Nutrition and physical activity plays an important role towards a healthy lifestyle when you have diabetes. It is important to follow a proper diet management plan if you are a diabetic patient.
When you follow a healthy meal plan and stay active, it can help you keep your blood sugar level in your target range.
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Medications are second line treatment measures, if diet and exercise fail to achieve adequate control.
What you choose to eat, how much you eat, and when you eat are all important in keeping your blood glucose level in the range that your doctor recommends.
A diabetic person’s diet need not be completely different from the normal diet. The nutritional requirements of a person with diabetes are the same as in the person without diabetes.
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However, the nutrient intake has to be made on the basis of their age, sex, weight, height, physical activity, physiological needs and current dietary history and routine of the patient.
An individual with diabetes can manage his condition by diet and exercise alone. However, follow these important aspects of diabetes management if you are a diabetic patient-
i) Try to have balanced and customized diet plan as it can allow you to lose or gain weight as required and maintain body weight close to a desirable body weight.
ii) Restrict having refined and starchy food items such as maida, rava, white bread, potatoes, other tubers, processed foods and meats as it can be helpful for you in maintaining blood sugar level.
iii) Add vegetables and fruits such as oranges, papaya, mosambi, guava or watermelon in your diet. You can also include berries, lentiles, beans and green leafy vegetables in your diet list.
iv) Stay away from consuming sweet fruits like custard apple, sweet bananas, grapes, mangoes etc.
iv) Take a regular intake of high fibre foods like whole grains, pulses, and all green vegetables in the range of at least 20-35 grams. Fibre helps to reduce postprandial blood glucose levels and blood cholesterol.
v) Make greens and vegetables part of your daily diet, eat diet low in glycemic index which helps keep the blood sugars in normal range.
vi) Stay away from consuming food products which are rich in saturated fats like butter, ghee, coconut oil and palm oil.
vii) Use mustard oil, corn oil, sunflower oil, groundnut oil, ricebran oil and gingelly oil for cooking. Olive oil best used for salads in Indian cooking.
viii) Avoid trans fats such as margarine and dalda/vanaspathi.