The disease of diabetes can be severe and debilitating. In order to ensure that they live long and happy lives, it is critical for individuals diagnosed with the disease to educate themselves and learn the best ways to preserve their health. The following article contains helpful tips for anyone with diabetes.
Foods have a “glycemic index” number which says how much they will affect blood sugar based on what is in them. Diabetics should always look for foods with the lowest possible GI number.
Enjoy foods like eggs, beans and Greek yogurt that are high in protein but low in fat. Avoid burnout by trying new foods and recipes.
This ingredient is found in soda, ketchup and a large number of different candies. Before you consume something, read the nutrition label, and avoid products that contain corn syrup. In other countries this ingredient might be labeled as glucose/fructose.
If you get hypoglycemia, it’s absolutely crucial you have gum or some type of sugary food always available to you. You should always be prepared because there is no way to know when you are going to suffer from hypoglycemia. If you suffer from hypoglycemia, avoid attacks by never skipping meals.
Eating several small meals a day instead of three large ones is a good habit for people with diabetes. Eating more frequently, but in smaller amounts, keeps your blood glucose levels more consistent. Frequent meals also help to eliminate the risk of binge eating, since you will never feel ravenous.
Gestational diabetes does not happen because of something you did. It occurs frequently in pregnant women and is something than cannot always be prevented. Don’t let your stress overwhelm you, and keep your chin up when thinking about your kid and yourself.
Blood Sugar Level
If your blood sugar level dips too low, you may need to drink something sugary like orange juice to get it back up. Don’t worry if your blood sugar level spikes when you do this. It may be caused by overcompensating with the food or drink you take or it can be a hormonal response of your body to combat the low glucose level. If you’re concerned about a spike after eating, try cutting your portion size in half to see how portion control affects your blood sugar level.
Smoking is dangerous for anyone, but diabetic people should be extremely careful. This habit just leaves you open to many poor health issues. When you smoke, you will become insulin resistant, and if you do not have diabetes yet, you are raising your chances to develop type 2 diabetes.
Always make time for exercise. Exercise helps your body handle glucose and insulin more efficiently. Exercise should be a wonderful part of a diabetic lifestyle.
Never rely only on urine ketone tests to measure the amount of glucose in your blood. A high ketone level indicates that your blood contains 200 milligrams of sugar per deciliter. The ADA advises instead that diabetics rely on better and simpler methods of testing blood glucose levels, such as testing strips and finger sticks.
As was stated at the beginning of this article, diabetes needs to be taken very seriously, and it needs to be treated properly. It is extremely important that all diabetics have extensive knowledge about this disease, and that they know what the most helpful ways to take care of themselves are. The advice from the previous article contains information that will help you live a better life.