Lifestyle Changes for Diabetics to Live Life Normally
Lifestyle Changes for Diabetics to Live Life Normally
Having diabetes does not make your life any less normal than your average person. It just involves making a few lifestyle changes with the right set of discipline in both nutrition and exercise. Take your condition seriously, do not give into your cravings, and eat healthy. Since managing diabetes involves blood glucose control, making the right carbohydrate choices with food or alternatives (eg. Glucerna for Diabetes) is key.5
Analyze your Vices
It is quite alright to have vices, but the key word here is moderation and it is because many of the comfort foods we enjoy have hidden calories and additives with little nutrition overall. Alcohol, believe it or not, has calories and even more so when mixed with sugar flavorings. This can spike your blood glucose really high, so consume in moderation and always check your blood sugar before and after.1, 3
Coffee is a beverage that exists in the diets of people of all ages, but those who have Type 2 diabetes should take extra care. This is because caffeine affects how your body responds to insulin and it is known to raise stress hormones. And excessive amounts of stress hormones can prevent your cells from processing sugar efficiently, thus sending into a vicious cycle of poor blood glucose control.2, 4
Be serious about making changes
First find out which type of diabetes you have. Type 1, is genetic and diagnosed at birth, is where your body does not make insulin and you need it to absorb glucose from food efficiently. Type 2 is where your body does not respond efficiently to insulin and develops overtime due to lifestyle. Both are serious health conditions, but are quite manageable. Control for either involves regular check-ups, blood glucose tests (before & after food), blood pressure tests, and making smarter nutritional choices.1, 2
Eat Smart
Eating healthy is not about fancy diets, futuristic gadgets, or specialized expensive ingredients. It is about only eating as much as your body needs with a meal plan. A meal plan catering to your individual diabetic needs can be produced by working with your Nutritionist. To combat hunger or cravings, eat full meals that include plenty of fiber. For example if you include whole grains, quinoa, brown or wild rice, or any other minimally processed grains (at least ¼ of your plate), you will stay fuller longer. Choose more fruits, vegetables, and lean proteins, or in other words, food items that have low glycemic index (rating from 0 to 100 on how fast it raises blood glucose).1, 6
If you feel like you need a little more help to keep your blood glucose in check, you can use nutritional supplements for help along the way. Since not all supplements are created equal, make sure they have been specifically formulated for diabetics. For example, you can choose Glucerna, No.1 Doctor Recommended Diabetes Nutritional Formula in the US#, which is specially formulated for diabetics to make better nutritional choices. With a new and improved carbohydrates system^ and each serving scientifically formulated to be low on the glycemic index, Glucerna for Diabetics can help effectively manage blood glucose level*. Enhanced with dietary fibers, 28 vitamins and minerals, and 4x the Myo Inositol~ (an important carbohydrate responsible for mimicking insulin action), 2 servings of Glucerna a day (5 scoops + 200ml water per serving) can help manage blood glucose response in 3 months++. Once you stay on top of your health, you can live well with diabetes and have a normal life of doing things you love.
Please visit Glucerna Myanmar today if you would like a sample.5
References:
- https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/diabetes/overview/managing-diabetes/4-steps
- https://www.webmd.com/diabetes/diabetes-lifestyle-tips
- https://www.healthline.com/health/type-2-diabetes/facts-diabetes-alcohol#1.-Alcohol-interacts-with-diabetes-medications
- https://www.webmd.com/diabetes/diabetes-and-caffeine
- https://glucernamyanmar.com/eng/
- https://abbottfamily.com.sg/glycemic-index
~ Compared to previous formula of Glucerna
# IQVIA, using the ProVoice Survey, fielded to 14,550 physicians from September 1, 2020 to August 31, 2021
^ Jenkins et al. Diabetologia. 1982
* Chee et al. BMJ Open Diabetes Res Care. 2017; Sun et al. Asia Pac J Clin Nutr. 2008.
++ Sun et al. Asia Pac J Clin Nutr. 2008.