The Do’s and Don’ts of Eating for Diabetics

do dons diabetic

If you lack consistency and regularity in meals over an extended period, you will eventually develop blood sugar related health problems or further aggravate the diabetic condition. This is an especially important fact to keep in mind for diabetics in keeping blood sugar normal. It is important to know your individual blood glucose numbers to help regulate the effectiveness of medications and nutritional intake. The basics are to choose foods with low glycemic index (GI, rating of 0 to 100 on food on how fast it raises blood glucose), be active physically, and eat regular meals. Even if you cannot eat full meals, have a healthy snack or a nutritional supplement (eg. Glucerna for Diabetes) to control blood glucose spikes and prevent cravings.1, 5

Can Diabetics Skip Meals?

It is natural to think that less meals equals less calories or less carbohydrates consumed but skipping meals should never be a habit for anyone. If you skip meals, you are more vulnerable to consuming calorie-dense foods. This is usually because your mind thinks you have been starved and anything ‘healthy’ or low in calories is seen as unappealing. With this, a diabetic is more likely to put in weight faster or have difficulty losing weight due to fluctuations in insulin, which lead to complications in the heart and blood pressure.1, 2

Having regular meals assists in regulating your consumption of carbohydrates, essential for energy, to control blood glucose spikes. Have snacks or low GI nutritional shakes on hand when full meals are inconvenient.2, 3 As for a diabetic meal replacement, consider Glucerna for Diabetics as an option.3 Each serving is formulated to be low on the glycemic index to trigger a smaller blood sugar spike. This is achieved by having 4 times  myo-inositol^,4 the most efficient carbohydrate in mimicking the actions of insulin activity, and a combination of an exclusive Advanced Carbohydrates system^. 5 Formulated with heart healthy omega 3, 6, 9 fatty acids, fibers, vitamin A, D, C, and Zinc to help meet your nutritional needs and help improve immunity. Backed by 30 years of research and clinical studies, a regime of Glucerna, No.1 Doctor Recommended Diabetes Nutritional Formula in the US~, as directed by your Medical Professional can help improve blood glucose levels within 3 months#.

Do Early to Rise and Early to Bed Habits work for Diabetics?

Early to rise and early to bed is already practiced by a lot of the older generations in the Asian culture. But how is this affected when you have diabetes? Between 4:00am to 5:00am, your body goes through a hormone surge that increases pre-meal glucose levels. This is why when you eat is as important as what you eat. If you eat an earlier breakfast, it is only logical to eat an earlier lunch and dinner. By eating earlier meals, you can match the rising and falling of your own blood glucose caused by the carbs and prevent cravings for unhealthy snacks. An early dinner also allows your body to consume the calories you’ve eaten. Since symptoms of low and high blood glucose can be similar in the mornings, it is important to test and record blood glucose every morning and at night to compare. This information will help your Medical Professional give better treatments. Find any reason to be active after meals to improve digestion and blood flow healthy.1, 2, 3

Regularity and choosing healthier options are what will help a diabetic control their blood glucose through nutrition. The best kind of food choices for people with diabetes is to incorporate many healthy low GI items, for example, whole-grain breads, barley, bulgur, or lentils, to keep you fuller longer. Missing a meal or two is not harmful but making that a habit is. Be mindful of both timing and what you eat. Consider Glucerna® nutritional supplement when you are on the go or as part of your daily meals. With lower blood sugar spikes, you have one less thing to worry about and live well with diabetes.1, 5

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References:

  1. https://glucerna.ca/en/managing-diabetes/eating-dos-donts
  2. https://www.everydayhealth.com/type-2-diabetes/diet/diabetes-diet-things-happen-when-you-skip-meals/
  3. https://www.diabetes.ca/managing-my-diabetes/stories/managing-the-dawn-phenomenon
  4. https://abbottfamily.com.sg/articles/diabetes/inositol
  5. https://abbottfamily.com.sg/products/page/glucerna-triple-care

^     Jenkins – 1982

#    Sun et al. Asia Pac J Clin Nutr. 2008.

~    IQVIA, using the ProVoice Survey, fielded to 14,853 physicians from January 1, 2020 to December 31, 2020.