Life is full of important decisions, and how we choose to eat is certainly one of them. What we eat has a direct effect on our health, especially for those of us who have been diagnosed with diabetes. Carbohydrates, protein and fats all play a role in managing blood sugar levels in addition to assisting with our overall health.
(Getty Images)
The current American Diabetes Association Standards of Medical Care, which is a guide of best practices for diabetes management, states that there is no ideal distribution of calories from carbohydrates, protein and fat. The Standards of Care also recognize that eating plan recommendations for people with diabetes are not one-size-fits-all.
Finding the Right Eating Plan
Each of us is unique in our eating habits. We want to find an eating plan that we can stick with – the best match for each of us. And there are good reasons why. Research reveals that going on and off diets makes it that much harder to lose weight, and switching between different eating plans often can make it difficult to manage blood sugar levels.
Blood sugar likes to have consistency. So, if you are on a “diet” one week and on a different “diet” a month later, this can wreak havoc with blood sugar maintenance. Yo-yoing weight and blood sugar levels that rise and fall like a roller coaster are two issues those with diabetes should avoid.
For all people with diabetes, our goal is to find an eating plan that is both heart-healthy and helps with blood sugar management. The diet we follow should be able to help us achieve blood sugar levels that are in target range, improve A1C and be beneficial for heart health by improving blood pressure, cholesterol and triglycerides.
In addition to an eating plan that helps us stay healthy, we also want to make sure the plan includes some of our favorite and cultural food preferences – a plan that still allows eating to be pleasurable. A key to following any eating plan is that it is sustainable; we can follow it for a long time without feeling like we are missing out on the pleasure of eating.
Temporary Eating Plans
If your goal is to lose weight, research shows positive outcomes on weight loss for people with…