Diabetes mellitus is a serious chronic disease that occurs due to high blood sugar levels.Many people have been living with diabetes for many years and do not pay attention to the obvious signs of the disease.The level of increased sugar can be affected by a deficiency of insulin in the body or its ineffective action.It is important to note that diabetes is a disease that has its varieties.Basically, people with diabetes are divided into 2 types: insulin-dependent (type 1 diabetes) and insulin-independent (type 2).This disease is incurable and if a patient is diagnosed with this disease, it will accompany him for life.
Often people suffering from this disease are interested in the issue of nutrition and food products that can be used in food to normalize and balance the metabolism in the body.Preference in products should be given to vegetables, fruits, meat and dairy products.Nowadays, doctors are of the opinion that proper nutrition is the best prevention for the treatment of diabetes.If you have already been diagnosed with diabetes, you need to choose the right treatment (limit taking additional medications) and follow the right diet.The most important thing is that when you diagnose such a disease, do not self-medicate, but go to consult an endocrinologist, who can tell you everything about diabetes, prescribe the necessary treatment, and also tell you how to behave correctly and generally live with diabetes.Many people do not even think about how dangerous this disease is and how many people around the world die due to late diagnosis or due to complications caused by diabetes.In this article we will look at the basic rules of the diet for each type of diabetes, and also consider a list of foods that are better to avoid and which, on the contrary, should be given preference.
Diet for type 1 diabetes mellitus
The first type of diabetes is more dangerous and serious.When diagnosed with this type, a person is prescribed insulin injections, which will have to be done throughout his life.Many people do not follow a diabetes diet, and because of this, the disease can progress rapidly, cause complications and cause various diseases.
The main treatment for patients with type 1 diabetes is to select insulin correctly and in the required doses.It is very important that the doctor correctly chooses the drug, its dosage, and also helps to correctly formulate the necessary diet, since it can also be individual.Proper treatment is the main thing for a diabetic patient.Because if treatment is not started in time, the consequences can be disastrous.Of course, insulin itself will normalize blood sugar levels, but with the right diet you can reduce the number of daily injections.And do not forget that treatment and diet should be prescribed only by your attending physician, since the first type of diabetes is quite dangerous and it is better not to “play” with it.
There is a special system for calculating the required dosage of insulin and calculating the food consumed, this system is called "Bread Units".According to this system, one unit of bread is equivalent to 10-15 grams of carbohydrates.In simple terms, a unit of bread is, for example, an orange or a slice of bread.As a rule, doctors provide a table where the patient can mark and control the level of bread units.
By the way, it is worth noting that all doctors recommend keeping a diabetic diary, in which it will be necessary to indicate all the food consumed per day, as well as its quantity.This will help the doctor monitor your disease and identify some nuances.With type 1 diabetes, the main thing is to comply with some rules that will in no way distinguish you from a healthy person.The main thing is that a premium meal does not exceed 7 units of bread.It is very important to calculate the dosage of insulin and bread units before each meal.And the main thing to avoid is sugary drinks (lemonade, energy drinks, sweet tea, carbonated juices and simply sweets), as they contain an excessively large amount of sugar and this can significantly harm the patient's well-being and sharply increase the sugar level.
Diet for type 2 diabetes mellitus
Most often, it is due to obesity or banal overeating that a person can develop type 2 diabetes. With this disease, the main task is to normalize metabolism and carbohydrates.Do not forget that diabetes mellitus appears not only due to the consumption of large amounts of sugar;banal overeating can also provoke the development of the disease.The body does not produce enough insulin or the cells simply lose sensitivity to it.As a rule, doctors recommend adequate treatment (with pills), a diet and an active lifestyle (daily physical activity is what you need).
The necessary diet for patients with type 2 diabetes, and such patients are usually overweight and overweight, can be correctly selected and prescribed by an endocrinologist, since this disease is precisely endocrine in nature.When prescribing a diet, the doctor must interview the patient and clarify his gender, body weight, age category and physical activity.
The second type of diet is based on reducing body weight and normalizing metabolism.Often your doctor can calculate the amount of calories you need for the day.As a rule, the number of calories is calculated from the proportions per 1 kilogram of body: 20 calories for women and 25 for men.So, if you wish, you can independently calculate the required amount of calories during the day.If a person has been diagnosed with diabetes, it is very important to remember that the diet will need to be followed on an ongoing basis.It is for this reason that it is very important to design a diet that is tasty, healthy and varied.But do not forget that it is better to exclude high-calorie dishes and foods that contribute to increasing blood sugar levels.
When planning a diet for diabetes, it is very important to remember that you need to use more products that contain plant fiber and water.Such products will help you satisfy your appetite and will not put extra pounds on your body.The main thing is to lose excess weight, but this must be done very carefully so as not to gain even more kilograms later.
Calories and their amount allowed during the day
Often, diabetic patients may abandon the diet due to sudden and severe fasting and food restrictions.It is important to remember that the main thing in a diet is not to count the number of calories eaten, but simply to eat the right foods.In no case should you count calories and try to limit them, as this, on the contrary, can only aggravate the disease and worsen the patient's well-being.Scientists say that it is nutrition that mainly influences the development of diabetes mellitus and the onset of related diseases.
There is a so-called low-carb diet, which, of course, will force you to give up some foods, even those that you previously loved and constantly consumed.In this case you can choose the right products and the diet will be quite tasty and satisfying.Simply by eating well, you can control your blood sugar levels, while the food can be just as tasty, but also healthy.By the way, in 2012, scientists from Dubai conducted a study on the effects of a low-carbohydrate diet on the condition and well-being of patients, as it turned out that patients following this diet had fewer breakdowns and had excellent control over blood sugar levels, the treatment was less painful and practically without special restrictions on the amount of food.
Fruits you can eat if you have diabetes
In case of diabetes mellitus, special attention is paid to fruit, since fruit contains a lot of fiber and also concentrates many useful vitamins, microelements and minerals.Compared to other products, their concentration is many times higher.It is worth noting that they contain mainly fructose and sucrose, but there is practically no glucose.
If you completely compare all possible fruits, you can only distinguish a few, since only some fruits provide value for the body.Also, it is worth noting that not all fruits are recommended for consumption;some fruits, on the contrary, are contraindicated for diabetics.
Among the fruits recommended for patients with diabetes are: grapefruits, lemons, oranges, apples, apricots, peaches, pears, pomegranates, a variety of dried fruits (we recommend the use of dried apricots, plums, dried apples), among the berries we can mention cherries, blueberries, gooseberries, currants, blackberries.But for example, watermelons and melons should be consumed in moderation, as they contain more carbohydrate components.As you already understood, it is necessary to consume acidic varieties of fruits and berries;they will be healthier and will not sharply and strongly increase blood sugar levels.
Allowed products
Many diabetics ask themselves the question of what foods are allowed, since for them nutrition is one of the most important factors.We will provide you with a list of foods that are recommended to be consumed, but we would like to point out that this is only an approximate list.A more precise diet for diabetes mellitus should be established only by your attending physician, since he knows all your pathologies and medical history.So, what foods can you eat:
- vegetable or mushroom soup, okroshka, lean fish broths;
- lean meats: chicken, rabbit, veal, beef;
- It is better to take bread from second-grade flour, rye or wheat, bread with bran;
- lean fish, but you can only eat it boiled or baked;it is better to eliminate fried fish from your diet.Canned food can be consumed, but it is important to note that it must be in its own juice;other types of canned food are prohibited;
- among cereals, preference should be given to wheat, barley, buckwheat, oatmeal and pearl barley;
- eggs can also be consumed, but no more than 2 eggs per week, and only the egg white is better, but it is better to limit the quantity of yolk;
- low-fat dairy products: ricotta, milk, yogurt and low-fat hard cheeses;
- of fruits and berries, preference should be given to non-sweet varieties (apples, kiwis, grapefruits);
- compotes, jellies and even sweets can be consumed, but it is very important that they are based on sorbitol or saccharin;
- cucumbers, courgettes, tomatoes, pumpkin, lettuce, cabbage and aubergines are the vegetables to give preference to.It is very good to consume these vegetables raw (for example in salads);
- potatoes can be consumed in moderation and it is very important to soak them in water before cooking, since once soaked they release starch, which is harmful to diabetes and can increase sugar;
- herbal teas, sour berry juice, uzvar.
As you can see, the list of allowed foods is quite large, and the main thing is to adapt to proper nutrition and eat more fruits and vegetables.A diet for diabetes can be quite tasty, the main thing is to understand that your health and well-being depend on it.
Prohibited products
There are some foods that are contraindicated and prohibited for diabetics because they can significantly increase blood sugar levels.After all, it is nutrition that influences sugar levels.Which foods are contraindicated and which are best avoided:
- fatty meat broth;
- corn;
- wholemeal bread;
- fatty meats, better to avoid pork, lamb, duck and goose.It is also necessary to exclude types of smoked meat, sausage and lard from the diet;
- baked goods: cake, sandwich and various types of biscuits.Butter and puff pastry, as well as all products derived from them, are strictly prohibited;
- You should give up coffee and any coffee-based drinks;
- fatty fish, salted or smoked fish, canned food (if cooked in oil or tomato);
- fried, spicy and fatty foods are completely contraindicated, as they will only increase sugar and can provoke the development of some other disease;
- salty cheeses, curd masses and simply cottage cheese, sweet and fatty butter and cream;
- dairy products with a high percentage of fat;
- legumes (peas, beans), varieties of salted and pickled vegetables;
- The following fruits are prohibited: all types of grapes, bananas, dates, strawberries, figs;
- jam, sugar, chocolate and various confectionery products;
- energy and carbonated drinks;
- juices that contain a high amount of glucose (grapes, multifruits), as well as sugar-based lemonade;
- As for cereals, forget about white rice, semolina and any type of pasta.
Properly selected dietary nutrition is very important for people suffering from diabetes.Diet during diabetes is simply necessary, and limiting certain foods can make the patient's life much easier.So everything is in your hands, remember that by adhering to a certain diet, the treatment will be much easier.
Conclusion
It is very important to remember that when diagnosing diabetes, the main thing is the right treatment and the right diet.For some reason, many people forget about the diet and assume that pills or insulin prescribed by the doctor will normalize sugar, but this is not entirely wrong, since frequent changes in sugar can provoke the development of other, more serious disorders.Often this disease negatively affects vision, heart and joints.With diabetes, many people live happily ever after, but there are some things you have to limit yourself to.
Proper treatment, nutrition and a physically active lifestyle are the key to a long and happy life for a diabetic.Whatever type of diabetes is diagnosed, treatment is still necessary and therefore nutrition must be adapted immediately.Yes, diabetes is one of the incurable diseases (although scientists have been trying to find a cure for a complete cure for many years), which can give rise to other diseases, but if you learn to live with it correctly, you will live a long and happy life.Remember, quality diabetes treatment and diet is the most important thing.