Managing Your Diabetes Through a Healthy Diet

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Provided Courtesy of RD411.com Where health care
professionals go for information
Managing Your Diabetes Through a Healthy Diet
Review Date 3/10 D-0554
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Objectives

• Understand the importance of nutrition to
  diabetes management
• Outline current nutrition guidelines for diabetes
  management

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Why Is Good Nutrition Important?

• Eating a healthy diet can
• Help you control your blood sugars and blood
  lipids
• Help you maintain a healthy weight or lose weight
  if you are overweight
• Allow you to take less medication or avoid taking
  medication for your diabetes

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Why Is Good Nutrition Important? (contd)

• Eating a healthy diet can
• Prevent complications from high blood sugars,
  such as nerve, kidney, and vision problems
• Prevent other complications, such as heart
  disease and circulatory problems

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Each Person With Diabetes Is Different

• Medical nutrition therapy is based on your
  medical needs
• Your dietitian may suggest very specific goals
  for your weight, diet, and exercise, depending on
  your health status

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Nutrition Guidelines for Type 2 Diabetes

• Lose weight if you are overweight
• Exercise to promote or maintain weight loss
• Monitor carbohydrate intake to maintain blood
  sugar control
• Obtain carbohydrates mainly from
• Fruits
• Vegetables
• Whole grains
• Legumes
• Low-fat or skim milk

Source American Diabetes Association. Nutrition
Recommendations and Interventions for Diabetes a
position statement of the American Diabetes
Association. Diabetes Care. 200730(suppl
1)S48-S65.
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Nutrition Guidelines for Type 2 Diabetes (contd)

• Consume at least 130 grams (g) of
  carbohydrate/day (do not use low-carbohydrate
  diets to treat diabetes)
• Use sugar substitutes, if desired
• Limit saturated fat, trans fat, and dietary
  cholesterol

Source American Diabetes Association. Nutrition
Recommendations and Interventions for Diabetes a
position statement of the American Diabetes
Association. Diabetes Care. 200730(suppl
1)S48-S65.
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Nutrition Guidelines for Type 2 Diabetes (contd)

• Lose weight if you are overweight
• Lose weight slowly and safely, 1-2 pounds/week
• Enjoy foods from all food groups
• Avoid fad diets that eliminate any specific foods
  or groups of foods
• Eat smaller portions
• Exercise more

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Nutrition Guidelines for Type 2 Diabetes (contd)

• Exercise to promote or maintain weight loss
  (check with you doctor before beginning)
• Follow the recommendation of 30 minutes most days
  of the week
• Include aerobic exercise and resistance training
  for best results
• Start slowly, and increase the duration and
  intensity of exercise, if you are new to exercise

Source American Diabetes Association. Nutrition
Recommendations and Interventions for Diabetes a
position statement of the American Diabetes
Association. Diabetes Care. 200730(suppl
1)S48-S65.
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Nutrition Guidelines for Type 2 Diabetes (contd)

• Monitor carbohydrate intake to maintain blood
  sugar control
• Limit your carbohydrate intake to what is
  suggested by your dietitian
• Use carbohydrate counting, the exchange system,
  or other methods to estimate your carbohydrate
  intake

Source American Diabetes Association. Nutrition
Recommendations and Interventions for Diabetes a
position statement of the American Diabetes
Association. Diabetes Care. 200730(suppl
1)S48-S65.
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Nutrition Guidelines for Type 2 Diabetes (contd)

• Obtain carbohydrates mainly from fruits,
  vegetables, whole grains, legumes, and low-fat or
  skim milk
• These foods are the best carbohydrate sources
• They are usually high in fiber and provide the
  nutrients your body needs

Source American Diabetes Association. Nutrition
Recommendations and Interventions for Diabetes a
position statement of the American Diabetes
Association. Diabetes Care. 200730(suppl
1)S48-S65.
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Nutrition Guidelines for Type 2 Diabetes (contd)

• Carbohydrate sources
• Know that you can include sugar and sweetened
  foods in your diet when you have diabetes
• Substitute these foods for another carbohydrate
  in your diet every now and then
• Limit sugar and sweetened foods, because they are
  empty calories

Source American Diabetes Association. Nutrition
Recommendations and Interventions for Diabetes a
position statement of the American Diabetes
Association. Diabetes Care. 200730(suppl
1)S48-S65.
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Nutrition Guidelines for Type 2 Diabetes (contd)

• Consume at least 130 g carbohydrate/day
• Low-carbohydrate diets are not recommended for
  diabetes management
• Carbohydrates contain important nutrients
• Choose most of your carbohydrates from fruits,
  vegetables, and whole grains

Source American Diabetes Association. Nutrition
Recommendations and Interventions for Diabetes a
position statement of the American Diabetes
Association. Diabetes Care. 200730(suppl
1)S48-S65.
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Nutrition Guidelines for Type 2 Diabetes (contd)

• Use sugar substitutes, if desired
• Use only sugar substitutes that are approved by
  the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
• Sugar substitutes can help you enjoy sweet treats
  more often
• Sugar substitutes do not appear to cause weight
  loss or control blood sugar

Source American Diabetes Association. Nutrition
Recommendations and Interventions for Diabetes a
position statement of the American Diabetes
Association. Diabetes Care. 200730(suppl
1)S48-S65.
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Nutrition Guidelines for Type 2 Diabetes (contd)

• Limit saturated fat, trans fat, and dietary
  cholesterol
• These dietary fats and cholesterol can contribute
  to heart disease, which is related to diabetes
• When using fats, choose liquid fats instead of
  solid fats, whenever possible

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Nutrition Guidelines for Type 2 Diabetes (contd)

• Trans fats are produced by the food industry by
  taking liquid oils and changing them into solid
  fats
• This process improves the shelf life and
  stability of the flavors of processed foods

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Nutrition Guidelines for Type 2 Diabetes (contd)

• Trans fats are found mainly in processed and
  packaged foods
• To reduce consumption of trans fats
• Limit use of packaged crackers, packaged cookies,
  and commercial bakery products, such as cakes,
  cookies, etc
• Use soft margarine instead of stick margarine
• Look at food labels for trans fat information

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Nutrition Guidelines for Type 2 Diabetes (contd)

• Dietary cholesterol is found mainly in foods that
  come from animals
• By limiting saturated fats, you also will limit
  dietary cholesterol

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Nutrition Guidelines for Type 2 Diabetes (contd)

• Fats are higher in calories than carbohydrates,
  so eating less fat can help you lose weight
• To help reduce your intake of saturated fats and
  cholesterol
• Use lean meats and poultry
• Include fish, nuts, and legumes in your diet

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Nutrition Guidelines for Type 2 Diabetes (contd)

• Where do I start?
• Talk with your doctor, dietitian, and diabetes
  educator about which changes are most important
  for you
• Start slowly by changing your habits one at a
  time
• Seek support from your dietitian and/or a
  diabetes support group

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Summary

• Good nutrition is one of the keys to managing
  type 2 diabetes
• Nutrition guidelines for type 2 diabetes focus on
  controlling carbohydrate and fat intake
• Weight management and exercise also are key
• Nutrition and exercise goalsseek help to set and
  reach your goals