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As there is no cure for diabetes, control, or management, of the
disease is what a doctor or health care professional wants her
patient to achieve. Type 2 diabetes is the body’s inability to use
the insulin that is produced by the pancreas, usually due to insulin
resistance. This resistance is the result of a combination of
causes: genetics, excess body weight and lack of exercise. In order
to get diabetes under control, doctors have their patients change
their eating and exercise habits.
Just adding 30 minutes of exercise 5 days a week can make a
substantial difference to a person with diabetes. You can start
slowly with low-impact exercises like brisk walking, riding a bike
or swimming. Just getting your body and muscles working helps your
cells use the insulin your body provides.
Conventional wisdom in regard to dieting for people with diabetes
has changed. No longer do you have to give up sweets and alcohol
completely. Doctors and nutritionists have developed a diabetic food
pyramid based on the USDA food pyramid.
Doctors and health care professionals suggest their patients
start a healthy eating program that includes at least 6 servings of
starches and grains a day. Fruits and vegetables make up an
important part of this eating strategy and dieticians suggest eating
a colorful array of fresh vegetables to meet daily requirements of
at least 5 a day.
Eating sweets and fatty snacks is not prohibited, but limited to
a just a few a week. One way to eat snacks without breaking the bank
on your daily intakes is to use an exchange method. Trade equivalent
servings to fulfill your daily requirements.
Another important aspect of diabetes control strategy is eating
on a regular schedule. Eating approximately the same amount of food
each day at regular times is a great way to monitor your caloric
intake. Eat 3 regular meals and at least 2 snacks a day at regular
intervals to maintain normal blood glucose levels. Diabetes control
is based on avoiding extreme highs and lows of the sugar levels in
your blood.
If you make healthy choices and eat appropriate portions and add
exercise, you should start to see some weight loss and consistency
in your blood glucose levels.
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