Diet Can Help Prevent, Control Diabetes
According to Connie Aclin (extension educator with the LSU AgCenter), the two most important factors in the treatment of type 2 diabetes are diet and exercise. Lowering body weight by as little as 10 percent has been shown repeatedly to lower blood glucose.
Diet is one of the lifestyle changes a diabetic needs to make. Eating a variety of foods is important. So is dividing food consumption into at least three meals. Not only should a diabetic eat about the same time every day, eating about the same amount of food at meals from day to day also is recommended.
Reducing your body weight by 10 percent and engaging in 30 minutes of daily exercise can reduce your chances of diabetes by more than half.
General nutritional guidelines include eating a diet rich in complex-carbohydrates, which include whole grain breads and cereals and high fiber foods; fruits and vegetables; low-fat milk; and meats and fish. Eliminating saturated fats also is recommended.
There are several methods of meal planning for diabetics, such as the exchange list or carbohydrate counting. However, the most important issue is your blood glucose level, not which system you use to achieve the acceptable level.
You may write to Connie Aclin, at 2408 E. 70th St., Shreveport, LA 71105-4702 or send e-mail to caclin@agctr.lsu.edu.
Filed under Diabetes
November 29th, 2006 at 8:13 am
Yogurt made with fruit and/or soy may help people with type 2 diabetes as well as those with high blood pressure, according to a new study from the U.S. Researchers say that soy yogurt and yogurts with high levels of fruit have active compounds that seem to be able to regulate the enzymes that affect blood sugar levels.