Have you checked your blood sugar levels lately? Well now is the time to reduce your risk of type 2 diabetes. One of the largest contributors to type 2 diabetes is food choice. It’s true, what you eat plays a very significant role in preventing, managing, or even reversing diabetes. If you take anything away from this blog, just know that diets high in starchy or sugary foods, and drinks with added sugars (even fruit sugars), promote high fasting blood sugar and can lead to insulin resistance, weight gain, and increased risk of diabetes. The Mediterranean diet, or a modified low-carb diet, can help keep your blood sugar balanced.
Carbohydrates
Every diet should include some form of carbs, which provides energy to help power your body. Many carbohydrates are very healthy, like fruits, vegetables, milk, yogurt and legumes…just try and avoid the refined and/or overly processed carbohydrates. Aim for whole grains like barley and brown rice, versus white rice and pasta. Also, it’s worth checking the label to make sure that it actually says 100% whole grain, you do not want to get duped! Lastly, eat fruits rather than drinking fruit juice, since fruit juices often contain added sugars and ingredients you do not need.
Dairy
The USDS reports that dairy products are the primary source of calcium in the American diet (MS1 2018). Cheese, milk, yogurt, and other dairy products provide protein, calcium, and other nutrients, but they can also have a lot of fat. Greek yogurt, for example, has more protein and fewer carbs than regular yogurt. If you must eat regular yogurt, try and go with plain yogurt, and add fresh fruit for extra flavor, since flavored yogurts often contain added sugar.
Protein
Your body needs protein to build and maintain muscles, your bones, your skin, and for a plethora of other bodily functions. The same can be said for protein as was said for carbs…look for healthy sources! The best protein options are lean meats like chicken, turkey, low-fat dairy, fish, and shellfish. All are healthier than protein that come from four-legged animals. If possible, avoid steaks and other meats that are eaten rare, they tend to be fattier. As for fish, salmon is the best source of protein.
Fat
Everybody needs fat in their diet. Fats are essential to give your body energy and support cell growth. They also help protect your organs and help keep your body warm. Fats help your body absorb nutrients and produce important hormones as well. Try and focus on plant-based fats, since animal fats contribute to heart disease, a particular danger to those with diabetes. Examples of healthy plant-based fats include avocados and nuts. Just don’t go overboard though, because even healthy fats have lots of calories, so eat in moderation.
In addition to maintaining a healthy diet, it’s worth considering adding a blood sugar balancing supplement to your routine. Kyolic Blood Sugar Balance contains Aged Garlic Extract, Niacin, Chromium, Salacia and Bitter Melon, and is designed to naturally support healthy blood sugar balance and weight control, as well as cardiovascular and immune health, for overall well-being. You may have never heard of some of these ingredients before, like bitter melon, chromium, or salacia, but they each play an important role in balancing blood sugar. Bitter melon, for example, is a fruit that contains several substances that encourages the body to use carbohydrates in the way nature intended. This helps maintain healthy blood sugar levels. Chromium is a trace mineral necessary for the efficient metabolism of carbohydrates and fats, and also for stable blood sugar levels. In addition, chromium helps cells respond as they should to insulin. Salacia is a traditional Ayurvedic treatment for obesity and diabetes thanks to compounds shown to stabilize blood sugar, even after a high-carb meal.
Fine tune your diet with the tips above, and you’ll keep that blood sugar in check! For more information, check out this article in the Kyolic Men’s Health Healthy Living Guide.
References
This article is for informational purposes only. This article is not, nor is it intended to be, a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment and should never be relied upon for specific medical advice.