If you have diabetes or are helping someone take care of his or her diabetes, healthy eating is very important.

People with diabetes cannot change the foods they eat into energy in the normal way. This causes the blood sugar glucose to build up in the blood. High blood glucose may lead to many problems including blindness, kidney disease, heart disease and amputation. These complications can be prevented, delayed or reduced in severity with good blood glucose control. To control blood glucose, it's important to follow your health care team's recommendations about food, exercise, medication and testing.

Tips for eating healthfully with diabetes:

• You can make a difference in your blood glucose control through your food choices.
• You do not need special or diet foods.
• The food that is good for you is good for your whole family.
• Eat a wide variety of foods every day.
• Eat high-fiber foods, such as fruits, vegetables, grains and beans, to fill up.
• Use less added fat, sugar and salt.
• Eat meals and snacks at regular times every day.
• Eat about the same amount of food each day.
• Try new foods.
• Try not to skip meals.
• If you want to lose weight, cut down on your portion size. If you skip a meal, you may eat too much at your next meal.
• Sugar is no longer a no-no. If you choose to eat sugar, use it in moderation as part of your healthy meal plan.
• Use the food guide pyramid and food lists from the American Diabetes Association and The American Dietetic Association food lists for information on food choices, substitutions and serving sizes.

Two Types of Diabetes:

Type 1 diabetes -- People with type 1 diabetes cannot make the hormone insulin needed to get glucose into the body's cells for energy. They need to take insulin and balance food intake and physical activity with their insulin. Type 1 diabetes accounts for about 5 percent of those who have diabetes and usually occurs before age 30.

Type 2 diabetes -- People with type 2 diabetes are more likely to develop diabetes after age 40 if they are overweight, have high levels of fat in the blood or a history of diabetes in their families. Type 2 is the most common form of diabetes, occurring in 95 percent of those who have diabetes. The treatment is weight loss and increased physical activity, sometimes along with medication (pills or insulin injections).

Prepared by:

Beth Reames, PhD, LDN, RD
Specialist (Nutrition)

Reference: Diabetes Forecast