Common Sense Dieting For Diabetics

Every diabetic is different. Each diabetic responds to treatment, medication and foods differently as well. Yet, when it comes to dieting there are some common sense things diabetics can do which will help them overall health wise. The things listed below should be discussed with your doctor.
I have been a diabetic for 35 years and have run the gambit when it comes to diet, insulin changes, health problems, high and low blood sugars, and many failures at staying under control. Recently, two very predominant medical professionals became involved in helping me not only gain control, but also have helped me change my eating habits. As a result I have lost weight, take less medication, have gotten better lab results, feel better and have no problem maintaining a common sense diet. It took nearly 35 years to finally learn that there is a common sense diet.


Pam and Patricia are the two medical professionals who are my sources for what I have to say. Pam is a diabetic nurse and dietitian. Patricia is a diabetic Physician's Assistant; both women have been medical professionals in their field for many years. And if what they have taught me wasn't working, I wouldn't be sharing this. Besides having Type I diabetes, I also have renal (i.e. kidney) problems, coronary artery disease, and I maintain a healthy diet to keep my congestive heart failure from flaring up. In plain terms, a healthy common sense diet has kept me alive.
Pam is the one that introduced me to "carb counting." Since I was on a strict protein diet for my kidney problems; the carb counting diet she put me on has been easy to maintain. Her advice was that I was to eat so many carbs each meal, a snack amount of carbs between meals, and a snack carb before bedtime, along with one ounce of protein. She explained that the carb intake amount is based on a person's weight mass. (Your doctor or dietician will help you with this.) For example, let's just say based on a person's weight mass, the minimum carb intake would be 45 carbs per meal, and a minimum of 15 carbs in between meals and at bedtime. In addition the person's insulin intake or diabetic medication would also need to be adjusted. Keep in mind that each diabetic is different.
Your healthcare professional can give you written information on foods that have carbs and the amounts that each contain. Once you know your minimum carb intake, it will make it easier for you to add the carbs up for each meal by looking at the nutritional labels on food products or by having a food chart. By the way carbs come from different foods or sugar based products. So watch your carbs.
I am always surprised by diabetics who eat junk foods, drink sodas, or eat things that are not good for them and who won't even monitor what they eat. Many end up becoming obese, or have severe health issues, including sores on their legs, and some have gone blind or lost one or both feet. Following a healthy common sense diet would have helped many avoid such tragic results. Eating right is not that hard to do.
In addition, I have learned that following a common sense diet also means taking into consideration the food types I eat and at what time of day I eat them. Carbs that come from starchy foods turn into sugars and if eaten late at night will not only elevate blood sugars but also could help add weight. And weight control is a must for diabetics.
Last but not least, no matter how long you have been a diabetic, you can change your life for the better and improve your health by eating a common sense diet. It may be hard at first to break harmful eating habits, but once you make the determination that living healthy over being ill is more important than anything, then you will find it easier to say no to harmful foods and drinks. I like the better me, and I know you will like the better you.
@2009

I have been writing and researching for years Church history, church and religious writings as well as biblical translations. Much of what I have written has been released to a small number of people. I do have a BS degree in Religion from the University of Iowa.
Recently I decided to put together a website that would not only include my inspired writings but those of others. This website not only includes Spiritual and biblical writings, but it opens the door for others to include writings about healthly living, money, finances, pets, income opportunities, and factual realities about certain subjects. The website will grow and change as time goes on.