Breakup with Diabetes: Take Control of Your Health and Blood Sugar
Introduction: Taking Control of Your Health
The Holiday Season is here, which usually means we mess with our blood sugar—but it doesn’t have to be that way. Several years ago, I was diagnosed with borderline type 2 diabetes after spending 37 years in the bakery/cafe business. I love to eat and my sweets, but my body feels otherwise. I have spent several years managing my blood sugar, and I feel much better when I do—and you will too.
Healthy eating, the right mindset, and enjoyable exercise are your recipe for managing diabetes. This timely read reminds you to eat fewer sweets and enjoy healthier treats. I also conducted an interview with Dr. Joan Ifland, an expert on processed food addiction, which will help you get through the holidays without gaining a pound.
Understanding Type 2 Diabetes
According to the CDC, more than 37 million Americans have diabetes—about 1 in 10—and approximately 90-95% of them have type 2 diabetes. Type 2 diabetes most often develops in people over age 45, but more and more children, teens, and young adults are also developing it.
Type 2 Diabetes is usually caused by poor diet and exercise, so in most cases, it can go away with hard work. While Type 1 Diabetes is similar in many ways, there’s no known cure for it. If you’ve recently been diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes, you’re probably thinking about your health. The good news is that with some healthy tips, you can manage your diabetes without it taking up too much of your attention.
Know Where the Carbs Are
Managing diabetes is mainly about monitoring your carbohydrate intake. If you’re just starting to watch out for carbs, it can seem like they’re everywhere. Knowing more about carbohydrates and where they come from means you don’t always need to read labels or struggle at holiday parties.
Some foods have virtually no carbs:
- Eggs, meats, most cheeses, and vegetables
Low-carb drink options:
- Water, coffee, tea, and diet sodas (though not recommended)
- Avoid: Milk, regular soda, fruit juices, and alcoholic beverages
Know How to Find Carbohydrate Information
Carbohydrate information isn’t only on nutrition labels. Resources like The Calorie Fat and Carbohydrate Counter work like encyclopedias, telling you everything about the nutritional content of food—including fruits and vegetables without nutrition labels. Much of this information and a handy calculator is available online, including at fast food restaurants.
At fast food places, which I recommend forgetting exist, nutrition information must be available to consumers. Some places provide info on placemats; at others, you just need to ask while ordering. If you find yourself at a fast food joint, ask about nutritional content before you eat.
Monitor Your Activity
Food isn’t the only part of managing your diabetes—exercise plays an integral role. For Type 2 diabetes, exercise can even help make your diabetes go away.
Diabetes affects how your body processes carbohydrates, which changes the amount of sugar in your blood. Different activities consume different amounts of carbohydrates and can change your blood sugar levels. If you have high blood sugar, staying active will cause your body to use more energy and bring your blood sugar down. Not staying active might lead to your body not using as much energy, leaving your blood sugar levels high.
Know Your Signs
Understanding how activity affects your blood sugar and how that makes you feel is essential. While there are general symptoms of high and low blood sugar, everyone is different. Keep track of how you feel at different levels so you won’t need to check your blood sugar to know when something is off.
Knowing the symptoms, causes, and prevention of high and low blood sugar is crucial. I suggest you dive deep into this disease and do your research—there is much good information available.
Conclusion: You’re in Charge
Diabetes requires close management to stay under control, but that doesn’t mean it has to be complicated. It may seem hard now, but as you navigate the balance of carbohydrates and activity, it can become second nature.
Remember that you’re in charge of what you eat and when you eat. Stick with what works best for you to control your eating habits. No matter what kind of modified diet you’re on, your mindset is the determining factor. Find healthy food choices that rock your world, a fun exercise routine you will do, and hang with positive people. Making healthy food choices is also more beneficial for the planet—nothing else in nature eats processed food laden with chemicals, sugar, salt, and artificial ingredients.
Your Call to Action
This week, pick one strategy: monitor your carbs at one meal, take a 20-minute walk, or prepare one healthy meal at home instead of eating processed food. Choose foods and activities that support living like the future matters. Share in the comments: What’s your biggest challenge with managing blood sugar? Let’s support each other’s health journeys!
🥰 A Dose of Positivity
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