Dietary guidelines for type 2 diabetes patients
Being diagnosed with type 2 diabetes means gearing up for a completely different lifestyle, which may involve frequent medical appointments, a more active daily routine, medications, and most importantly, healthier food habits. Since unchecked diabetes can lead to serious repercussions such as heart problems, kidney disease, weak eyesight and several other complications, it's best to take charge of your diet. Here's more on this.
Before digging deep into what to eat and what not to eat, it is vital to understand what exactly is type 2 diabetes. Simply put, type 2 diabetes is a chronic medical condition which causes a hike in the blood sugar levels. A diabetic's body fails to respond to insulin, a hormone that assists in moving glucose/sugar from the bloodstream to the cells.
Even though no food is strictly forbidden for diabetes patients, except obviously the food items that contain high sugar, following simple dietary rules can help. Here are some tips to manage diabetes: Eat a balanced, nutritious diet, rich in fiber and healthy carbohydrates. Control your food portions. Eat at regular intervals. Consume low glycemic index food.
Glycemic index ranking or the GI ranking is an index which tells how fast the body soaks in the glucose/sugar from a certain food item. The higher the GI ranking, the faster the body takes in the sugar. Hence, diabetics should prefer low GI foods.
It is advisable for diabetics to make lifelong friends with veggies, especially with ones that come with a low GI score. This will help in controlling rising sugar levels. You can rely on healthy food items such as cauliflower, eggplant, yellow and red peppers, spinach, broccoli, green beans, lettuce, and celery. You can either have these veggies cooked with chapatis or in your salads.
You should also avoid too much salt or any frozen or packed food items that may contain high sodium content. Here are some healthy snack options: 2 boiled eggs with roasted beets and turmeric-pepper seasoning. Chickpea salad with cherry tomato and avocado toppings. Tofu or low-sodium cottage cheese patty with spinach and avocado.
