Living With Type 2 Diabetes: Five Tips For a Diabetic Friendly Diet
There are several things that I do to help me stick with my diet. All are designed to keep me from over indulging in A1C raising foods. Below are some of the things that I do that they may work for you:
- Drink water- I usually try to drink a half a gallon of water a day to flush my kidneys. While water may not be as satisfying as a sugared beverage, I’ve found that it keeps me hydrated and away from other beverages such as soda.
- Use stevia instead of sugar– Many people are not familiar with the leaf plant that is twice as sweet as sugar, but I’ve found that stevia satisfies my sugar craving just fine. There are several types of stevia brands, but pure stevia is better than stevia blends which often include added ingredients that are found in other sugar substitutes, such those found in Sweet-n-Low. While some may complain of an aftertaste with stevia, I haven’t found anything displeasing about it. I use it to sweeten my tea, oatmeal, coffee, and anything else I would add sugar to. Best of all, stevia has zero calories! I often stash a few packets in my car so whenever I stop by a gas station for a cup of coffee, I can sweeten it with stevia instead of sugar.
- Load up on the tuna- Tuna is high in Omega 3 . In addition to my Flaxseed capsules; I also eat a healthy dose of tuna each week. While a succulent fat ribeye may be tempting, I try to stick to tuna whenever possible.
- Supplement with supplements- While it would be nice to get all of the nutrients that we need to fight diabetes through our food intake, sometimes we have to supplement with vitamins or herbs. I place flaxseed high on the list of anti-diabetic foods, but I haven’t integrated flaxseed into my cooking. Instead, I use flaxseed supplements since they are more convenient and easier to take. Some foods naturally contain chromium, but I regularly use chromium capsules instead.
- Eat fiber– A high fiber diet is good in the fight against diabetes, and I get a good amount each week. Usually in the form of black or kidney beans, legumes can add up to 32% of the recommended daily value per serving. Many fruits and vegetables also offer high amounts of fiber in addition to other nutrients, so I also try to add a significant amount of these to my diet as well.
Sticking to a diabetic friendly diet can be like trying to eat an entire elephant in one bite. I have found that I can have much more success in sticking to a diet if I try to adhere to a few, more manageable goals.