How to lower blood sugar without medications is the beginning of a new way of living. Most diet programs available today could be adapted to keeping your blood sugar in control. However, you must plan your calorie intake each day to match what your caregiver has prescribed for you whether it is 1200 calories or even 2000 calories depending on your body size, gender and activity level. So to get started let's discuss implementing your sugar control diet.
Meal plan or meal planning is necessary to successfully control blood sugar while becoming healthy from what you eat. The first step is to plan your schedule for Meals. Optimal results are obtained by eating: Breakfast, a mid-morning snack, Lunch, an afternoon snack, Dinner and a "just before bedtime snack". In other words 6 "meals" each day.
Healthy dieting must include foods in proportion from all the food groups: protein, fat, and carbohydrates. These food groups include most vegetables, fruits, grains, nuts and beverages. Protein in small amounts in each and every meal and snack is required to make this sugar control diet work.
Protein is slower to digest, which keeps your metabolism working and helps prevent feeling hungry and deprived. Acceptable proteins include lean red meat, ideally no more that 3 oz.s. three times per week unbreaded fish, unbreaded chicken, raw nuts, eggs, cottage cheese and unsweetened (plain or flavored) yogurt can be used to satisfy your requirement for protein which should be 10% to 35% of your overall diet.
Dried beans, nuts and seeds can be considered protein but are sometimes "incomplete" so must be eaten with other foods so care in portion and calories is advised.
Carbohydrates includes fruits, vegetables and grains.
Vegetables: Vegetables, especially raw vegetables are your friend. Raw green and red vegetables are unlimited. Eat as much as you want at any meal or snack. Some vegetables have the reputation for burning more calories than they provide especially Celery. Lettuce, Cabbage, Broccoli, are great "treats" when combined with a homemade yogurt dip flavored with zero calorie spices from your spice rack. Cooked vegetables regardless of color and yellow or orange vegetables and potatoes, rice, bread are in the measure category: 1/2 cup equals a serving or the equivalent of one slice of bread and must be calculated into your daily calorie allowance. The exception is corn creamed or whole kernel which is 1/3 cup. Some fun recipes are available at Cararta's Facts including peanut butter celery sticks.
Fruits: Fruits include almost any fresh fruits or berries except for mango and bananas. No fruit juice...except as listed under beverages! Fresh means fresh so no canned, dried fruit. Can use frozen if no sugar added.
Grains: Some diets restrict bread, oatmeal, grits and rice however I often have a sandwich for lunch including two slices of bread, all you have to do is make sure to include these calories in your daily allowance and have a protein filling and you will be fine. The body needs a certain amount of carbohydrate for quick energy while waiting for the protein to digest. A small baked potato with 1 tablespoon of regular sour cream with dinner is also acceptable. Again just keep track of what you eat!
Beverages: Water is great!. Unsweetened tea is fine and I especially like green tea which some tout as a helper in the weight loss game. If you count the calories in the juice, you can have fresh fruit juices with no added sugar and diluted with water...half water-half juice (grape is good) but again count the calories! I love coffee, but found more than a cup per day seemed to slow down my weight loss. Your choice!
Not listed but important is fat. Every diet should include a certain small amount of fat. You can get this from lean red meat, oily fish, certain nuts, olive oil (salad dressing) canola oil...an amount daily equivalent to 3 pats of butter! Fat helps with sugar control as it's digestion takes longer than carbohydrates so it helps maintain a level sugar rate with fewer spikes and lows. Forget the fake "butters" what is in them is worse than fat!
While on the food part of this program: I personally do not like "lite" fat free, reduced fat, sugar free or artificially sweetened anything. Besides their unpalatable taste, they often contain more calories than the original because of attempts to make them"taste"acceptable. It has become accepted that some of these altered foods can cause digestive problems (diarrhea when over consumed). Decide for yourself.
Final recommendation regarding the diet part of the control blood sugar plan. There are certain supplements and herbs that can help control blood sugar. Two that I use are Cinnamon and Chromium. Do your own research or talk to a nutritionist.
Exercise: Exercise is necessary to lose weight and control blood sugar and stop taking medications. Just like the scheduled meal plan, exercise should be on the "menu" every day. The easiest, least expensive and probably the best exercise is Walking. Walking uses your whole body, especially if you swing your arms when you walk. Thirty minutes a day or the equivalent is required. Riding a stationery bicycle if you can't walk or don't have a place to walk will meet your exercise requirements. If you can't walk for 30 minutes, break it up into smaller amounts, gradually increasing until you can walk for 30 minutes.
Adhering to this diet will improve your life by improving your blood sugar level. If you are currently taking medications for your diabetes, keep a close check on your sugar levels and consult with your caregiver regarding adjustments to medications. Losing weight usually reduces blood sugar levels and leads to having more energy and less of that tired feeling common with uncontrolled diabetic blood sugar levels.
A footnote: If you are overweight or have close relatives with diabetes and uncontrolled blood sugar, there is the possibility that using this diet will help prevent diabetes or delay the onset of diabetes.
Finally follow your scheduled eating times using the correct food combinations and do a little walking and you will soon know how to control blood sugar levels without medications!
I am a Retired RN who has lived with Adult Onset diabetes for 30 years without taking medications and have outlined my diet and exercise program for reducing, controlling and lowering blood sugar levels. My site Diabetes Diet has more information to help in your quest for sugar control. In my case a 1200 calorie diet was necessary to lose weight and lower blood sugar. As I get older the exercise is required to maintain control.
My younger sister's Joella's fight with diabetes is detailed in a blog, Cararta's Facts with recipes and the ups and downs of trying to live on a Diabetic diet. She has an ongoing problem with combining the correct amount of food and exercise necessary to control her weight, blood sugar and diabetes.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Carolyn_C_Cooper.
You can also find more information at
Lose Weight, Lose Fat, Control Diabetes and
Diabetes Diets
Day Lillies
This site does not give medical advise. Consult your physican if you have a medical problem. This is a conversation among people who are finding a new direction in eating and living.
Showing posts with label type 2 diabetes. Show all posts
Showing posts with label type 2 diabetes. Show all posts
Monday, January 28, 2013
Tuesday, June 12, 2012
Review: Mika Make You Happy
I searched for Someone with lots of young followers to put on this site about Diabetes. I found Mika and his brand new video. Must be fate!
I listened and watch about ten videos. The music is different and his own!
For some reason thoughts of Michael Jackson kept creeping in...don't know if it has to do with the carefully constructed presentations or the voice. Enjoyable.
Here is his video, hope if you watch it here you scroll around and do some reading.
So many young people are developing type 2 Diabetes (formerly called Adult Onset Diabetes) mostly because of "lifestyle" eating the wrong food and not moving enough. When Teens and preteens develop Diabetes2 they seem to have a much harder time coping with it, often not successfully.
Here Are Some Food Toys to Help with Your Dieting.
I listened and watch about ten videos. The music is different and his own!
For some reason thoughts of Michael Jackson kept creeping in...don't know if it has to do with the carefully constructed presentations or the voice. Enjoyable.
Here is his video, hope if you watch it here you scroll around and do some reading.
So many young people are developing type 2 Diabetes (formerly called Adult Onset Diabetes) mostly because of "lifestyle" eating the wrong food and not moving enough. When Teens and preteens develop Diabetes2 they seem to have a much harder time coping with it, often not successfully.
Here Are Some Food Toys to Help with Your Dieting.
Saturday, June 11, 2011
Do You need to Lose Weight? Do you know the Symptoms of Diabetes?
The easiest way to find out if you suffer from diabetes, is to visit a doctor and get a proper analysis of your glucose. Usually for an adult it will be type 2 adult onset diabetes. You may have any of the three diabetes types - type 1, type 2 and pregnancy type. There are common symptoms in all types of diabetes.
The most common type is diabetes type 2. If you feel like urinating quite often and especially if you also wake up at night to do it, then it may be a sign of diabetes. Increased sensation of thirst will also be experienced by you, as the kidneys increase their activity to remove the extra glucose from the blood. These two symptoms always come together.
A sudden and unexplainable weight loss - up to 3-5pounds a month is also usually determined by a high level of blood glucose. This unexpected weight loss comes as a result of the insulin not providing the cells with glucose. Therefore, there is nothing in the body that the cells can use to transform sugar or glucose into energy, so the liver starts converting the proteins in muscles and fat to allow the body to survive. As the readings of the glucose become high, intense hunger may also appear.
The body asks for extra food to work properly, when its level goes down. Itches and dry skin are also symptoms of diabetes. The skin problems sometimes include dark spots in the areas of armpits and neck . Whenever you suffer from a wound or a cut and it takes a long time to heal can be a sign of diabetes. Obviously, your blood vessels are deteriorated and this is usually due to the high quantity of glucose. Other symptoms of diabetes are tiredness and foggy vision, nerve tingles and numbness. Often feet and legs will hurt at night and keep you awake. If left untreated diabetes can lead to damaged circulation, damaged eyesight, and because of damage to blood vessels lead to strokes and heartattacks.
On the other hand, the diabetes type 1 is less common, and affects younger people. Between the first symptoms and the diagnosis of diabetes 1, there is usually only a few months. The high need for water because of thirst and frequent urinations, tiredness, extra hunger, weakness and weight loss are included in this type of diabetes, the symptoms are almost the same for each type. These two types of diabetes are very different from one another, although the symptoms are very much similar. People with type 1 diabetes are often born with it and type 2 diabetes is usually the result of being overweight because of incorrect eating and no exercise. It is very important to know that any of these symptoms may be also common for other diseases, so make sure you ask for detailed professional tests when you consult a doctor. When two or more of these symptoms start showing up at the same time, the chances to have diabetes are pretty high.
Pregnancy diabetes suffered by a pregnant woman is generally without symptoms, just like the other two types of diabetes until it becomes severe enough to start showing the same classic symptoms. In rare cases, tiredness, extra urination and hunger may show up. During the 2-nd and 3-rd trimesters of pregnancy, the insulin demands of a pregnant woman are about 3 times higher than normal.
Whichever of these symptoms you may encounter, consult a doctor as fast as possible. There are many ways to prevent type 2 diabetes development, though there is not an official way to cure it. The best you can do is maintain control by following a scheduled meal plan, exercising and eating in moderation.
You are What you EAT!.
The most common type is diabetes type 2. If you feel like urinating quite often and especially if you also wake up at night to do it, then it may be a sign of diabetes. Increased sensation of thirst will also be experienced by you, as the kidneys increase their activity to remove the extra glucose from the blood. These two symptoms always come together.
A sudden and unexplainable weight loss - up to 3-5pounds a month is also usually determined by a high level of blood glucose. This unexpected weight loss comes as a result of the insulin not providing the cells with glucose. Therefore, there is nothing in the body that the cells can use to transform sugar or glucose into energy, so the liver starts converting the proteins in muscles and fat to allow the body to survive. As the readings of the glucose become high, intense hunger may also appear.
The body asks for extra food to work properly, when its level goes down. Itches and dry skin are also symptoms of diabetes. The skin problems sometimes include dark spots in the areas of armpits and neck . Whenever you suffer from a wound or a cut and it takes a long time to heal can be a sign of diabetes. Obviously, your blood vessels are deteriorated and this is usually due to the high quantity of glucose. Other symptoms of diabetes are tiredness and foggy vision, nerve tingles and numbness. Often feet and legs will hurt at night and keep you awake. If left untreated diabetes can lead to damaged circulation, damaged eyesight, and because of damage to blood vessels lead to strokes and heartattacks.
On the other hand, the diabetes type 1 is less common, and affects younger people. Between the first symptoms and the diagnosis of diabetes 1, there is usually only a few months. The high need for water because of thirst and frequent urinations, tiredness, extra hunger, weakness and weight loss are included in this type of diabetes, the symptoms are almost the same for each type. These two types of diabetes are very different from one another, although the symptoms are very much similar. People with type 1 diabetes are often born with it and type 2 diabetes is usually the result of being overweight because of incorrect eating and no exercise. It is very important to know that any of these symptoms may be also common for other diseases, so make sure you ask for detailed professional tests when you consult a doctor. When two or more of these symptoms start showing up at the same time, the chances to have diabetes are pretty high.
Pregnancy diabetes suffered by a pregnant woman is generally without symptoms, just like the other two types of diabetes until it becomes severe enough to start showing the same classic symptoms. In rare cases, tiredness, extra urination and hunger may show up. During the 2-nd and 3-rd trimesters of pregnancy, the insulin demands of a pregnant woman are about 3 times higher than normal.
Whichever of these symptoms you may encounter, consult a doctor as fast as possible. There are many ways to prevent type 2 diabetes development, though there is not an official way to cure it. The best you can do is maintain control by following a scheduled meal plan, exercising and eating in moderation.
You are What you EAT!.
Sunday, May 8, 2011
Lose Fat Metabolic Cooking to Burn Fat Not Muscle
I found a Great new cook book. It has a lot of helpers...like menu planning, recipes with pictures and best of all a Shopping list you can print out after choosing your recipes so you know what you need at the grocery store.....
Not Sure I can get Joella interested. I don't think she likes to cook that much anymore. She had rather stand around in the pool talking to her friends. I do believe there is a section to help you get through the dangers of eating out.
Weight loss Now is a big issue for her. She is still in the yo-yo phase...lose four pounds then gain six. Very bad for your heart...Plus the fact that she is still fighting diabetes. Sugar control is barely being kept in the safe range...she is taking three oral medications plus Insulin.
From personal experience I know that Weight Loss, Portion Control, scheduled meal and snack times along with regular exercise are the only options for controlling diabetes that worked for my Adult onset Diabetics.
This Metabolic Diet Plan I found has a slant that I think will help someone with diabetes...It targets eating foods to keep the metabolism working which in turn keeps Blood Sugar from going up so high and then so low you turn into a starved maniac! I know from talking to Joella that she runs into a problem when she skips meals or snacks. First thing you know she STARVING so she starts eating and doesn't stop until she has blown the calorie count for the day...sometimes for the week. If you are interested take a Look!
If you would like a look at the Diet Plan scroll to the bottom of this page and click on the link...they have a nice video and Tons of information.
Click here to Find Out More About Metabolic Cooking
Not Sure I can get Joella interested. I don't think she likes to cook that much anymore. She had rather stand around in the pool talking to her friends. I do believe there is a section to help you get through the dangers of eating out.
Weight loss Now is a big issue for her. She is still in the yo-yo phase...lose four pounds then gain six. Very bad for your heart...Plus the fact that she is still fighting diabetes. Sugar control is barely being kept in the safe range...she is taking three oral medications plus Insulin.
From personal experience I know that Weight Loss, Portion Control, scheduled meal and snack times along with regular exercise are the only options for controlling diabetes that worked for my Adult onset Diabetics.
This Metabolic Diet Plan I found has a slant that I think will help someone with diabetes...It targets eating foods to keep the metabolism working which in turn keeps Blood Sugar from going up so high and then so low you turn into a starved maniac! I know from talking to Joella that she runs into a problem when she skips meals or snacks. First thing you know she STARVING so she starts eating and doesn't stop until she has blown the calorie count for the day...sometimes for the week. If you are interested take a Look!
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| Metabolic Cooking |
Click here to Find Out More About Metabolic Cooking
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