Diabetes is a serious condition that affects the way your body metabolizes sugar. If you have diabetes, you may be able to control it with diet and lifestyle changes. The following are some tips on how you can manage your condition:
Eat Plenty Of Fiber To Stabilize Your Blood Sugar
Fiber is a carbohydrate that’s not digested or absorbed by the body. It helps you feel full and aids in digestion, which keeps your blood sugar levels steady.
Fiber can also help lower the glycemic index (GI) of foods–the higher the GI, the greater your risk of developing diabetes. Foods with high GIs cause rapid surges in blood sugar after eating them; low-GI foods have minimal effects on blood glucose levels because they break down slowly in your digestive tract.
Foods high in soluble fiber include oats and barley; fruit such as apples and pears; legumes (beans, peas); nuts; seeds like sunflower seeds or pumpkin seeds; wheat bran cereal made from whole grain wheat flour rather than white flour.
Stay Within Your Daily Calorie Limit
When you have diabetes, it’s important to eat a balanced diet that includes the right amount of calories, according to Dr Wayne Lajewski. If you don’t get enough, your body won’t be able to function properly and could lead to serious health problems. If you eat too many calories, this can also cause health issues because it increases your risk for obesity and heart disease.
To calculate your daily calorie limit:
• Multiply your weight (in pounds) by 10 if you are sedentary or by 11 if active (for example: 150 x 10 = 1500 calories per day). Add 300-500 extra calories if pregnant or breastfeeding; subtract 500 extra calories if underweight.*
For example: A person who weighs 200 lbs. would have a calculated daily caloric intake range between 2200-2700 depending on activity level.
Get Regular Exercise
The benefits of exercise are endless. It can help you lose weight, control blood sugar, Dr Wayne Lajewski lower blood pressure and stress levels and even improve sleep quality. Exercise can also make you feel like a new person with more energy to spare!
