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Diet and exercise. That is how simple it can be to manage your
diabetes. Of course, that sounds pretty easy, but changing your
eating habits and adding exercise to your daily routine takes a
serious commitment, too. The change in diet is not achieved by going
on a diet, the days of restrictive diabetes diets with bland food
and no sugar are over, thank heavens. Now when you are diagnosed
with diabetes, your first stop is the dietician’s office to start
working on your meal plans and menu planning.
Learning to eat according to the diabetes food pyramid is where
you will start on your way to managing diabetes. Healthy foods eaten
in moderate portions make up the bulk of your meals. Balance, both
in eating at regular times each day and in the amount of calories
and carbs per meal or snack, is what makes this plan work. Whole
grains, fresh fruits and vegetables, low or no fat dairy items and
cutting back on sweet or fatty snacks all add up to controlling your
blood sugar and keeping it maintained at normal levels. Using this
method eliminates the dangerous highs and lows of blood glucose
levels.
If weight loss is your goal, reduce the amount of calories you
take in and add exercise to your daily routine. If you lead a
sedentary lifestyle, try adding a 30-minute walk to your daily
schedule 5 days a week. You’ll find that even this little bit of a
workout helps an you’ll soon be able to do even more. If walking
isn’t feasible, get on a bike or go swimming. Anything that will get
your heart rate up and burn some calories. The goal is a slow and
steady weight loss, again not only are you looking to lose weight,
but to maintain your blood sugar levels in a healthy manner.
Managing diabetes is easier when you have control. You can gain
that control by altering your lifestyle to eat healthy foods based
on the recommendations of your healthcare professional and by adding
exercise to your daily routine. In doing this, you can avoid the
added expense and possible side effects of oral medications.
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