Type 2 diabetes diet

Diabetes is a disorder where your body cannot produce or respond to insulin in order to convert sugar into energy. Your body will become resistant to insulin so it will not be able to regulate sugar. If you do not take care of this condition and treat it in time it could lead to serious problems like; a heart attack, kidney damage, blindness, strokes and blood circulation problems which cause foot ulcers. There is no real cure for this condition; but you can maintain a healthy diet mixed with exercise to balance the sugar levels in your body, lower your cholesterol and control your weight.

Some of the Type 2 diabetes symptoms are;

• An increase in hunger because of lack of insulin moving sugar in your cells which makes you low on energy.
• Loss of weight because the ability to use glucose is lost, so your body pulls out energy from the fat in your body.
• Increase in thirst and urination as excess sugar is built in your bloodstream.
• Blurred vision as fluids are pulled from your lenses because of high blood sugar.
• Slow healing of wounds and cuts.
• Disorientation, Dark patches on skins especially in armpits and neck area.

Many health professionals suggest that good type 2 diabetes diet plans consists of foods that are high on fiber but low on glycaemic index. Foods that are high in fiber release the energy slowly into your blood thus helping it to keep the sugar levels stable. Your Type 2 diabetes sample diet should include foods that have a high supply of protein as protein helps in building the muscles and bones in order to give you more energy. Some high protein foods are; meat, seafood, eggs, dairy products, nuts, beans, soy foods, fresh leafy vegetables and poultry. When preparing a soup or curry you should add beans, pulses and lentils instead of meat. Dairy products such as low fat yoghurt or skimmed milk are healthier than the regular dairy products available. Fresh fruit and vegetable should be a part of your daily diet and are more beneficial if consumed raw as salads. Eat small meals frequently throughout the day rather than eating two heavy meals as this will reduce your hunger and prevent low blood sugar. Doing this will also help you spread the intake of carbohydrates and calories throughout the day. This would also make it easier for the body to keep the sugar levels in control. A person suffering from type 2 diabetes can eat sweets but provided it is in small portions and not eaten too often.

Always remember when planning a diet it should have a good combination of foods that will provide the correct level of fats, proteins, fiber and carbohydrates. There are several foods that could form part of a good meal that will help supply the required nutrients for the body to keep healthy. One could include a single serving of whole grain bread for the carbohydrates, a single serving of any dairy product like milk, cheese or low fat cream and half a cup of fruit juice. The person may also include a bowl which will fill 3 ounces of chicken, fish or lean beef as this will supply protein to the diet and finally some salad in a bowl the size of your fist. You can add some table margarine or salad dressing to the salad in order to supply a little unsaturated fat to the diet. A few mouth watering meals which are low on fat and can be part of the type 2 diabetes diet are a Spanish omelet, potato or green salad, shrimp marinated in lime and a grilled chicken sandwich with some yoghurt.