Dining Out When Managing Type 2 Diabetes
It can seem tough to navigate a menu when youre eating out, but its not impossible. Enjoy your time with friends and eat delicious food with these guidelines from Palinski-Wade.
Have an appetizer before you leave. Its tempting to save up calories throughout the day to help plan for a night out, but that approach can backfire. Youll be famished by the time you get there and less likely to make a healthy choice when you order. Eat a small, healthy snack before you go, like some nuts or a low-fat plain yogurt. This can help decrease hunger and prevent overeating, she says.
Visualize your plate. Ideally, your plate should look very similar to the way it does at home with a couple of small tweaks: ½ nonstarchy vegetables , ¼ lean protein, and ¼ whole grains. You want to be careful not to eat too many carbs at one sitting, and avoid meals packed with saturated fat, says Palinski-Wade.
Sip smart. Alcohol stokes your appetite, so if you do have alcohol , do so near the end of the meal. Limit it to one glass.
Eating From The Main Food Groups
How much you need to eat and drink is based on your age, gender, how active you are and the goals youre aiming for. But no single food contains all the essential nutrients your body needs.
Thats why a healthy diet is all about variety and choosing different foods from each of the every day.
And when we say balanced, we mean eating more of certain foods and less of others. But portion sizes have grown in recent years, as the plates and bowls we use have got bigger. And larger portions can make it more difficult for you to manage your weight. Weve got more information for you about managing a healthy weight.
Weve highlighted the benefits of each food group below some help protect your heart and some affect your blood sugar levels more slowly all really important for you to know. Get to know them and how healthy choices can help you reduce your risk of diabetes complications.
You can learn more about a healthy diet for diabetes with our Food Hacks section in Learning Zone.
Tips For Managing Your Cats Diabetes
Once your cats condition has been diagnosed, you and your vet will work together to come up with a cat diabetes treatment plan. The goal of treatment for feline diabetes is to restore normal blood glucose levels, to restore the cat to a healthy body weight , and to normalize the cats appetite and water consumption.
When it comes to diabetes in cats, treatment options can be broken down into two categories:
Insulin therapy involves injecting insulin into your cats body to help prevent sudden spikes or drops in blood sugar. At first, your veterinarian may recommend a 12-to-24-hour glucose curve a period of time during which insulin is administered intermittently while measuring the cats blood glucose levels. This test is designed to determine the type of insulin the cat needs and the dosing frequency to best control his blood sugar.
Supplemental insulin will help your cats body utilize the glucose he gets from his diet, but there are certain dietary changes you should make to help keep your cats blood sugar stable. Restricting your cats intake of dietary carbohydrates is a good idea, and you may need to increase his protein and fat intake if he needs to gain weight.
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Blue Buffalo Wilderness Grain
The Blue Buffalo Wilderness product line is all grain-free and rich in protein, making it a great choice for diabetic cats. This Blue Buffalo Wilderness Grain-Free Chicken Recipe Canned Food is a particularly good choice if youre looking for a more affordable option and your cat tolerates chicken well. This formula is designed for digestibility and to provide premium-quality animal protein with no by-products. It is rich in moisture and fiber for healthy digestion and packs a punch when it comes to omega-3 fatty acids as well. Youll also find that this recipe contains chelated minerals. Chelated minerals are simply mineral supplements that have been chemically bound to protein molecules, making them easier for your cats body to absorb. Overall, this is a rich source of protein that is low in carbohydrates for diabetic cats.
- Pros: Real chicken as first ingredient, rich in moisture and protein, very low in carbohydrates, highly digestible grain-free recipe, rich in omega-3 fatty acids, chelated minerals
- Cons: Some cats are sensitive to chicken ingredients, may be too high in fat for some cats
Diets Not Recommended If You Have Diabetes
Dunn says steer clear of cleanses or over-the-counter diet pills not approved by the FDA. Beware of too-good-to-be-true claims made about non-prescription pills and cleanses, she says. These dietary supplements arent FDA-approved, so you dont know what youre getting. And, she says, some products may even harm your health or contain ingredients that can interact with your prescription diabetes medications.
The most important thing to remember is that you should work with your doctor, registered dietitian or a certified diabetes educator to set up a healthy weight-management plan, Dunn says. They can help you make sure your diet is realistic and right for you and that it will mesh well with your diabetes treatment plan.
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Healthy Eating Tips For Diabetes
Food is the key to managing diabetes and reducing the risk of heart attack, stroke, and other problems. There are many things you can do to change or improve your diet, but its important to avoid trying to change too many things at once.
Use the information below to pick 1 or 2 things you can do today to help you plan for healthier meals. Once you feel comfortable with the new changes, come back to this page and choose another healthy eating tip to work on.
Healthy Eating And Diabetes
If you have diabetes, healthy eating can help you to:
- maintain general good health
- maintain a healthy body weight
- prevent or slow the development of diabetes complications.
Healthy eating for people with diabetes is no different than for everyone else. You do not need to prepare separate meals or buy special foods, so relax and enjoy healthy eating with the rest of your family.
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Ketogenic Diet For Prediabetes
A ketogenic diet is a type of low-carbohydrate diet that is on the extreme end. The goal is to limit carbohydrates so much that the body does not have enough glucose a type of carbohydrate to fuel the brain normally. Instead, the body shifts to a metabolic state called ketosis, and produces ketone bodies to fuel the brains activities.
The theory behind a ketogenic diet for prediabetes is that when your body is in ketosis, you can be sure that you do not have excess carbohydrates in your diet. Since carbohydrates in your diet are broken down into glucose that goes into your bloodstream, being in ketosis assures that you are not inundating your bloodstream with excessive amounts of glucose due to the foods you eat.
A ketogenic diet for prediabetes might include about 20 to 50 grams per day of non-fiber carbohydrates, or about 5 to 10% of total calories from carbohydrates. The rest of your calories come from fat and protein. The food choices on this diet are similar to those on other low-carb diets, but you may need to further restrict some of the moderate-carbohydrate options that might be easier to fit in on a more moderate low-carb diet. Examples include fruit and starchy vegetables .
What Is The Best Diet For People With Diabetes
Good diets offer well-rounded nutrition:
1. DASH. Created to help lower blood pressure , the DASH diet goes well beyond that. Its a well-rounded, healthy nutrition plan for everyone, not just if you have diabetes. DASH is rich in fruits, vegetables and grains, and low in fat, sugar and sodium.
For example, on a 1,600-calorie DASH plan, each day you would eat:
- Six servings of grains .
- Three to four servings of vegetables.
- Four servings of fruit.
- Two or three servings of dairy.
- Six or fewer servings of meats . Also, include about three portions of nuts, seeds and beans or lentils weekly.
2. Mediterranean. Not necessarily a diet, the Mediterranean diet is based on a style of eating of people in Greece, Southern France and Italy. This way of eating is high in vegetables, nuts and healthy fats. For instance, it recommends getting most of your calories from mostly whole grains, then fruits, vegetables and beans, and lastly, dairy.
You can eat some healthy fats such as those from avocados and olive oil every day. Eat sweets, eggs, poultry and fish only a few times each week, and red meat only a couple of times each month.
3. Plant-based. Most plant-based diet plans cut out or dramatically limit meat. A vegan diet cuts out meat and dairy. A vegetarian diet cuts meat, but allows foods like eggs and cheese. A flexitarian diet is mostly plant-based with some animal protein.
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Extra Virgin Olive Oil
It’s time to upgrade your cooking oil. Extra virgin olive oil is rich in monounsaturated fats, which studies show can actually help lower levels of ‘bad’ LDL cholesterol. This is particularly important since diabetics have a higher risk of experiencing a heart attack or stroke. And get this: Snyder says losing just 7 percent of your body weight can result in significant health benefits for diabetics. Luckily for you, EVOO is rich in oleic acid, which a Journal of Lipid Research study found helps reduce lipogenesis, or fat formation.
Diabetes And Kidney Disease: What To Eat
One meal plan for diabetes, another for chronic kidney disease . Find out how you can eat well for both.
If you have diabetes and CKD, youre definitely not aloneabout 1 in 3 American adults with diabetes also has CKD. The right diet helps your body function at its best, but figuring out what to eat can be a major challenge. Whats good for you on one meal plan may not be good on the other.
Your first step: meet with a registered dietitianexternal icon whos trained in both diabetes and CKD nutrition. Together youll create a diet plan to keep blood sugar levels steady and reduce how much waste and fluid your kidneys have to handle.
Medicare and many private insurance plans may pay for your appointment. Ask if your policy covers medical nutrition therapy . MNT includes a nutrition plan designed just for you, which the dietitian will help you learn to follow.
Diabetes and CKD diets share a lot of the same foods, but there are some important differences. Read on for the basics.
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Be Consistent With Your Carbs
Try to eat three meals per day at regular times and space your meals no more than six hours apart. Eating at regular times helps your body control blood sugar levels. It also helps to try to eat about the same amount of food at each meal, especially carbohydrates.
Consider learning about counting carbohydrates as the amount of carbohydrate eaten at one time is usually important in managing diabetes. Having too many carbohydrates at a meal may cause your blood sugar level to go too high, and not enough carbohydrate may cause your blood sugar to go too low, depending on the type of diabetes medication you take.
Justcats Fish & Chicken
Our Top Pick for the Best Cat Food for Diabetic Cats: JustCats Fish & Chicken recipe is a high-protein, low-carbohydrate diet thats perfect for adult cats of all breeds. It is a great choice for cats who are in need of a low carb diet or cats with diabetes. This nutritionally balanced cat food contains yuca root to absorb and retain moisture, to help ensure your cat is always fully hydrated. It is made with human-grade ingredients and delivered conveniently to your doorstep. The main source of protein is Alaskan Pacific wild-caught cod which is low-calorie and a good source of omega-3 fatty acids, niacin, vitamin B12 & B6, potassium, phosphorus, and selenium. It contains easily digestible EFAs which help contribute to a healthy, shiny coat. If you choose this food for your cat, you can have peace of mind knowing that it is formulated to meet the nutritional levels established by the AAFCO Cat Food Nutrient Profiles for maintenance.
- Pros: Human-grade ingredients, low in carbohydrates, low in calories, high in moisture
- Cons: More expensive than traditional cat food choices
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Fat Consumption And Diabetes
All fats are high in energy. Eating too much fat can lead to weight gain, which may make it more difficult to manage your blood glucose levels and can increase blood fats . The type of fat you eat is also important. People with diabetes have a greater risk of developing heart disease, so try to eat less saturated fat and replace with healthier unsaturated fats.
Foods high in saturated fat include meat fat, full-fat dairy foods, cream, solid cooking fats , oils such as palm and coconut, and products that contain these fats .
When you do eat fats, choose mainly unsaturated fats, these include:
- polyunsaturated fats and oils found in, sunflower, safflower, soybean, corn, cottonseed, grapeseed and sesame oils. Also found in oily fish such as herring, mackerel, sardine, salmon and tuna, as well as nuts, seeds and polyunsaturated margarines
- monounsaturated fats and oils found in canola and olive oil, avocados, nuts, seeds and canola or olive oil margarines.
What Is The Best Diabetes Diet Plan
A diabetes diet incorporates food choices from the five food groups: vegetables, fruits, grains, protein, and dairy . Eating healthily helps keep glucose levels in check without drastic highs and lows and is a big part of reaching or maintaining a weight range thats right for your health.
The best diets for diabetes management are the ones that are rated best for nearly all outcomes, says , Ph.D., a licensed nutritionist based in St. Paul, Minnesota. Highly rated diets that contain all the food groups can be used for a lifetime by the person with diabetes and the whole family can be happy, healthy, and satisfied eating the same diet, are the best ones.
Diets that diabetes educators recommend include the DASH diet, the Mediterranean diet, and the USDA MyPlate eating plan.
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Shopping List For Diabetics More Features
Heres another big plus to our Shopping List for Diabetics. In addition to icons that are diabetes-focused like sugar free, this list uses icons like low cholesterol and low sodium because many people with diabetes are working to control not just diabetes but related conditions like high cholesterol levels and high blood pressure. This list can help you identify those foods most advantageous in helping you reach your personal health goals.
Add Extra Activity To Your Daily Routine
If you have been inactive or you are trying a new activity, start slowly, with 5 to 10 minutes a day. Then add a little more time each week. Increase daily activity by spending less time in front of a TV or other screen. Try these simple ways to add physical activities in your life each day:
- Walk around while you talk on the phone or during TV commercials.
- Do chores, such as work in the garden, rake leaves, clean the house, or wash the car.
- Park at the far end of the shopping center parking lot and walk to the store.
- Take the stairs instead of the elevator.
- Make your family outings active, such as a family bike ride or a walk in a park.
If you are sitting for a long time, such as working at a desk or watching TV, do some light activity for 3 minutes or more every half hour.5 Light activities include
- leg lifts or extensions
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Goal : Achieve A Healthy Body Weight
Body mass index uses your height and weight to determine how much body fat you carry. A BMI of 18.5 to 25 is considered to be a healthy weight range with a healthy amount of body fat.
Another measure: waist circumference is considered by many to be a better measure of excess abdominal body fat. A waist circumference greater than 40 inches for men, and above 35 inches in women has been shown to increase the risk of developing health problems such as type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and high blood pressure.
The closer you are to a healthy body weight or at least an acceptable waist circumference, the more likely you will be able to control, prevent, and possibly reverse your risks of diabetes.
Dont get overwhelmed by thinking about how much total weight you have to lose, Arevalo advises. Studies have shown that losing just 5-10% of your body weight will significantly improve your blood sugar levels as well as your cardiovascular health so set short-term goals of losing just 5-10 pounds to start.
Basic Eating Guidelines For Diabetes
If you have diabetes, follow a simple healthy eating plan, which includes:
- Eat regular meals throughout the day.
- Make vegetables the main part of your meal. Aim to fill at least half of your plate with non-starchy vegetables or salad at both lunch and dinner time.
- You may need to reduce the serving size of your meals and snacks, as eating too much can lead to weight gain and make diabetes harder to manage.
- Don’t add salt when you cook or at the table and reduce the use of high-salt foods.
- Use herbs and spices to add flavour to your food.
- Limit alcohol to 2 standard drinks per day, with some alcohol-free days each week.
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