Diabetes Nutrition Tips

Learn to Eat Well from Our Caregiver Agency
Diet plays an important role in managing diabetes. Type 2 diabetes might
be caused by being overweight, lack of exercise, poor eating, and other
lifestyle choices. Type 1 diabetes is thought to be an autoimmune disease
and requires a daily supplement of insulin regardless of diet.
Basically, when someone has diabetes it means that insulin in the body
is not able to perform the necessary function of getting glucose (sugar)
to pass from the bloodstream into the cells where it produces energy.
Since food is converted to sugars, it matters what you eat when controlling
blood sugar levels.
There is not a “diabetic diet” for everyone with diabetes,
but each person with the disease can self-manage their blood sugar by
carefully planning what they put on their plate. “If you have diabetes,
you need to be more careful than other people about when, how much, and
what types of foods you eat,” state the authors of “Living
a Healthy Life with Chronic Conditions” (Bull Publishing 2012).
The key to monitoring blood sugar in the diet is understanding—and
limiting—carbohydrates. The idea is to eat vegetables, fruits, and
whole grains which provide necessary fibre, fewer calories, and less fat.
Less-ideal foods are cookies, sodas, and other high-carbohydrate snacks.
It’s all about moderation, not abstinence.
Ask a friend or relative to try out a healthier diet. Get together to
go over some fun recipes—many can be found on Diabetes Canada (www.diabetes.ca)and
plan a few dinners with family and friends to test drive your new favourites
and healthier menus that benefit everyone.
Questions about Homewatch CareGivers® or what we can do for your loved one? Don’t hesitate to contact us today.