By Beverleigh H Piepers
If you're a diabetes veteran you probably think you've heard everything there is to know about Type 2 diabetes at least once. The tired mantra of "lose weight, count carbs and exercise" has been drummed into you so many times you're ready to assault the next health care provider that says it.
Believe it or not, there are a few gems out there that most diabetics... even long-standing ones... don't know about.
1. Choose Your Doctor Wisely: Many doctors tend to have an unholy alliance towards medical treatments for Type 2 diabetes. Instead of helping patients improve their health and quality of life through diet and exercise, they tend to scribble a prescription on a piece of paper and move onto the next patient.
Besides screening your physician candidates based on experience, consider adding empathy to your list of important factors. A study out of Thomas Jefferson University Hospital found that doctors that listened to and emphasized, helped their diabetic patients significantly more than those that rushed them out the door.
2. Limit Grains: It's no secret that whole grains are a much better choice for Type 2 diabetics than refined grains like white rice and refined pasta. However, that doesn't mean that "gorging" on whole grains is a good idea either. The glycemic index, a measure of how rapidly carbs get absorbed by your body, is surprisingly high in many grains... even whole grains!
For example, the glycemic index of whole grain cereals, like Special K and Grapenuts, are uncomfortably close to that of Wonder Bread!
Try to get the majority of your carbs in the form of fresh vegetables and fruits, fat-free dairy and beans.
3. Watch Your Fat: Many diabetics zero in on carbs and forget the importance of fat in their blood sugar management. If diabetics do care to note fat, it's usually to avoid it as much as possible. However, being fat-phobic doesn't help your blood sugar levels or your waistline. Fat provides your body with a source of energy that doesn't shoot up blood sugar levels like grains or sugary foods. Also, including healthy fats from sources like nuts, fatty fish and tofu combats inflammation... the underlying cause of insulin resistance.
4. Scary Motivation: If you can't seem to get your healthy lifestyle off the ground, consider this sobering statistic from the New England Journal of Medicine: diabetics are 80% more likely to die prematurely than those without diabetes.
This news isn't meant to scare you into action, it's just to give you accurate information on what the disease does to your health. Whether you choose to ignore this advice or use it as a tool to a new life, actively fighting Type 2 diabetes is one of the most important decisions you can ever make.
If you're a diabetes veteran you probably think you've heard everything there is to know about Type 2 diabetes at least once. The tired mantra of "lose weight, count carbs and exercise" has been drummed into you so many times you're ready to assault the next health care provider that says it.
Believe it or not, there are a few gems out there that most diabetics... even long-standing ones... don't know about.
1. Choose Your Doctor Wisely: Many doctors tend to have an unholy alliance towards medical treatments for Type 2 diabetes. Instead of helping patients improve their health and quality of life through diet and exercise, they tend to scribble a prescription on a piece of paper and move onto the next patient.
Besides screening your physician candidates based on experience, consider adding empathy to your list of important factors. A study out of Thomas Jefferson University Hospital found that doctors that listened to and emphasized, helped their diabetic patients significantly more than those that rushed them out the door.
2. Limit Grains: It's no secret that whole grains are a much better choice for Type 2 diabetics than refined grains like white rice and refined pasta. However, that doesn't mean that "gorging" on whole grains is a good idea either. The glycemic index, a measure of how rapidly carbs get absorbed by your body, is surprisingly high in many grains... even whole grains!
For example, the glycemic index of whole grain cereals, like Special K and Grapenuts, are uncomfortably close to that of Wonder Bread!
Try to get the majority of your carbs in the form of fresh vegetables and fruits, fat-free dairy and beans.
3. Watch Your Fat: Many diabetics zero in on carbs and forget the importance of fat in their blood sugar management. If diabetics do care to note fat, it's usually to avoid it as much as possible. However, being fat-phobic doesn't help your blood sugar levels or your waistline. Fat provides your body with a source of energy that doesn't shoot up blood sugar levels like grains or sugary foods. Also, including healthy fats from sources like nuts, fatty fish and tofu combats inflammation... the underlying cause of insulin resistance.
4. Scary Motivation: If you can't seem to get your healthy lifestyle off the ground, consider this sobering statistic from the New England Journal of Medicine: diabetics are 80% more likely to die prematurely than those without diabetes.
This news isn't meant to scare you into action, it's just to give you accurate information on what the disease does to your health. Whether you choose to ignore this advice or use it as a tool to a new life, actively fighting Type 2 diabetes is one of the most important decisions you can ever make.
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