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Managing Diabetes with a Healthy Diet and Exercise

Date: 03 Jun 2024

Being diagnosed with diabetes can be such a painful reality to take in since the diagnosis means that this is a dark cloud that will be over your life permanently. Having diabetes does not mean that you have to spend your days in the emergency room or away from civilization. Your life does not need to change negatively upon diagnosis since with proper management, you can lead a vibrant, healthier life than you ever did. Diabetes might not have a cure, yet; but it is certainly manageable and here, we will show you how to manage diabetes with a healthy diet and exercise.

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Managing diabetes with a healthy diet

If you want to lead a healthier life post-diabetes diagnosis, you would do well to:

Ensure you have a balanced macronutrient intake

A well-balanced diet ensures that you do not miss any macronutrients in your meals and that at the appropriate portions. Your diet should include carbohydrates, protein, and healthy fats. However, the portions you take might be different from what other people take, based on the guidance of a healthcare professional. For instance, your carbohydrate intake should be well spread throughout the day since taking too much carbohydrate in one sitting can spike blood sugar levels.

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Add fiber foods to your diet

Fiber should be a must-have in your diet since foods rich in fiber can not only improve your digestive health, but they can also help ensure that your blood levels stay stable. Fiber-rich foods can also help improve insulin sensitivity since they help cells to effectively use glucose. Fiber makes your diet feel bulkier. This means that small servings of foods rich in fiber can leave you feeling full, thus reducing the amount of food that you intake. One of the major problems associated with diabetes is the weight problem since being overweight can make your diabetes worse. Adding foods high in fiber to your diet will help ensure that you can control your weight.

Incorporate lean proteins into your diet

Lean proteins such as poultry, fish, beans, and low-fat dairy are crucial in your diet since they can help stabilize blood sugar levels and also leave you feeling satiated, not needing that second serving. Like high-fiber foods, lean proteins leave you feeling full, something that can greatly help you control your portions. Lean proteins slow down digestion, meaning that your blood glucose does not rise uncontrollably after your meal. Lean protein can also improve your health heart by controlling your cholesterol levels.

Increase water intake

Water should be a vital part of your diet if you hope to manage your diabetes. Being hydrated helps ensure that your blood sugar levels remain stable since water helps your kidneys to flush out excess glucose. Proper intake of water helps you to easily break down and absorb food, meaning that any carbohydrates you intake are well-managed. To properly manage diabetes, ensure that a glass of water is always within reach.

Avoid excessive caffeine and instead, ensure that other than drinking your water, you also eat your water by taking foods such as watermelon, cucumbers, lettuce, and strawberries among others.

Avoid sugary foods and beverages

Junk food and sugary beverages are to be blamed for the rising cases of overweight and diabetic people since they have a direct impact on blood sugar levels, weight, and health in general. Junk food and sugary drinks contain refined sugars and simple carbohydrates, which are easy to digest, meaning that your blood levels rise faster and higher immediately after consuming such meals. These foods are full of calories but greatly lack essential nutrients meaning that regular consumption not only leaves you with more calories than you have use for, but they also leave your body deprived of proper nutrients that are crucial for easy functioning of your body. Sugary foods and drinks leave your body exposed to weight, dental, inflammation, and heart problems and a diabetic person does not need any of these problems.

Managing diabetes with exercise

If you want to keep the symptoms of diabetes at bay, you need to love exercise as much as you love your favorite movie or game. You can manage diabetes with exercise by:

Engaging in regular physical activity

A sedentary life can be blamed for the rising cases of overweight and diabetic people and you need to increase your physical activity to maintain stable blood sugar levels. Physical activity helps ensure that glucose does not just sit around in your stomach but that it is absorbed in your bloodstream, thus reducing blood sugar levels. You need to spend at least 150 minutes daily on aerobic exercises such as walking, jogging, and cycling.

Strength training

Strength training helps build muscle strength, which helps ensure that your body can store glucose, thereby reducing blood sugar levels. It can also improve glucose intake, which is a big help especially if your body is resisting insulin. Strength training also leads to fat loss, and improved bone and cardiovascular health.

Monitor blood sugar

You need to understand how your body responds to certain foods, medication, and physical activity, and proper monitoring of your blood sugar can help you do exactly that. Understanding how various things affect your blood sugar levels can help you make an informed decision on what to incorporate in your life and what to let go of. Monitoring blood sugar will help you exercise appropriately. For instance, if the blood sugar levels are quite high before a workout, it would be prudent to wait until they stabilize before working out. At the same time, if the blood sugar levels are too low, taking a snack would be more prudent before exercise.

Consult a professional

Managing diabetes with a healthy diet and exercise is quite possible, you only need to be dedicated to it. However, it is also crucial to consult a healthcare professional before you embark on a diet or rigorous exercise since you might end up doing more damage than good if you diet or exercise the wrong way. Your healthcare professional has a better idea of what your body needs and what will only make things worse.

Final thought

Diabetes is quite manageable and with proper management, you can even forget that you have it. However, like every good thing, it requires work and dedication. Ensure you take a balanced diet and that at appropriate portions to help ensure that your blood sugar levels stay stable and your weight not more than it should be. Always carry a bottle of water with you and ensure that you do not spend a whole day behind a desk without getting any exercise. It is the little changes that can make all the difference. Good luck to you as you manage your diabetes by making these little changes.