One of the most common medical conditions that plague mankind today is diabetes. The most common variant of this disease, Type 2 diabetes, is the inability of the body to process blood sugar or glucose. The body either is unable to produce enough insulin or resists it. The condition requires medical aid and it’s absolutely best to avoid the condition altogether.
For a foodie, this might be difficult given the lure of new and different tastes. More than just fuel for the body, food is an experience to relish. But with some precautions, it can be ensured that you keep your diabetes under control without missing out on food.
Healthy Food Swaps to Keep Your Blood Sugar Under Control
Even if you are fond of food, you can still manage your diabetes by making some changes here and there, and swapping your everyday unhealthy food with healthy substitutes like discussed below:
- Whole Grains in Place of Refined
Refined grains are stripped of their nutritional bits like fatty acids, vitamins, and fibres. Whole grains, on the other hand, keep them perfectly intact. The latter is much easier to digest because of the abundant fibre. Make sure to swap white bread with brown bread and opt for lentil pasta, rolled oats and brown rice.
- Choose the Fruit Instead of Juice
While the juice only has the sugar, the whole fruit has the pulp and skin that contain the goodness of fibre. Fibres help to control insulin levels as well as the sugar absorption rate in your body.
- Go Green
Include more greens in your diet. Green leafy vegetables such as spinach and kale are high in all the important nutrients such as magnesium, potassium, vitamins and fibres. These nutrients cut down your blood sugar levels.
- Replace Fried Foods with Baked Goods
Fried foods have a lot of saturated fats and calories which lead to many cardiovascular diseases and diabetes. Instead of fried foods, have foods that are baked, roasted, grilled, etc. Have food cooked in canola oil or olive oil that have heart-healthy fatty acids.
- Cut Down on Processed Food
Processed and packaged foods like chips, cookies, instant noodles, have a lot of added sugar and sodium that have a direct impact on increasing your blood sugar levels. These foods also have a lot of extra calories and carbohydrates. Instead of processed foods that all have added sugar, try healthy snacking. Berries, nuts, fruits, etc., are a much healthier option. Instead of processed meat and dairy products, have lean meat, plant proteins, skim milk, and low-fat dairy.
Other Ways to Mitigate Diabetes
In addition to these food swaps, there are certainly other ways in which you can keep your blood sugar levels in check. A few of these are discussed below:
- Keep Physically Active
Keeping physically active can reduce the risks of diabetes. Moderate exercising like walking and jogging for a few hours can go a long way.
- Try Portion Controlling
Portion control is an effective method to manage diabetes. Instead of having big plates of food for every meal, try cutting on these portions. Talk to your trusted health professional to know the appropriate levels of carbs, proteins, and fibres for you and stick to those levels.
- Limit Alcohol Intake and Quit Smoking
Having excessive alcohol has a number of negative impacts on your health such as high blood pressure levels, weight gain, and an increase in blood sugar levels. Smoking can double the risk of developing diabetes.
Although Diabetes has now become a common health ailment, it can be managed and controlled by simply bringing about certain changes in your diets and lifestyle. It is important to follow the above-mentioned tips, if you want to enjoy every kind of food once in a while. Dietary and lifestyle changes are essential steps to make sure you prevent long term damage to your body. Contact a dietitian for precise medical advice, food charts and exercise routine suited for your body only on the HealthAssure app or site, so that neither your health nor the foodie in you have to compromise.
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Please call us at 022-61676633 or email us at support@healthassure.in.
