March is Kidney Month
Over three million Canadians handle their diabetes every day, and while 10% of those people have type 1 which requires insulin, the other 90% with type 2 often choose to manage their disease with drugs as well. A diagnosis of type 2 diabetes is often a bit of a whirlwind, as there’s so much to learn. Eating (which in turn affects one’s blood sugar) is not something that can be avoided, and thus an onslaught of information often comes hurtling toward the newly diagnosed individual. And fast…
Type 2 diabetes is a disease that can be managed completely through diet, though be sure that you’ve got a doctor who supports this point of view. It’s far easier to choose the easy and rich foods following up with a higher dosage of insulin than to make responsible dietary choices to balance your blood sugar. There are a few easy ways to make your way of eating more diabetic-friendly:
Snacks: Small & frequent, try to eat every 2.5-3 hours. Apples are a great snack, portable & no preparation aside from a rinse under the tap. Maybe smear a tablespoon of natural peanut butter on it so that you have some….
Protein: Include protein every time you eat! Whether it’s animal protein like a chicken breast or eggs or a plant based protein source like nuts or maybe black beans.
Fiber: Legumes have a TON of fiber! Hummus with some celery sticks makes a great snack loaded with fiber. Whole grain bakery items (not 12 grain, not multigrain… WHOLE grain) over white bread every time. Don’t forget that vegetables have lots of fiber as well!
Avoid Processed Foods: Buy ingredients, not products at the grocery store. And when you do need to buy something with an ingredient list, the smaller the list is, the better. Aim for a whole foods approach to eating.
Drinks: Avoid sugary beverages like pop or juices & instead choose to hydrate with cucumber or lemon water, or try a few new herbal teas (there’s a ton of different ones out there!). If you absolutely need a sweetener in your tea or coffee, try stevia instead of an artificial sweetener.
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