It can be scary when you are first diagnosed with diabetes, though with the right knowledge, you can manage the disease successfully, and start living a much healthier life. You are going to find quite a few great pieces of advice that will help you learn more about diabetes and how to better your health.
You can eat some almonds if you are hungry. This will not affect your sugar levels. Almonds are high in fiber, and also contain protein. They are a very healthy snack that is easy to enjoy anytime. Have a bowl on hand beside the sofa so you can easily snack on them while watching television.
There are a lot of protein filled foods that you can try, including beans and tofu. Avoid burnout by trying new foods and recipes.
Many people suffer from diabetes. Acknowledging this can eliminate any shame or stress that came with your diagnosis, and make living with the condition much easier.
Instead of cutting all sugar out of your diet, learn to control yourself and moderate your intake of sweets so that you can keep your diabetes under control while still enjoying life. You do not have to totally stop eating sweet foods. Give yourself permission to enjoy an occasional dessert if your diabetes is properly managed and under control. Eliminate some carbohydrates from your main meal if you want to eat desert!
Add walnuts to your salads for a nutritional ingredients. The monounsaturated fats in walnuts help to keep your diabetes under control by increasing your cells’ receptiveness to insulin. Not only that, but walnuts are also great sources of vitamins, minerals, and omega-3 fatty acids. They are also tasty and boost your energy levels.
Find out which foods have a rather high glycemic index so you can avoid them. High glycemic foods are those such as cereal, pasta, juice, bread and desserts. Processed food is bad for one’s blood sugar. Instead, make the healthy decision to enjoy fresh fruits, frozen vegetables, and unprocessed fish and meats.
Don’t blame yourself for being inflicted with gestational diabetes. It is common and is virtually out of anybody’s control. If you want to keep stress out of your life, you need to keep your stress down and stay thinking positive and happy.
If your blood sugar level dips too low, you may need to drink something sugary like orange juice to get it back up. Don’t worry if your blood sugar level spikes when you do this. A high blood sugar level can be caused by two factors: hormones that stimulate the release of glucose into your bloodstream and the influx of glucose from your food. Together the two sources may overload your body with glucose. If you’re concerned about a spike after eating, try cutting your portion size in half to see how portion control affects your blood sugar level.
If you have diabetes, you may want to put down that pack of cigarettes. Smoking is a poor health decision for those around you and for yourself as it can make your blood sugar dangerous. If you have a hard time quitting, talk to your doctor about what methods you may use.
Make your favorite comfort foods more diabetes-friendly. If you’re diagnosed with diabetes, it can be extremely hard to deal with following a strict diet. Many people mistakenly think they have to stop eating many of their most loved foods. Some people will eat whatever they want. Look for alternatives to your favorite dishes if they are unhealthy. Some foods can be converted from diabetes-foe to diabetes-friend with a few minor tweaks.
Smoking is bad for anyone, but it’s especially bad for diabetics. Smoking can have very bad effects on your health. Cigarettes will make your body more resistant to insulin and can increase the risk of getting type 2 diabetes.
A lot of people mistakenly believe that diabetics can’t eat any sugar at all. You don’t have to get rid of sugar altogether, you just have to be wise about it. Don’t be afraid to indulge in your favorite desserts every now and then. When you do eat sweets, remember that you are eating more carbs, so on a day when you are going to have dessert, it is a good idea to lessen your carbohydrates.
To keep watch on gestational diabetes after the baby is born, you should continue to track your blood sugar levels, even if you think the condition has been resolved. Some people think that testing blood glucose levels isn’t needed after giving birth, but they are wrong.
All diabetics should be trained to use a finger stick tester to check blood glucose levels several times per day. Elevated ketone levels only indicate that your blood sugar is higher than 200. To get around this problem, the ADA suggests that testing methods with high accuracy, such as test strips and finger sticking, be used.
Conditions of employment are not allowed to be affected by the disclosure of diabetes. You have the right to not talk about any medical conditions at your job.
Take a small insulated bag with your insulin and supplies, if you plan on traveling. Extremes of temperature, either too warm or too cold, can ruin insulin. Using an insulated bag will keep insulin at the proper temperature in any weather.
Many people with diabetes have other health problems which often go unnoticed; one of worst of these is sleep apnea. This is a condition where you quit breathing while you sleep. If at times you start to feel tired in your normal day then get yourself checked for sleep apnea.
As mentioned, diabetes is frightening only when you have no information to help you cope with it. Follow the advice in this article, and tune in to the fact that knowledge is power.