As you go about structuring your diet to help you best manage your Type 2 diabetes, there are some critical things you must be doing – things most diabetics don’t do. While you may have the obvious down, stop consuming processed foods or those that are purely sugar, there are other places where you could be going wrong that could be hindering your ability to feel your best and help heal your condition.
Let’s go over three of the most common mistakes some Type 2 diabetics make so you can make sure you aren’t committing these fatal crimes:
1. Only Checking Sugar Content. First, don’t just look at the sugar content in the foods you eat, check out the type of carbohydrates in them as well. Remember, even if the label says zero grams of sugar, if the food is prepared with a high volume of white flour or other highly processed carbohydrates, it’s really no better. It might as well say 20 grams of sugar for how it will react in your body.
One must have tool for the person with Type 2 diabetes is the GI index, which ranks foods based on how fast they break down into sugar in your body. If you focus on eating only low-GI foods, you are going to do far better.
2. Neglecting Protein. In addition to looking at the sugar content, make sure in your quest to control your carbohydrate intake, you don’t neglect protein. Remember, protein is the most important nutrient you must take in on your diet on a day-to-day basis, especially if you are active doing intense workout sessions.
Protein itself is also a great way to help regulate blood sugar levels, so by getting more in, you can manage the carbohydrates you eat better as well. Always make sure you have at least 10 grams of protein or more in each meal and snack you consume. This simple tip will really help make a difference in your blood sugar fluctuations.
3. Not Monitoring The Calorie And Serving Size. Finally, make sure you aren’t overlooking the calorie content with relation to serving size. Remember, one of the key tenants for a diabetic to stay healthy, is losing excess body fat or managing a healthy body weight – and calories do add up.
If you eat three servings of the food you are consuming without realizing it – thinking you just ate one – you’ll be gaining weight faster than you ever imagined. Make sure you are taking the time to monitor this.
So keep these quick tips in mind and make sure you aren’t making these errors. If you are, make some changes so they are no longer impacting your body. Type 2 diabetes is no longer a condition you must live with. It need not slowly and inevitably get worse. Now is the time to take control of the disease – and take back your life.