Do you know that one in 10 Americans has diabetes? Surprisingly, only 20% of them are aware of their condition. November is marked as National Diabetes Month to raise awareness about diabetes and provide valuable information to patients on ways to effectively manage their health.
Diabetes is a condition that results in excess blood sugar levels. Type 1 diabetes, often known as juvenile diabetes, is a condition when the pancreas fails to make adequate insulin to regulate blood sugar. Adult-onset diabetes or type 2 is the most common form of diabetes that occurs when the body does not effectively use insulin due to a condition called insulin resistance.
While type 1 and type 2 diabetes are chronic, prediabetes and gestational diabetes are potentially reversible. No matter what type of diabetes a person has, adopting a healthy lifestyle and making wise food choices can help in effective blood sugar control and reduce the risk of complications.
On this National Diabetes Month, Kelly Schmidt, a registered dietician and health coach from Columbus, Ohio, shares with us some dietary tips to manage blood sugar levels.
“Managing blood sugars goes beyond calories. There is an art to eating well for healthy levels and what is healthy for one person may not be healthy for another. For example, we may tolerate different foods, and inflammation from a perfectly ‘healthy,’ food can behave differently in the gut and therefore create a different blood sugar response. Our tolerance to carbohydrates, meaning tolerance for keeping a steady blood sugar, can vary based on our biology, sleep deprivation, hydration, age, gender, activity level and more,” Schmidt, who has expertise in gut health and blood sugar control, told Medical Daily.
Although people tolerate foods differently, and what is effective for one may not be ideal for another, following certain common principles helps to make a healthy diet. Reducing processed food and ensuring adequate fiber in the diet are some such…
Read the full article here
