Tips for diabetic patients

1. Choose carbohydrates that are better for you:

Since all carbohydrates influence blood glucose levels, it's important to understand which foods contain carbohydrates. Choose carbohydrate-rich foods that are low in fat and sodium, and keep track of your portion sizes. Here are several carbohydrate sources that are good for you:

Brown rice, buckwheat and whole oats are examples of whole grains

Fruit and vegetables

Chickpeas, beans, and lentils are examples of pulses

Milk and yoghurt

Also, foods poor in fibre, such as white bread, white rice and highly refined cereals must be avoided. If you're unsure what food is high-fibre, you can check the food labels.

2. Use less salt:

Salt consumption raises the risk of high blood pressure, which raises the risk of heart disease and stroke. And if you have diabetes, you're already at a higher risk for all of these problems. Limit your salt intake to no more than 6g (one teaspoonful) per day. Many pre-packaged foods still contain salt, so read the labels and select foods with the least amount of salt. Cooking from scratch allows you to keep track of how much salt you consume. To add the extra flavour, you can also get inventive and substitute various types of herbs and spices for salt.

3. Look for healthy fats:

Fat is important in our diet because it provides us with energy. However, different types of fat have different effects on our health.

Unsalted almonds, beans, avocados, fatty fish, olive oil, rapeseed oil, and sunflower oil all contain healthier fats. Some saturated fats can raise your blood cholesterol levels, increasing your risk of heart disease. They're always found in animal products and packaged foods such as red and processed meat, peanut oil, butter, lard, cookies, cakes, pies and pastries. It's always a good idea to limit the use of oils in general, so you can consider grilling, steaming, or baking instead.

4. Reduce the amount of sugar you consume:

We understand that eliminating sugar can be difficult at first, but small practical swaps are a good place to start when attempting to reduce sugar consumption. Sugary drinks, energy drinks, and fruit juices can all be replaced with water, pure milk, or sugar-free tea and coffee. Eliminating these added sugars will help you maintain a healthy weight and regulate your blood glucose levels. If your diabetes treatment causes you to have hypos and you treat them with sugary drinks, this is still necessary for your diabetes control and should not be eliminated. However, if you are experiencing frequent hypos, it is important to speak with your diabetes team.

5. Choose your snacks carefully:

Instead of crisps, chips, cookies, and chocolates, select yoghurts, unsalted almonds, beans, fruits, and vegetables as a snack. However, keep an eye on your servings to help you maintain a healthy weight.

6. Drink alcohol sensibly:

Alcohol is high in calories, so if you're trying to lose weight, consider cutting back on your drinking. Try to limit yourself to 14 units per week. Spread it out to prevent binge drinking, and go alcohol-free for multiple days a week. It's also not a safe idea to drink on an empty stomach if you take insulin or other diabetes drugs since alcohol will make hypos more likely to occur.

7. Eat foods that are high in minerals and vitamins:

Mineral and vitamin supplements do not seem to help you control your diabetes. You don't need to take supplements unless your healthcare provider has advised you to do so, such as folic acid for pregnancy. It's preferable to get your necessary nutrients by consuming a variety of foods. This is because certain supplements can interfere with your drugs or exacerbate diabetes problems such as kidney disease.

8. Don't waste your time with "diabetic" food:

This is because there is no proof that these foods have a distinct advantage over a healthy diet. They can still have the same amount of fat and calories as comparable items, and they can also affect your blood glucose level. These foods can also have a laxative effect on certain people.

9. Remember to keep going:

Being more physically active and eating healthy go hand in hand. It will assist you in managing your diabetes while also lowering your risk of heart disease. This is because it makes the body use insulin more effectively by increasing the amount of glucose used by your muscles. Aim for at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity each week. Any activity that causes your heart rate to increase, your breathing to quicken, and your body temperature to rise. You should be able to speak and just slightly out of breath at this stage. You don't have to complete all 150 minutes at once. Break it up into 10-minute chunks during the week, or 30 minutes five days a week.