Diabetic Diet for Non-Diabetics
Nov 3, 2010 | By
Overview
Following a diabetic diet plan could improve your health whether you're diabetic or not, says MayoClinic.com. Diabetics and non-diabetics alike can benefit from the simple, non-restrictive guidelines for healthy eating that the American Diabetes Association, or ADA, has established. Weight loss on this plan doesn't require buying expensive supplements, taking medication or making radical dietary changes that you can't maintain; it's a matter of following basic nutritional principles that help control your blood sugar and your weight.
Diabetes and Prediabetes
Diabetes mellitus is a disease in which your body can no longer process sugar normally. In type 1 diabetes, the body does not produce insulin, the hormone that allows you to utilize sugar. Type 1 diabetes usually starts in childhood and requires insulin therapy to keep blood sugar stable. Type 2 diabetes, the most common form of the disease, develops when your body has stopped producing enough insulin or responding to insulin. In prediabetes, your blood sugar is high enough to indicate that you are at risk for developing type 2 diabetes. Risk factors for prediabetes include a family history of type 2 diabetes, being overweight and inactive or having a diet that elevates blood sugar. Prediabetes is a reversible condition that can be prevented with diet and lifestyle changes, says the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, or CDC.
Dietary Guidelines
The diabetic diet aims to prevent diabetes and its complications by maintaining healthy blood sugar levels and body weight. Instead of excluding foods from your diet, the ADA recommends eating more fruits and non-starchy vegetables, whole grains, lean meats and legumes, non-fat dairy products and unsaturated fats. Because even healthy foods can cause weight gain, the ADA advises controlling your portion sizes. In addition to preventing diabetes, these basic principles help protect your cardiovascular system and lower your risk of heart attack or stroke.Foods to Avoid
Your overall intake of carbohydrates and your body weight have a greater impact on your risk for diabetes than the type of sugar you consume, says the ADA. You don't have to omit desserts, high-calorie snack foods or soda, but the ADA advises cutting back on these foods or replacing them with low-calorie options that won't promote weight gain. If you do indulge in a sugary treat, you can compensate by cutting back on carbohydrates in other foods that day. Replace commercial sodas, which are often high in corn syrup, with water, unsweetened juice or sugar-free tea. Drink alcohol in moderation or not at all, suggests the ADA. Moderate drinking includes one drink per day for women, two drinks for men.
Physical Activity
Because being overweight is one of the greatest risk factors for developing type 2 diabetes, the ADA's recommendations for physical exercise are as important as its guidelines for healthy food choices. Exercise suggestions are flexible -- find an activity that you enjoy and gradually work up to 30 minutes of that activity three to five times a week. Walking, gardening, playing with grandchildren or dancing may appeal to you even if you've been sedentary.Precautions
Consult your health-care provider before starting any new diet or exercise program. Work with your provider to evaluate your risk for prediabetes and develop a diet plan that's right for you.
References
Read more: http://www.livestrong.com/article/295279-diabetic-diet-for-non-diabetics/#ixzz1ZZOQt8SJ
