Diabetic Diet and the Sweet Tooth
It’s okay to have sweets once in a while as part of your diabetic diet. Try having sugar-free Popsicles, diet soda, fat-free ice cream or frozen yogurt, or sugar-free hot cocoa mix.
Other tips:
* Share desserts in restaurants.
* Order small or child-size servings of ice cream or frozen yogurt.
* Divide homemade desserts into small servings and wrap each individually. Freeze extra servings.
* Don’t keep dishes of candy in the house or at work.
Remember, fat-free and low-sugar foods still have calories. Talk with your doctor or dietician about how to fit sweets into your diabetic diet.
Blood Glucose Levels and the Diabetic Diet
For most people, target blood glucose levels should be:
* 90 to 130 before meals
* Less than 180 one to two hours after the start of a meal.
To keep your blood glucose at a healthy level:
* Eat about the same amount of food each day.
* Eat your meals and snacks at about the same times each day.
* Do not skip meals or snacks.
* Take your medicines at the same times each day.
* Exercise at about the same times each day.
Eating the same amount at the same time each day is important because your blood glucose goes up after you eat. If you eat a big lunch one day and a small lunch the next day, your blood glucose levels will change too much.
Also, keep your blood glucose at a healthy level by eating about the same amount of carbohydrate foods at about the same times each day. Carbohydrate foods, also called carbs, provide glucose for energy. Examples of carbohydrate foods include:
* Starches
* Fruits
* Milk
* Starchy vegetables (such as corn)
* Sweets.
Measuring Your Food
To make sure your food servings are the right size for your diabetic diet, use:
* Measuring cups
* Measuring spoons
* A food scale.
Also, the Nutrition Facts label on food packages tells you how much of that food makes up one serving.
Weigh or measure foods to make sure you eat the right amounts.
These tips will help you choose the right serving sizes as part of your diabetic diet:
* Measure a serving size of dry cereal or hot cereal, pasta, or rice and pour it into a bowl or plate. The next time you eat that food, use the same bowl or plate and fill it to the same level.
* For one serving of milk, measure 1 cup and pour it into a glass. See how high it fills the glass. Always drink milk out of that size glass.
* Meat weighs more before it is cooked. For example, 4 ounces of raw meat will weigh about 3 ounces after cooking. For meat with a bone, like a pork chop or chicken leg, cook 5 ounces raw to get 3 ounces cooked.
* One serving of meat or meat substitute is about the size and thickness of the palm of your hand or a deck of cards.
* A small fist is equal to about 1/2 cup of fruit, vegetables, or starches like rice.
* A small fist is equal to 1 small piece of fresh fruit.
* A thumb is equal to about 1 ounce of meat or cheese.
* The tip of a thumb is equal to about 1 teaspoon.
Maintaining a Diabetic Diet When You Are Sick
It’s important to take care of your diabetes even when you’re ill. Here are some tips on what to do as part of your diabetic diet if you are sick:
* Even if you can’t keep food down, continue taking your diabetes medicine.
* Drink at least one cup (8 ounces) of water or other calorie-free, caffeine-free liquid every hour while you’re awake.
* If you can’t eat your usual food, try drinking juice or eating crackers, Popsicles, or soup.
* If you can’t eat at all, drink clear liquids such as ginger ale. Eat or drink something with sugar in it if you have trouble keeping food down, because you still need calories. If you don’t have enough calories, you increase your risk of hypoglycemia (low blood sugar).
* Make sure that you check your blood glucose. Your blood glucose level may be high even if you’re not eating.
* Call your doctor right away if you throw up more than once or have diarrhea for more than 6 hours.
Your Diet and Your Diabetes Medicines
What you eat and when affects how your diabetes medicines work. Talk with your doctor or diabetes teacher about the best times to take your diabetes medicines based on your diabetic diet.
What About Exercise?
What you eat and when also depend on how much you exercise. Exercise is an important part of staying healthy and controlling your blood glucose. Physical activity should be safe and enjoyable, so talk with your doctor about what types of exercise are right for you. Whatever exercise you do, here are some special things that people with diabetes need to remember:
* Take care of your feet. Make sure your shoes fit properly and your socks stay clean and dry.
* Check your feet for redness or sores after exercising. Call your doctor if you have sores that do not heal.
* Drink about 2 cups of water before you exercise, about every 20 minutes during exercise, and after you finish, even if you don’t feel thirsty.
* Warm up and cool down for 5 to 10 minutes before and after exercising. For example, walk slowly at first, then walk faster. Finish up by walking slowly again.
* Test your blood glucose before and after exercising. Do not exercise if your fasting blood glucose level is above 300. Eat a small snack if your blood glucose is below 100.
* Know the signs of low blood glucose (hypoglycemia) and how to treat it.
Diabetic Diet and Hypoglycemia
You should know the signs of hypoglycemia (low blood sugar), such as:
* Feeling weak or dizzy
* Sweating for no apparent reason
* Sudden changes in your heartbeat
* Feeling hungry.
If you experience these symptoms, stop exercising and test your blood glucose. If it is 70 or less, eat one of the following right away:
* 2 or 3 glucose tablets
* 1/2 cup (4 ounces) of any fruit juice
* 1/2 cup (4 ounces) of a regular (not diet) soft drink
* 1 cup (8 ounces) of milk
* 5 or 6 pieces of hard candy
* 1 or 2 teaspoons of sugar or honey.
After 15 minutes, test your blood glucose again to find out whether it has returned to a healthier level. Once blood glucose is stable, if it will be at least an hour before your next meal, it’s a good idea to eat a snack.
To be safe when you exercise, carry something to treat hypoglycemia, such as glucose tablets or hard candy. Another good idea is to wear a medical identification bracelet or necklace (in case of an emergency). Teach your exercise partners the signs of hypoglycemia and what to do about it.
Summary
The following points are important to keep in mind regarding a diabetic diet:
* What, when, and how much you eat affect your blood glucose level.
* You can keep your blood glucose at a healthy level if you eat about the same amount of food each day; eat at about the same times each day; take your medicines at the same times each day; and exercise at the same times each day.
* Every day, choose foods from these food groups: starches, vegetables, fruit, meat and meat substitutes, and milk and yogurt. How much of each depends on how many calories you need a day.
* Limit the amounts of fats and sweets you eat each day as part of your diabetic diet.
