Diet - A Vital Piece of the Puzzle
It’s logical that what you eat is very important in preventing or controlling a disease that affects how your body uses food. Don’t be discouraged by the word “diet.” Take a look at some dietary guidelines for Type 2 diabetes.
• Consume enough calories to allow you to reach and stay at a desirable body weight.
• Eat a diet high in carbohydrates, especially complex carbohydrates. Emphasize vegetables, fruits, lowfat dairy products, beans and other starchy foods, such as bread, cereal, rice and pasta.
• Eat a diet providing a maximum of 30 percent of calories from fat, 8 to 10 percent of these calories from saturated fat, and less than 300 milligrams of cholesterol.
• Eat a diet containing about 10 to 15 percent of calories from protein.
• Eat smaller meals several times a day instead of eating one or two large meals.
Were you surprised that the first guideline was not to “cut out all sugar”? The diabetic diet is a lot less limiting than you may have thought. Do the guidelines sound familiar? They should -- the first four are the same as the dietary recommendations made for all healthy Americans.
There are some good reasons for putting so much emphasis on dietary fat. Eating lowfat:
• Helps you lose weight, often the first step in preventing or treating Type 2 diabetes.
• Helps you lower blood levels of fats that contribute to heart disease; people with diabetes are already at higher risk for heart disease.
The diabetic diet emphasizes a balanced, healthy, lower-fat eating plan -- the basis for preventing or for managing Type 2 diabetes.
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High Fiber Diet Pays Off A high-fiber diet pays off with better health. Studies show that fiber may protect against heart disease and diabetes and may have other health benefits as well. Some benefits of fiber: • Constipation and diverticular problems. Fiber is a natural laxative. It softens the stool, making bowel movements easier. It helps prevent diverticulosis and diverticulitis, intestinal disorders that can occur after years of straining to pass stools. • Heart disease. Studies have shown that people who eat a high-fiber diet have a much lower risk of heart disease. • Colon cancer. Some studies have shown that people who eat lots of fiber have very low rates of cancer of the colon and rectum. Other studies have found no evidence that fiber protects against colon cancer. • Diabetes. Whole-grain breakfast cereals may protect against diabetes by helping to prevent surges in blood levels of sugar and insulin after meals. • Weight control. Fiber fills you up but not out. You get that "full" feeling faster, so you eat less. Dietitians advise eating fiber at every meal. For breakfast, have whole-grain cereal and an orange or grapefruit. Eat a mixed green salad every day. Add beans to soups and stews. Go for high-fiber vegetables, like cabbage, broccoli, carrots, and Brussels sprouts. And choose unpeeled fruits for desserts and snacks. From The Journal of the American Medical Association |
The Benefits Of Whole-Grain Food According to a study published in the September, 2000 issue of the American Journal of Public Health, eating more whole-grain foods reduces the risk of Type 2 diabetes for women. Whole-grain products included: dark bread, whole-grain breakfast cereal, brown rice, wheat germ, bran, and other grains. According to the study, compiled by researchers at Harvard Medical School: "Something present in whole grains may be responsible for the observed protective effect, even though the nutrient content of different whole-grain products may vary. The study also concluded that: "Other antioxidants, nutrients, or phytochemicals in whole grains or interactions among them also may play important roles in risk reduction." |