Why Can’t Diabetics Eat As They Wish?
Understanding a diabetic diet plan is easy when we understand how our body works in breaking down the food that we consume. Every food item that we take in is broken down into sugar. Sweet sugar food such as chocolates and fruits enter the bloodstream almost instantly (this is probably the reason why the term ‘sugar rush’ was coined). Slower starches, which are carbohydrates, take between 1 -2 hours to break down and this is followed by the breaking down of protein which takes about 4 hours. Fats take the longest to break down, between 6-8 hours.
By using a home testing unit, diabetic patients are able to find out their blood glucose level. The testing unit is actually a spring loaded ‘pen’ that has a needle at the end embedded in a plastic sheath. When a drop of blood is applied onto a strip that is inserted into the machine, the reading of the blood sugar will be produced. The ideal level when waking up or before each meal is 80 to 120mg/dl, 160mg/dl or less if it’s 2 hours after meals and 100 to 140mg/dl at bedtime. If your reading is any higher than that, you should be careful with your diet.
By following a diabetes diet coupled with exercise, diabetics can actually control their blood sugar levels without needing medication or insulin jabs. A diabetic diet plan differs according to the type diabetes that the person suffers from. If a person has Type 1 diabetes, he/she would always need insulin treatment but the condition still needs to be controlled with a proper meal plan. If it is Type 2 diabetes, then the objective is weight loss. A diabetic diet and exercise is needed to manage the disease from escalating. What is the person has gestational diabetes? A gestational diabetes diet aims to provide nutrients to both the mother and child while making sure that the mother’s blood sugar is on a safe level.
Diabetics should eat small portions throughout the day. This enables the food to be broken down easily. As gluttony as it sounds, it is best to eat every 2-3 hours, which is equivalent to 5-6 small meals throughout the day. These will ensure that there wouldn’t be a sudden spike in the blood glucose levels but rather a steady stream of sugar is released into the blood with each small meal. Do some light exercises after each meal. Just light ones will do as straining yourself will see you having heartburn later on.
Anna has been writing articles online for nearly 3 years now. She is specialize in diet, healthcare, fitness and weight loss. You can also check out her website SimpleDiabeticDiet.com for more information about diabetic diet meal plan and diabetic recipes.
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