Eat healthy, live healthy

Q: When it comes to diabetes, how important is diet?

A: Diet (or the stuff you put into your mouth) is the cornerstone of diabetic control. Perhaps no other chronic disease requires a person to maintain a healthy and balanced diet more than diabetes does. Indeed, in many ways, maintaining a healthy, balanced and appropriate diet is the key to controlling diabetes and is the secret to a healthy life for all of us.

Trying to plan appropriate meals for a person afflicted with diabetes can be a challenging task. By keeping a number of tips and pointers in mind as you go about planning meals, you can make your life a whole lot easier and you can keep your diabetes well under control.

First of all, as a person with diabetes, you need to pay attention to the timing of your meals. In order to take optimum advantage of your food intake, you should space your meals evenly throughout the day. You should make it a practice to eat your meals at the same time each and every day. By setting a regular and recurring schedule for your meals you will help to ensure that your blood glucose stays at a more stable level throughout the day.

Second, when it comes to planning your meals, you need to pay attention to serving size. You must watch not only what you eat, but how much you eat at any given meal. You should not overindulge at any one meal with the idea of eating less at the next meal. Constant, consistent food portions are vital to maintaining stable blood glucose levels. In fact, many bodybuilders recommend this technique of eating six small meals a day, instead of three big meals. It keeps the nutrition flowing, and makes us less likely to overeat.

When it comes to the kinds of foods you eat, many doctors and nutritionists recommend that you eat lots of foods that are high in fiber and high in nutrition: fruits and vegetables and beans. And limit foods that are high in fats and refined starches—nothing fried; minimal meat and animal products; no white bread or pasta; and very little white rice. These are not just recommendations for the diabetic person, but great recommendations for anyone that wants to keep healthy.

Finally, when it comes to a healthy and appropriate diet, a person with diabetes should avoid sugars and sweets. This includes one of the most notorious killers for the diabetic diet—soft drinks and beer. And again, these aren’t just good tips for diabetics. They are great tips for anyone who wants to live a healthy lifestyle. A balanced diet truly is the key maintaining a healthy, active life, especially for the person with diabetes.

(David Khorram, MD is a board certified ophthalmologist, and director of Marianas Eye Institute. Questions and comments are welcome. Call 235-9090 or email eye@vzpacifica.net. Copyright © 2005 David Khorram.)