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The easiest way to understand dieting is to look at the
dictionary definition of the word “diet” and realize that your food
and beverage consumption IS a diet, healthy or not. That is why the
emphasis these days is on changing one’s eating habits as opposed to
“going on a diet.” The problem with going on a diet is that you tend
to go on a diet and then go off your diet. Or cheat on your diet.
For a person who has been diagnosed with diabetes, treating what you
eat and drink in terms of its qualities, composition and its effect
on your health is the answer to “What diet should a diabetic
follow?”
One aspect of a diabetic’s diet that almost every health and
nutrition expert can agree upon is the importance of the Glycogenic
Index, or GI. This rating measures the effect of each food on blood
glucose levels. Foods that rank low on the GI have less of an impact
on blood glucose and these foods should comprise the bulk of a
diabetic’s diet. It is the diabetic’s goal to retain a relatively
constant level of blood glucose in the normal range, avoiding the up
and down spikes.
That is where the changing of eating habits as opposed to
“dieting” makes the difference. If the type of foods you eat on a
daily basis improves and includes a high percentage of foods that
rank low on the GI, then you don’t have to watch every morsel that
goes into your mouth. In choosing to eat food that is good for you
regularly, you can choose to eat a snack or dessert that rates
higher on the scale occasionally.
The easiest way to change your eating habits is to shop
accordingly. Studies show that the foods that are best for you are
on the perimeters of the grocery store. The aisles in the middle
contain the processed foods that you want to avoid. Foods high in
protein, such as meats, fresh vegetables, fruit, eggs and dairy
products are the key ingredients to a healthy lifestyle. Eat a
well-balanced combination that contains enough calories to maintain
a healthy weight and keep in mind that high carbohydrate foods
should be kept to a minimum.
If you have been diagnosed with diabetes, you can be sure your
health care professional will be supportive of your new choices; it
is important, however, that you do consult with a doctor,
nutritionist or dietician before making any drastic changes in your
dietary habits.
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