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How to Prevent or Delay Diabetes
Pre-diabetes is a serious medical condition that can be treated. The good news is that the recently completed Diabetes Prevention Program study conclusively showed that people with pre-diabetes can prevent the development of type 2 diabetes by making changes in their diet and increasing their level of physical activity. They may even be able to return their blood glucose levels to the normal range.
While the DPP also showed that some medications may delay the development of diabetes, diet and exercise worked better. Just 30 minutes a day of moderate physical activity, coupled with a 5-10% reduction in body weight, produced a 58% reduction in diabetes.
(Source: American Diabetes Association)
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Diabetes Symptoms
Often diabetes goes undiagnosed because many of its symptoms seem so harmless. Recent studies indicate that the early detection of diabetes symptoms and treatment can decrease the chance of developing the complications of diabetes.
Some diabetes symptoms include:
- Frequent urination
- Excessive thirst
- Extreme hunger
- Unusual weight loss
- Increased fatigue
- Irritability
- Blurry vision
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What is a Healthy Diet?
A healthy diet is a way of eating that that reduces risk for complications such as heart disease and stroke. Healthy eating includes eating a wide variety of foods including vegetables, whole grains, fruits, non-fat dairy products, beans, and lean meats, poultry and fish. There is no one perfect food so including a variety of different foods and watching portion sizes is key to a healthy diet. Also, make sure your choices from each food group provide the highest quality nutrients you can fine. In other words, pick foods rich in vitamins, minerals and fiber over those that are processed.
People with diabetes can eat the same foods the family enjoys. Everyone benefits from healthy eating so the whole family can take part in healthy eating. It takes some planning but you can fit your favorite foods into your meal plan and still manage your blood glucose, blood pressure and cholesterol.
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Using the Diabetes Food Pyramid
The Diabetes Food Pyramid divides food into six groups. These groups or sections on the pyramid vary in size. The largest group - grains, beans, and starchy vegetables - is on the bottom. This means that you should eat more servings of grains, beans, and starchy vegetables than of any of the other foods. The smallest group - fats, sweets, and alcohol - is at the top of the pyramid. This tells you to eat very few servings from these food groups.
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The Diabetes Pyramid gives a range of servings. If you follow the minimum number of servings in each group, you would eat about 1600 calories and if you eat at the upper end of the range, it would be about 2800 calories. Most women, would eat at the lower end of the range and many men would eat in the middle to high end of the range if they are very active. The exact number of servings you need depends on your diabetes goals, calorie and nutrition needs, your lifestyle, and the foods you like to eat. Divide the number of servings you should eat among the meals and snacks you eat each day.
The Diabetes Food Pyramid is a little different than the USDA Food Guide Pyramid because it groups foods based on their carbohydrate and protein content instead of their classification as a food. To have about the same carbohydrate content in each serving, the portion sizes are a little different too. For example: you will find potatoes and other starchy vegetables in the grains, beans and starchy vegetables group instead of the vegetables group. Cheese is in the meat group instead of the milk group. A serving of pasta or rice is 1/3 cup in the Diabetes Food Pyramid and ½ cup in the USDA pyramid. Fruit juice is 1/2 cup in the Diabetes Food Pyramid and ¾ cup in the USDA pyramid. This difference is to make the carbohydrate about the same in all the servings listed.
(Source: American Diabetes Association)
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Your Guide To Eating Out
Whether it's a business meeting over lunch, dinner from a neighborhood carry out, or a fast-food meal with the kids, eating out is a part of our lives. We eat out because it's easy, it's quick, and it's fun. But is it healthy?
It can be. Plan ahead, choose wisely, and you'll find foods that fit into your meal plan. Many restaurants are trying to meet diners' health needs. You want healthy foods because you have diabetes - and you're not alone. More and more people want healthy food choices. Some are watching calories. Others want to keep their cholesterol under control or eat less fat.
Some restaurants offer foods lower in cholesterol, fat, and sodium, and higher in fiber. All restaurants offer low calorie sweeteners in the blue, yellow or pink packets, and diet drinks. Many offer reduced-calorie salad dressings, low-fat or fat-free milk, and salt substitutes. It's easy to find salads, fish, vegetables, baked or broiled food, and whole-grain breads.
Many restaurants have menu items that are "heart healthy." Ask for calorie and fat information on menu items. If you ask, chefs will often make low-fat entrees using low-cholesterol eggs or lean cuts of meat. You can ask for: skinless chicken, no butter on a particular dish, broiled instead of fried, and your sauces to be served on the side. There are some restaurants that let you order smaller portions at lower prices.
Low-Fat Choices
- Appetizers
- Tomato juice, soup (not cream based), consomme.
- Raw (not marinated) vegetables such as celery or radishes; skip the dip
- Fresh fruit
- Fresh, steamed seafood
- Eggs
- Salads
- Tossed vegetable, lettuce, sliced tomato, cucumber
- Cottage cheese (as part of meal plan)
- Salads with low-calorie dressing, lemon juice, or vinegar
- Breads
- Whole-grain rolls or crackers, biscuits, tortillas or breads
- Potatoes and Substitutes
- Baked, boiled, or steamed potatoes
- Plain rice or noodles
- Fats
- Diet margarine, low-calorie salad dressing, low-fat sour cream or yogurt
- Vegetables
- Raw, stewed, steamed, boiled
- Meat, Poultry, Fish
- Roasted, baked, broiled, or grilled poultry, fish, or seafood
- Lean meats with fat trimmed
- Dishes with gravy or sauce on the side.
- Desserts
- Fresh fruit or fruit juice
- Fat-free or low-fat yogurt
- One scoop of ice cream (work with your doctor or dietitian to fit this into your meal plan)
- Beverages
- Coffee, tea
- Low-fat milk
- Sugar-free soda
(Source: American Diabetes Association)
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