Blood Sugar Balancing Act

Insulin is not a cure for diabetes; it is a treatment. It enables the diabetic to burn sufficient carbohydrates, so that proteins and fats may be added to the diet in sufficient quantities to provide energy for the economic burdens of life.

- Sir Frederick Grant Banting

When you have a craving during the day, what do you reach for?  Chances are, you reach for something that has a lot of carbohydrates in it.  The cravings for carbs are huge for everybody when you have an energy crash! 

It's a good idea to be prepared for times like that by keeping protein bars or shakes on hand to tide you over, and to know what fruits and vegetables actually help with those carb cravings.  A balance of lean protein, vegetables, fruits, whole grains and some starchy vegetables that include plenty of fiber and some healthy fats can make a big difference in how often you crave carbohydrates.  

A Type 2 Diabetic has to strike a perfect balance between food choices, activity and medications.  This is particularly difficult when you are newly diagnosed, and continues to be a daily challenge, but does get somewhat easier as time goes by.

The food choices you make are important but you should eat every 3-5 hours to maintain a happy and consistent blood glucose reading.  That's in a perfect world when there is no illness or stress involved.  We learn quickly that there are a number of variables involved in blood glucose control, but if you eat on a regular schedule, it does help. 

Staying active helps keep blood glucose consistent as well.  Inactivity tends to make glucose levels rise, but once you begin a regular exercise routine - 30 minutes a day 5 times a week, then it helps alleviate those carbohydrate cravings.  

These steps toward balance will help control your blood sugars and mood in check.  When your blood sugar is not under control it not only affects you physically but mentally as well.  For the sake of your physical and mental wellness, take the necessary steps to keep your blood glucose under control.  It's a delicate balancing act, but well worth the effort.

 “According to the surgeon general, obesity today is officially an epidemic; it is arguably the most pressing public health problem we face, costing the health care system an estimated $90 billion a year. Three of every five Americans are overweight; one of every five is obese. The disease formerly known as adult-onset diabetes has had to be renamed Type II diabetes since it now occurs so frequently in children. A recent study in the Journal of the American Medical Association predicts that a child born in 2000 has a one-in-three chance of developing diabetes. (An African American child's chances are two in five.) Because of diabetes and all the other health problems that accompany obesity, today's children may turn out to be the first generation of Americans whose life expectancy will actually be shorter than that of their parents. The problem is not limited to America: The United Nations reported that in 2000 the number of people suffering from overnutrition--a billion--had officially surpassed the number suffering from malnutrition--800 million.”
― Michael Pollan, The Omnivore's Dilemma: A Natural History of Four Meals

Foods that lower blood sugar.  Cinnamon and sprouted chia seeds (fiber).

http://youtu.be/saR0VflbIfY
 

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