts
Mr T was right in those Snickers advertisements, "Get Some Nuts" was his catch cry and how right he was. Well the nuts are good for you, and chocolate in moderation is good for the body and soul, just do not overdo it, chocolate is a sometimes food.
Switch to Nuts, they are the perfect snack food for people on the go. Nuts contain the healthy fats we talked of earlier, they are full of minerals, vitamins, and fibre. The plant sterols in nuts are good for the blood vessels, reducing inflammation. And almonds slow the rise in blood glucose after a meal, much better for you than that "after dinner mint".
7. Breakfast, breakfast, breakfast.
Yes I know I said that three times, it's important! You have to space your meals out during the day to try and keep the rising and falling blood glucose level more even. So if you skip breakfast after going, say 6 to 8 hours without food, your BGL will drop too low, then you will overeat because you are starving, then your BGL will soar. Its a nasty roller coaster to be on. If you skip breakfast psychologically you are more prone to making poorer food choices when you do eventually eat.
Switch to making breakfast a priority in your day, it can really set you up for a good day managing your BGL. Try Porridge, Muesli with fruit, or wholegrain toast with a nice egg.
MORE READING: that can help YOU improve YOUR health. Click Here!"The Low Glycemic Index Diet -- Better Known as The Low GI Diet"
The Low GI Diet focuses on foods that are 'Slow-release' in your body. What this means is that when you eat any food, your body digests that food either, quickly, or Slowly depending on the Glycemic index of that food.
Unlike many diets you will still be able to enjoy the foods you love and enjoy.. The key to the Low GI Diet is... Moderation!
"The Low Glycemic Index Diet -- Better Known as The Low GI Diet"
Click Here! to read more about a low GI diet and its health benefits to you.
WHO: By Christopher James.
Did you find these tips on Type 2 Diabetes Diet useful?
I hope so :-)
Kind Regards,
Christopher James.
WHERE: http://type-2-diabetes-recipes.blogspot.com/
WHY: Type 2 Diabetes causes a host of Health problems. Many can be prevented with simple lifestyle changes. Here's How, it might just save your life.
WHAT TO DO NEXT: You can learn a lot more about Type 2 Diabetes, and ways to improve your diet please bookmark and/or visit http://type-2-diabetes-recipes.blogspot.com/
