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Posts Tagged ‘diabetic menus’

Exercise burns fat. Excess weight causes a cycling effect. You become more fatigued with more weight and less apt to exercise or do other things that will help maintain a lower weight. Even eating moderately without exercise will result in increased weight. It doesn’t have to be a 3-hour stint at the gym to become healthier. You can lose weight without that huge block of time at the gym. Gradually increase the exercise and you’ll find yourself breaking that negative cycle.

Eating well balanced meals are the key to maintaining your health as a diabetic. Combine this with a daily exercise regime to use more calories than you take in. “Give me meat and potatoes!” used to be my motto. Then the doctor told me my triglycerides were up and if I didn’t start eating better I’d end up with diabetes. Talk about a scare! That caused me to start eating on a smaller plate, taking smaller portions and eating more vegetables. Eating fewer calories than you use (i.e. eat 1200 calories – use 1400 calories) is the key to gradual weight loss and a healthier body.

There’s always been a battle between those people who feel it’s better to eat raw vegetables and those who prefer the taste of cooked vegetables. While adding spices to the cooking process may improve flavor, the simple fact that you are cooking them kills some of the beneficial enzymes. Raw fruits and vegetables can provide enzymes your body needs. Vegetables are beneficial because they have fewer calories and provide fiber to your diet. Many vegetables, like lettuce and carrots help you to feel full while having limited the number of calories you’ve taken in.

Don’t feel like a “health nut” if you consider squeezing your own juice. That’s a stereotype given to people who generally put health above all else in life. Well, let’s face it. If you’ve been diagnosed with diabetes, you SHOULD be taking better care of your health and squeezing your own juice is one way to do that. Using a blender and avoiding adding extra sugar will give you juices that have a lot of good enzymes, lower sugar content and are better for you. You might even try guava or red grapes. They make a tasty juice as well as controlling your blood sugar level.

High carbohydrates, fat and sugar content are the bad parts of this society’s eating habit. So many fast food restaurants have popped up that make meals quick (i.e. frying) and sweet (soda, shakes and even little sweet pies) it is difficult to find ways to eat away from home and maintain a healthy diet for the diabetic. No one said you couldnt have ANY of those things, but you MUST balance the things you eat.

Foods rich in fiber help clean fat and blood glucose from your system. Naturally, this lowers the blood sugar levels. We talk about foods high in fiber being vegetables and a lot of those are found in salads. Naturally, we consider salads good for you to keep your body clean. The next thing to consider are the salad dressings. Take care here because things like mayonnaise and extra sugars are used to enhance the dressing’s flavor. If you pour on the dressing, you’re defeating the benefit of eating the salads in the first place. Moderation is the key to using dressings. Another option is to use low-calorie / low-fat dressings.

Your pancreas produces enzymes that aid in digestion as well as insulin to regulate sugar in the blood. Over time it loses it’s ability to produce both. This gradual weight loss and the resulting increased health helps to reduce the strain on the pancreas. In other words, this compounds the benefit of the balanced diet.

Four of the fat-fighting compounds you can always count on are calcium, fiber, omega-3s and vitamin D. Calcium is found in dairy products. When considering dairy keep in mind it’s best to use fat-free or soy milk products. Whole grains, fruits and vegetables are high in fiber. Walnuts, flax seed and fish contain a lot of omega-3s while vitamin D is found not only in dairy products, but also in eggs and fish like tuna, salmon and sardines.