Diabetes and diet .

Diabetes is a life threatening disease that can only be controlled by leading a healthy lifestyle and following a proper diet. If you ask how diabetes and diet are related, I would say they are but both sides of the same coin. Diabetes is resulted due to the inability of the pancreas to produce insulin. In some cases it is also because the body has developed insulin resistance. Diabetes can be controlled by making certain modifications in the diet. To stabilize the blood sugar levels a certain patient has to make necessary changes in his or her diet. A control diet for diabetes would basically mean you have to eat the same meal everyday and in equal proportions.

Diabetes and diet does not mean that you have to go and buy special foods. You just have to maintain a healthy and low calorie diet. You must avoid all food items that can increase your blood sugar levels. Eating regular meals in moderate amount is very important. A diabetic patient is bound to feel unusual hunger and thirst. So bringing oneself up to control his urge to eat every time is what a diabetic should develop. This does not happen overnight and requires a lot of motivation, will power and of course practice.

Did you know something else about the diabetes and diet? An overweight person is more likely to develop the type 2 diabetes. So there is something called the preventive diabetic diet as well where a patient who is more vulnerable to diabetes due to a family history should control his diet and modify his food habits.

Following of the food pyramid will let you develop a clearer understanding of diabetes and diet. A diabetic person should include more and more of healthy food items like fruits and vegetables in his diet. A fiber rich diet is good for the diabetics. Other than that a diabetic patient should be careful about seeing that the portions of his meals are well regulated and the meals are eaten during the same time everyday.

So to summarize the whole concept of diabetes and diet, the patient concerned must first develop an understanding of what to eat. If you are a diabetic then cut down on the purified carbohydrates; cut down on your sugar intake and avoid fast food. Replace the fats you take in with healthy fats. Next step in your learning more about diabetes and diet is to know when to eat. Even the healthiest of meals if taken irregularly can be of no benefit. So see that you eat at a fixed time everyday. Last but not the least the portion of your meal is very important to regulate. See that the nutritional element in your diet is high and the overall calorie consumption is low.

Diabetes and diet go hand in hand. If you want to live a regular life in spite of suffering from diabetes, you must follow a diet that allows you to control your diabetes.

Information about diabetes.

People suffering from diabetes need to eat healthy in order to keep their blood sugar levels under control. Though they are not left with much variety, as far as food is concerned but the vegetables prescribed for them are not all that awful.

The French bean, also known as the kidney bean is a good option. If cooked with care, it tastes awesome and no less than a delicacy. The beans have a greater fiber content and are rich in carbohydrates. Thus, it is prescribed to patients suffering from diabetes.

A suggested natural remedy could be, juice extracted from French beans mixed with the juice of Brussels sprout. This is good for the health as it stimulates production of insulin.

Bean decoction is another effective medicine. For this you require 60 grams of fresh bean pods, weighed after removing the seeds. This has to be boiled in four liters of water for four hours. The decoction must necessarily be prepared on slow fire. Then the potion has to be sieved through a muslin cloth and let to cool for eight hours. It is advised that this decoction be taken a glassful after every two hours for 4-8 weeks at a stretch. This must be prepared fresh everyday as it loses its medicinal qualities after 24 hours.

Dr. James Anderson of the Human Nutrition Research Centre of the US Department of Agriculture deduced that foods with low cholesterol content help prevent heart ailments. Also, the beans being rich in soluble fiber reduce the sugar level in blood and thus are healthy for diabetics who are greatly prone to the risk of heart disease. Lettuce has 3% or less of carbohydrates. People who wish to cut down on their weight can have plenty of tomatoes as it has low carbohydrate content and also does control levels of sugar in the urine.

Soya bean is very nutritious and helps to keep a check on blood sugar levels. Studies as early as 1910 has shown that Soya bean is rich in protein and fat and low in starch. It helps regulate and reduce the quality of urinary sugar in diabetics.

Onion, be it raw or cooked is also an effective home remedy. It reduces the sugar levels in blood and the more it is eaten the faster it would help lower blood sugar. Around 1960’s, there was discovery of anti diabetic compounds in onion. These were similar to anti-diabetic pharmaceuticals which help synthesis of insulin and its release, namely, allyl, propyl, disulphide and allicin.

A balanced diet, well supplemented with vegetables, fruit and juices should be ideally taken. One needs to cut down on the intake of fat based food and sweets. Also, you should indulge in an active lifestyle. Walking is a must on regular basis. Smoking and drinking must be avoided. The blood sugar should be measured at regular intervals and body weight should be maintained. This would enable a diabetic to live a healthy life.