Eating is definitely one of life's great pleasures, now that doesn't have to change when you receive your diagnosis of Type 2 diabetes. Although Type 2 diabetics are constantly being preached to about making the right food choices: what happens if they eat the "wrong" foods, and every other underlying danger with food, there is a way to cope with this.
But how does a diabetic ensure the food choices they are making are the "right" ones? By developing and implementing a meal plan.
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What exactly is a meal plan? It is basically a guide that tells you what kind of foods to eat, including:
- snacks,
- how much of them to eat, and
- when to eat them.
Sound simple? Well, it can be and then again, it can be complicated depending on your lifestyle. This is because in order for the meal plan to work, it has to easily fit into your lifestyle. As humans, if it isn't easy, then we tend to fight it.
If you eat every three to four hours, you won't get too hungry, making it easier to control your calorie (or kilojoule), and carbohydrate intake at your next meal.
Another point to make is who should devise this plan! The best scenario is to let your doctor or a certified dietitian do it. They have extensive knowledge in not only food, but how foods affect your blood sugar levels. Even if you want a hand in the planning there still needs to be some input from your doctor.
A good source of knowledge will be to refer to the glycemic index. This is a wealth of information and will open a diabetic's eyes as to the real effect that certain foods can have on their condition. If you were to ask diabetics to list foods that were helpful in fighting diabetes and which ones were harmful to the disease, chances are most would score poorly.
The glycemic index is an eye-opener into which foods are actually good for you. It is an excellent way to balance your meals and ensure you get what you need and when you need it. Non-diabetics could also use this system.
A good meal plan will also includes snacks. These are as essential as the meals themselves. Without snacks in place, you risk letting your blood sugar levels dip too low and create an unnecessary problem. The trick is to maintain your blood sugar as consistently as possible throughout the day. Despite the improved medicines, low blood sugar is still a very common problem in people with diabetes. Snacking can help reduce occurrences of this condition by ensuring a controlled intake of carbohydrates during your day. Snacks are also useful at helping to prevent exercise induced low blood sugar that strikes in the middle of the night.
Think of maintaining constant blood sugar levels as being related to driving a car across a prairie. As long as the road is flat, the car can keep up its speed without needing additional help. But throw in hills, and the car needs additional fuel to get through it. Fuel that might not be there without the appropriate snacks...
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To discover answers to questions you may be asking yourself about Type 2 Diabetes, click on this link... Natural Diabetes Treatments
Clicking on this link will help you to learn more about Type 2 Diabetes Solutions... Beverleigh Piepers RN... the Diabetes Detective.
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