|
It's extremely important that diabetics control their blood sugar
levels and blood pressure, to prevent any long-term complications.
There is no guaranteed way of preventing diabetes. However, eating
a healthy, balanced diet, taking regular physical exercise, and
losing weight if you are overweight can delay the onset of the
condition.
Well-controlled blood sugars are a top priority because other
research studies have shown conclusively that all people with
diabetes can cut their risk of developing diabetes complications
such as heart disease, stroke, kidney and eye disease, nerve damage
and more, by keeping their blood sugars as closely controlled
as possible.
What does this mean for people with diabetes? This means that
a patient who has worked with their dietitian and their diabetes
treatment team to figure out how many grams of carbohydrate they
can eat throughout the day can decide at any given meal what they
will eat. Those with diabetes who are not on insulin need to focus
on keeping the amount of carbohydrate they eat consistent throughout
the day. Those on insulin can decide both what and how much to
eat at given meal (as long as it doesn't exceed their daily allotment),
and can then adjust their insulin accordingly. "There aren't
any foods that are 'off-limits,'" says Chalmers. "Rather
the patient just needs to learn how to spend their grams of carbohydrate
wisely over the course of the day."
Patients then use regular home blood sugar monitoring to keep
track of the effects of their meals and activity levels on their
blood sugars. They work with their healthcare team to make adjustments
in their food intake, exercise program and medication to keep
their blood sugars as close to normal as possible.
|
