Diabetes Diet for Longer, Healthier Life for Type 2 Patients

A type 2 diabetes diagnosis is not an easy thing to manage. The situation can be really overwhelming. However, you are not alone. Many thousands of people are suffering from diabetes these days. The guide for newly diagnosed individuals with diabetes can really be of great help for managing the condition.

So you have diabetes. What should be your step now?

Life before diabetes was definitely different. It didn’t involve careful diet plans, meticulous exercise regime, and prescribed medications. Most importantly, you never worried about glucose test strips and Accu Chek glucometer and its readings. You never knew the importance of maintaining blood glucose levels.

Now your health care provider is taking care of you. He is encouraging you to make some lifestyle changes. You need to choose healthier foods and become more physically active and testing blood glucose (blood sugar) at regular intervals. The new diabetes regimen may seem daunting. However, step-by-step approach will make you lead a healthy and active lifestyle. It will even help you manage your diabetes.

The Medications to Lower Glucose

Your doctor may prescribe medicine to control your blood sugar. Understand that type 2 diabetes is a progressive disease. This means your capacity to produce and use insulin decreases over time. This is owing to the changes in your body. The medications you take may go up and new additions may be done by your doctor over time. Regular monitoring is important to help your doctor suggest effective changes.

Your Diabetes Diet

The treatment plans for diabetes may vary. The food and activity plans are the major contributors. You need to get started by keeping track of your food plan. Write down what, when, and how much you eat. Thereafter, you must test your blood glucose to understand the impact of foods on your blood glucose.

You should identify your food preferences and healthful foods. Thereafter, you must accommodate your unique day to day schedule and activities. It is important to distribute carbohydrate-containing foods in order to achieve your target glucose levels after meal. Some of the most common carbohydrate oriented foods include fruit, starches, fruit juice, sweets, milk, and yogurt.

Diabetics should choose healthful fats in order to achieve target blood cholesterol and triglyceride (lipid) levels. The best option is to determine appropriate portion sizes for weight loss and maintenance.