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Diet To Control Diabetes

By Super Admin

Can I control Diabetes with Diet only?

Diet is a very important aspect in the treatment of Diabetes particularly the timing of it. At the beginning you may be successful in controlling Diabetes with diet only, but unfortunately a time will come when only diet won"t be enough, you will require medicine. This time is different for different people, for somebody this can be a few months while for others it may be a few years. It is very important to try with diet first; this will help you to understand the principles of diet and will convince you the need for tablet/Insulin for good control of Diabetes.

Can I follow a strict diet chart?
A strict diet chart is something we are not advocating these days. A diet chart is not only monotonous but also difficult to follow day in and out. A strict chart restrains your freedom to eat and also impossible to follow when you are out for social or professional reasons. Rather than a diet chart you should have meal plan.

What are the principles of diabetic diet?
Healthy eating is the key to success for which you need to know what to eat, how much to eat and what not to eat.

To eat or not to eat is not the question, how to make the right decision about eating is the question.

We recommend three meals (breakfast, lunch and dinner) and three snacks. You can space the snacks in between your meals according to your profession and life-style. There are six components in diet: Carbohydrate, fat, protein, mineral, vitamin and water. Restriction and distribution of carbohydrate throughout the day is important. The amount of calories in rice and wheat are the same, but protein content is high in wheat. Wheat has more fiber in comparison to rice.

Breakfast - Snacks - Lunch - Snacks - Dinner - Supper

OR

Breakfast - Snacks - Lunch - Snacks - Snacks - Dinner

Dietary fibers are very important for people with Diabetes (food with high fibers such as bran, cereals, vegetables, fruits, brown bread, pulses like lentils, rajma, whole meal flour, etc), they make the absorption smoother and keep the bowel habit healthy. A mixed diet containing both rice and wheat is preferable.

Regular eating of salad and vegetables is good for nutritional balance. They are natural source of vitamins, minerals and fibers. If your weight is more than what it should be, you need to loose weight. Taking low caloric food and increasing food with high fibers can achieve this.

There is no bar to eat non-vegetarian food unless in special situation like kidney problem. Remember chicken and fish are better than red meat as the amount of saturated fat is less in them. If your cholesterol is high you better avoid yellow of egg and red meat.

Story first published: Friday, July 1, 2011, 8:38 [IST]
Read more about: diabetes lifestyle health diet